2002 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

I STARTED MY CAR AND STARTED TO BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE. I WENT ABOUT 1 FOOT WHEN I HEARD A POP, THEN THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR DROPPED INSTANTLY. THE TIRE WAS FLAT, SO TOOK ANOTHER VEHICLE TO WORK. WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK, I JACKED THE CAR UP TO PULL THE TIRE OFF, BUT COULDN'T. AT INSPECTING THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY IN NOTICED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS INTO THE TIRE SIDE WALL. NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, I CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO CAME THE NEXT DAY TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THE TIRE OFF THE CAR AND WE SAW THAT THE BOTTOM PART OF THE SPRING HAD BROKEN OFF AND WENT INTO THE TIRE. MY MECHANIC SAID BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH THE TIRE AND STRUT SUPPORT. HE SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING, BECAUSE I OR PERSONS COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERLY INJURED. I DRIVE 22 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK ON HILLY AND WINDY ROADS. THE BROKE SPRING WAS NOT DAMAGED OR HAVE ANY CORROSION. THERE WAS A RECALL OF SABLE AND TAURUS VEHICLES (NHTSA #04V332000) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 2002 SABLE / TAURUS. WHY HASN'T THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THE EARLIER VEHICLES BE EXTENDED TO YEAR 2002? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD SOUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE STRUT SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND HAD PUNCTURED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/15/13*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE REVERSING THEN THE LEFT FRONT END DROPPED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS INSPECTED. THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND CUT THE TIRE SIDE WALL. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PIERCED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND THE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,800. UPDATED 3/13/13 *CN

I HAVE A 2002 MERCURY SABLE I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR I GOT MY SPEED UP TO ABOUT 50 MPH, I THEN TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK, THE SPEED STARTED CLIMBING BY IN ITSELF IT GOT UP TO 70MPH. I TAPED THE ACCELERATOR A FEW TIMES TO TRY TO GET IT TO RELEASE, I ALSO TRIED TO LIFT PEDAL WITH MY FOOT. I HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKES AND THAT BROUGHT ME DOWN TO ABOUT 50 MPH, IT FINALLY LET LOOSE AND SLOWED DOWN. MY HUSBAND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HIM TODAY JANUARY 22,2013, HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HE THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WAS REVVING HE HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF THEN TURN THE KEY BACK TO THE ON POSITION SO HE COULD STEER THE CAR AND COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. *TR

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF. IT WAS FULL THROTTLE, AND I COULD NOT STOP IT FROM SPEEDING UP. THANK GOD I WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE I COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, I HELD MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT GO BELOW 65 MPH. WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IT GOT UP TO 95 MPH AND WOULD HAVE KEPT GETTING HIGHER. SO I DROVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT 65 MPH, WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC. I TRIED SWITCHING INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT. I CALLED 911 AND THEY SENT A POLICE OFFICER OUT TO FOLLOW ME. I WAS DRIVING LIKE THIS FOR 10-15 MINUTES WITH MY LIFE CONSTANTLY FLASHING BEFORE MY EYES. EVENTUALLY, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY 911 TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION OFF WHILE IN NEUTRAL (WHICH I DID NOT KNOW COULD BE DONE UNTIL THEY TOLD ME). IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AT ANY POINT, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND COULD HAVE INJURED/KILLED MYSELF AND OTHERS. IT WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, AND I AM EXTREMELY SHAKEN UP. ACCORDING TO THE AUTO SHOP THAT IS WORKING ON MY CAR, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE CABLE THAT RUNS FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL TO THE THROTTLE BODY BROKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE HE DROVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V332000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT AND MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

DRIVING AT APPOX 30 MPH CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO OVER 60 MPH WITH BRAKES BEING FULLY APPLIED. SLOWED CAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE SHIFTING CAR INTO PARK AND CAR SKIDDING OFF ROAD TO A STOP. BRAKES WERE SMOKING FROM TRYING TO STOP CAR. CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON RT 16 EAST OF RT 395 IN WEBSTER MA AT 11:30 AM. *TR

THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES.THE CAR IS ALWAYS SERVICED, WELL MAINTAINED AND RUNS TERRIFIC. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE PARKWAY. SUDDENLY I EXPERIENCED THE CAR STICKING LIKE IT WAS CHOKING, LOSING POWER AND THEN SURGING AHEAD. I WAS SHOCKED, CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND IT EVENTUALLY CLEARED ITSELF. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS OR INCIDENTS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A CLOGGED FUEL INJECTOR SO I IMMEDIATELY ADDED SOME FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING BUT HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 3 - 4 WEEKS LATER AND I CALLED THE MECHANIC AGAIN. WE ONLY FOUND A SMALL TRANSMISSION LEAK BUT NOTHING ELSE. I HAPPENED TO MENTION THE INCIDENTS TO A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE AT WORK AND HE TOLD ME IT SOUNDED LIKE THE THROTTLE. HE SAID HE ALSO THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND NEED THE DEALER AND THE NHTSA TO ADVISE IF THERE IS A RECALL! IF THERE ISN'T THEN THERE SHOULD BE ONE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING FRACTURED WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR. CAR WAS PARKED. COIL SPRING PENETRATED THE FRONT TIRE AND RUPTURED IT. THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE FAILURE REPORTED IN 04V332000, BUT MY CAR IS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLDER THAN THE MANUFACTURING RANGE OF THAT RECALL. *TR