2008 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING HIS VEHICLE IN COLDER WEATHER, IT WOULD JUMP OR LUNGE FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER FURTHER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING LAST WEEK MY WIFE NOTICED THAT WHEN TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT THE STEERING STIFFENED UP AND HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP AS TO NOT HIT THE VEHICLE TO HER LEFT . I CHECKED THE CAR OUT AND NOTICED IT IS MOSTLY AFFECTED AT LOW SPEED WHILE MAKING TURNS EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT THIS HAD NO WARNING AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.IT IS JUST LUCK THAT A WALKER OR JOGGER WERE NOT ON THE STREETS AT THE TIME .THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION I WILL ATTEMPT AT REPAIR MYSELF AS IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY POSSIBLE RACK AND PINION ALSO TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AT TIMES. *TR

CAR DEVELOPED A KNOCK IN STEERING. MOST NOTABLE WHEN STOPPED AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL A FEW DEGREES LEFT AND RIGHT. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO SAID STEERING CORE FAILED. REFUSED WARRANTY COVERAGE. SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY ACCIDENT ABOUT 1500 MILES PREVIOUSLY. THE ACCIDENT WAS A LOW SPEED FENDER BENDER WITHOUT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. FRONT BUMPER CRACKED, BUT HEAD LIGHTS WERE NOT BROKE, GRILL WAS NOT BROKE. INSURANCE COMPANY THAT FIXED ACCIDENT DAMAGE DENIED A CLAIM AGAINST THEM FOR STEERING CORE FAILURE. STATING IT WAS A FAILURE THAT WARRANTY SHOULD COVER (EXTENDED FORD WARRANTY.) I NEED TO FIND OUT IF AN ACCIDENT SUCH AS MINE COULD CAUSE A RACK CORE FAILURE. DEALER CHARGED $900.00 TO REPLACE THE RACK CORE. WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE CORE SAYING IT WAS UNDER PRESSURE AND HAD TO BE RETURNED AS AN EXCHANGE. (THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2009 1 YEAR OLD LEFTOVER). *TR

BEGINNING ABOUT THE FIRST OF MARCH, 2012, I NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING FEELING STIFF, JERKY AND HARD TO TURN. THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVED TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM A SIDE RIDE AND FEELING THE FRONT OF THE CAR JERK SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THE STEERING REMAINS STIFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND MAKING A TURN THE STEERING BECAME HAD BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. AFTER SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO HAVE RESET BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT FRONT TIE RODS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,600.

RECENTLY I WROTE YOU ABOUT MY 2008 SABLE IT HAS ONLY 16,000 MILE ON IT AND I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING STIFFENS UP WHILE DRIVING. I DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED BY A REPUTABLE PERSON. IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACKET PINION BAR. I DID NOT GO TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. YOU IN TURNED SENT MY COMPLAINT TO FORD AND THEY WROTE BACK SAYING THEY WERE SORRY AND I SHOULD OF TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN DOCUMENT IT. I JUST FELT SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I WOULD GO TO SOMEONE REPUTABLE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T SO COSTLY TO HAVE REPAIRED. I JUST WANTED TO PASS SOME INFO TO THE NHTSA ON FOR SAFETY REASONS. MAYBE THE PROBLEM DOCUMENTED [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE WHEEL STIFFENS UP WHILE MAKING A TURN. ALSO WHEN SITTING STILL/STOPPED THE WHEEL COMPLETELY FREEZES UP. THE BALL JOINTS, BEARINGS, AND RACKET PINION WAS CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC AND THE CONCLUSION HE CAME TO WAS HE THINKS IT COULD BE THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAULTED. THIS STARTED IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER AND CURRENTLY IS GETTING WORSE. DUE TO THE CAR ONLY HAVING 16,000 MILES AND HE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER MERCURY'S WE WERE WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF RECALL, AND IF THERE ISN'T IF THIS PROBLEM COULD BE NOTED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. *TR

CAR WOULD JERK GOING INTERSTATE SPEED OF 70MPH. FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK IN TO GEAR. DID THIS ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND I MEAN IT IS HARD, WILL SCARE YOU TO DEATH IF YOUR IN THE CAR. AFTER IT DID THIS ABOUT FOUR TIME OVER AN HOUR, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON THE REST OF THE TRIP. THIS IS A USED CAR I JUST BOUGHT, SO IM NOT SURE IF IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THIS. BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE INTERSTATE NOW. *TR

ON THE ABOVE DATE - SEPTEMBER 28, 2011, I BECAME AWARE THAT THE GAS IN THE GAS TANK WAS MOVING AROUND (SLOSHING) WHENEVER THE VEHICLE STOPPED OR STARTED MOVING FROM A DEAD STOP. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP IN FLORIDA AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. I TALKED TO THEM 3 DIFFERENT TIMES - - -THEY COULDN'T TELL ME IF THERE ARE BAFFLES IN THE TANK TO PREVENT THE SLOSHING - THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A BAFFLE WAS - -WOULD NOT DIRECT ME TO SOMEONE WITH MORE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE. LAST CONTACT WAS THURSDAY, OCT. 13,2011, YESTERDAY - - WAS ON THE PHONE 32 MINUTES WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO COULDN'T FIND THE ANSWER AND WOULDN'T TRY TO FIND SOMEONE WHO COULD GIVE ME AN ANSWER. A GAS TANK SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS IN 39 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. GAS TANKS DON'T "WEAR OUT" IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME. AND I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO THIS VEHICLE. DOES MY VEHICLE HAVE BAFFLES IN THE GAS TANK?? IS THERE A SAFETY ISSUE HERE WITH THE SLOSHING OF THE GAS? IF THERE ARE BAFFLES WHY WOULD THEY SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING? WOULD THIS PROBLEM BE COVERED IN THE VEHICLE WARRANTY? *TR

2008 MERCURY SABLE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS HE WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN.