1994 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

ROUGH IDLING YESTERDAY, HEAD GASKET BLEW TODAY. PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE AND USUAL ERUCTION OF ANTIFREEZE. AVOIDED ACCIDENT THOUGH I DID SWERVE INTO NEXT LANE BETWEEN 2 CARS.. *AK

FRONT PISTON IN TRANSMISSION CRACKED. THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO LOSE PRESSURE AT SLOW SPEEDS AS IF IT WENT INTO NUETRAL. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN STOPPED TO TURN LEFT. WHILE WAITING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO PASS THE TRANS WOULD LOSE PRESSURE RESULTING IN THE NUETRAL CONDITION. WHEN THE TRAFFIC PASSED AND THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THEN AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, AND SINCE THE ENGINE SPEED HAD NOW INCREASED, THE TRANS PRESSURE WOULD INCREASE AND THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY GO INTO GEAR AND LURCH INTO THE LEFT TURN. HOWEVER A FEW SECONDS OF TURNING OPPORTUNITY HAD NOW BEEN LOST AND THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN I AM COMFORTABLE WITH. I WOULD NOT LET MY FAMILY DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND HE IMMEDIATLY KNEW THE CAUSE, WHICH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IN FACT HE HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, SAME KIND OF CAR, SAME TIME. IT COST ME $1,400 TO GET THE TRANS REBUILT. THE DEFECTIVE PART IS AND ALUMINUM RING THAT IS FORMED FROM SHEET METAL. DURING THE FORMING PROCESS THE METAL WAS STRETCHED TOO THIN. THIS WAS EVIDENT BY THE STRESS MARK OR SMILE ON THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE REPEATED APPLICATION OF PRESSURE EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN THE CRACK WHICH LET THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO LEAK PAST THE PISTON. AGAIN THIS VERY DANGEROUS.*AK

3.8 V6 ENGINE WAS LOSING COOLANT AND OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN PARKING BRAKE IS ENGAGED IT WILL DISENGAGES BY ITSELF. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE DISENGAGES BY ITSELF WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO POSSIBLY ROLL BACK ON AN INCLINE. PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS BECAUSE OF NORMAL WEAR. . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH WARNING LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

LIGHT INSIDE OF VEHICLE COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO ENGINE COMPARTMEN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AT STOP; LUNGES INTO GEAR AT 1/3 THROTTLE, LIKE POPPING A CLUTCH. *AK