1991 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

VEHICLE WAS ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE POWER WAS SUDDENLY LOST. CAR WAS RESTARTED AFTER A TEN MINUTE COOL DOWN. DROVE FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES WHEN ENGINE POWER WAS LOST FOR A SECOND TIME. CAR WAS UNABLE TO START AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE. ROOT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A CORRODED GROUND CONNECT, ITENTIFIED AS C112 (FORD #). THIS CONNECTOR PROVIDES THE GROUND (NEGATIVE) FOR MAJOR ENGINE AND INSTRUMENTATION COMPONENTS (INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, INTEGRATED CONTROL MODULE, POWER STEERING MODULE, COOLING FAN, ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, OXYGEN SENSORS). THE LOCATION OF THIS GROUND CONNECTOR NEXT TO THE BATTERY, INCREASES ITS SUSCEPTABILITY TO ACCELERATED CORROSION. THE GROUND PLUG IS NOT A WATER TIGHT DESIGN. SEVERE CORROSION OF THE CONNECTOR BLADES WERE FOUND UPON DISASSEMBLY . CONNECTOR SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A TYPE LESS SUSCEPTABLE TO CORROSION. FAILURES ARE MORE LIKELY WHEN THE CAR IS OPERATING IN HOT DRY WEATHER AND WITH HIGHER ELECTRICAL LOADS.

SUBFRAME IS DETACHING FROM MOTOR, AND IS CORRODED. CONSUMER TOOK CAR INTO DEALER ON SEPT 20, 1999, FOR RECALL ON SUBFRAME. HOW COULD IT BE CORRODED SO FAST.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT A WARNING, AND NO GEAR AT ALL. A TECHNICIAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *AK

RECALL FOR THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS WAS ISSUED, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS HEAVY SALTING OF THE ROADS IN THE WINTER. NLM

MERCURY/FORD TOLD ME 4-19-00 THAT ONLY '93 & '94 3.8 LITER ENGINES WITH HEADGASKET FAILURES WOULD BE FIXED IF LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I HAD PLANNED TO KEEP THE CAR FOR 2-3 MORE YEARS BASED ON LOW USAGE AS I COMMUTE TO DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS VIA BUS--BUT NOW THE CAR DOESN'T APPEAR WORTH FIXING. *AK

MY ENGINE FAILED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AS A RESULT OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. MY FORD DEALER TOLD ME WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN THAT FORD HAD INSTALLED DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS IN CERTAIN MODELS, INCLUDING MINE, IN THE EARLY 1990S, AND THAT THESE GASKETS FAILED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE OIL, WHICH IN TURN DAMAGED THE BEARINGS AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. MY FORD DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD HAD A PROGRAM TO HELP THOSE WITH 1994 AND 1995 CARS. I WROTE FORD TO ASK IT TO REIMBURSE ME, BUT FORD WAS RUDE AND ENTIRELY UNHELPFUL. WHY SHOULD IT RECOMPENSE ONLY THE OWNERS OF THE 1994 AND 1995 CARS, IF THE OLDER MODELS (1991-1993) ALSO HAD THESE DEFECTIVE GASKETS? MY DEALER TOLD ME I WAS AMAZINGLY LUCKY THAT THE ENGINE HADN'T FAILED EARLIER, AND THAT NO ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED. PLEASE HELP ME GET FORD TO REIMBURSE ME FOR BUYING A NEW ENGINE AS A RESULT OF ITS PRODUCT DEFECT. THANK YOU. *AK

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TRANSMISSIONS GOING OUT ON THE SABLES, BUT WHEN MINE WENT OUT IT JERKED WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT I COULD BARELY HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

THE MODULATOR VAVLE WENT OUT AND I WAS TOLD THE EVAPORATOR ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. I JUST WONDERED IF OTHERS HAD HAD A/C PROBLEMS OR WAS IT JUST MY CAR. I ALSO HAD THE REPLACED A/C GO OUT 2 YEARS LATER AND HAD TO REPLACE THECOMPRESSOR AND OTHER PARTS

JUST MAKING A TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 10MPH AND SUDDENLY CAR CAME TO A STOP BECAUSE OF THE POSITON OF THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. HAD TO STRAIGHTEN WHEEL MANUALLY, AND MOVE IT OFF THE ROAD. HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. INNER TIE ROD BROKE. *AK

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. ALSO, THERE WAS VIBRATION WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION,SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERHOOD. *AK