1997 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

THIS WAS A FAILURE THAT FORTUNATELY WAS CAUGHT BEFORE A CRASH. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED LAST DECEMBER. FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED IT THERE WAS A CLUNKING SOUND THAT CAME FROM UNDER THE FRONT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER MY HUSBAND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS MOVING BACK AND FORTH (FRONT TO BACK) WHEN THE CAR WOULD START OUT AND BACK UP. HE CONTINUED TO MONITOR IT FOR A FEW DAYS WHEN IT STARTED TO SOUND IF IT WERE WHIRRING AND GRINDING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. HE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR PLACE, FISHER AUTO BODY AND REPAIR IN SOMERSET. THERE THEY FOUND THE FOLLOWING, THE FRONT STRUTS WERE BAD, THE DRIVER SIDE WAS LEAKING AND HAD LITTLE FUNCTION, THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS WEAK; THE FRONT SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY MOUNT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND HAD SEPERATED; THE REAR MOTOR MOUNT WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED; THE REAR SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (TO CURE THE CLUNKING); THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING HAD GONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (TO REPAIR THE WHIRRING SOUND), PLUS STRUT MOUNT, CUSHION, ETC. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS NEARLY $1600. ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT THE WEAK STRUTS ALLOWED THE SUBFRAME TO SLAM TO THE GROUND ON HILLS OR SHARP GULLEYS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT MOUNTS BREAKING, THEY WERE CLEARLY NOT DESIGNED TO STAND UP IN THE LONG RUN. THE SAME DESIGN WAS USED ON THE 93 TAURUS FOR INSTANCE AND YOU RECALLED THE REAR MOUNTS AND REQUIRED A BEEFED UP MOUNTING PLATE AND DESIGN. YOU SHOULD FORCE FORD (MERCURY) TO DO THE SAME WITH THIS CAR. *AK

WHEN ON A INCLINE, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE TO REVERSE GEAR. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *JB THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE.

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE RIGHT REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRES ON THE SAME DAY WHILE ON A VACATION TRIP. GENERAL TIRES, SIZE 205/65R15, DOT# UNKNOWN. *AK THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT CHECK THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE AND IT ONLY HAD 17 LBS OF PRESSURE. HE TESTED AND FOUND MULTIPLE DEFECTS (SEPARATION AND LEAKS) IN ALL FOUR TIRES. *NM

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE POWER STEERING/POWER WINDOWS AND ABS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. *AK (AUTOMATIC POSITION LEVER MODULE) THE RADIO HAD GONE ON AND OFF AS WELL. *SC *JB

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE MY CAR. I PUT IT IN GEAR AND HEARD A BIG CLUNK, THE CAR DROPPED ON THE LEFT AND I HEARD MY TIRE BLOW OUT. IT WAS THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING , WHEN IT BROKE THE BROKEN SPRING STABBED MY TIRE. I AM SURE THAT IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED QUITE AN ACCIDENT. NOT ONLY WAS THIS A BIG EXPENSE FOR ME TO FIX. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR, BECAUSE I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THE OTHER (RIGHT) SIDE AND ALSO THE BACK SPRINGS. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT I CAN DO TO STAY SAFE IN MY VEHICLE? PLEASE RESPOND. THANK YOU. SHARON KITCHEN. *JB

THE BRAKE FAILED WHEN APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, MECHANIC INDICATED THE EXCESSIVE RUSTED IN THE BRAKE LINE MADE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *LA

I OWN A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHEILD WIPER IS DEFECTIVE, WE HAVE REPLACED IT SEVERAL TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. EACH TIME IT HAS OF COURSE BEEN RAINING HEAVILY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN IT JUST STOPS WORKING. WE HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED AT THIS POINT TO HAVE NO ACCIDENTS BUT AS I SAID IT CONTINUES TO DO THIS EVEN AFTER HAVING IT REPLACED.

A GENERAL TIRE 205 65R 15 FAILED ON 7/7/2004. THE TIRE TREAD CAME OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN I20 NEAR TERRELL, TEXAS. THE TREAD KNOCKED THE SCREWS OUT OF THE BUMPER SIDE PANEL AND DAMAGED THE PANEL. I HAVE ESTIMATE OF OVER $1400.00 FROM LEADERSHIP FORD IN DALLAS.*AK

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND VEHICLE ACCELLERATED. THE VEHICLE WENT UP AND OVER THE CURB, AND WAS FINALY STOPPED IN A ADJACENT PARKING SPOT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN A YEAR. *AK