1996 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

A BOLT HOLDING THE RIGHT FRONT SUBFRAME CAME RIPPED AWAY FROM ITS BRACKET. IT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND RIPPED A VACCUM LINE FROM THE BRAKE DISTRIBUTION ASSEMBLY LOCATED ON THE FIREWALL. I LOST THE POWER ASSIST FOR THE BRAKES AND FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED AT A SLOW SPEED. IT COST ME APPROXIMATELY $315.00 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED.*AK

THE SEAT BELTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT SEAT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE BECAME INOPERABLE AT APPROXIMATELY 50000 MILES. WE DIDN'T NOTICE THAT THEY WERE INOPERABLE, ONLY THAT THE BELTS WOULD CATCH IN THE DOOR WHEN WE SHUT THE DOOR. AFTER A WHILE, AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, WE REALIZED THAT THE REASON THAT THE BELTS WERE GETTING CAUGHT IN THE DOOR WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WALSER LINCOLN-MERCURY AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS. THE SEAT BELTS ON BOTH SIDES WERE REPLACED ON 1/8/02. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS USED FOR LESS THAN HALF OF THE MILES DRIVEN. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF ONE OF THE BELTS FAILED BUT DON'T THINK THAT BOTH BELTS SHOULD FAIL. THAT SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS LIKELY.*AK

CAR STALLED, THOUGHT IT TO BE ALTENATOR, TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, FOUND THAT THE OIL PUMP GREAR WAS STRIPPED, AND ENGINE FROZE UP, DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT. HD TO REPLACE WITH REMANUFACTURED ENGINE, CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AS REQUIRED FROM THE DAY IT WAS PURCHASED NEW, WITH ALL SERVICE RECORDS RETAINED. COST $4400.00 TO REPLACE. FEEL IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. WAS OUT OF WARRENTY, BUT ENGINE STILL ONLY HAD 31613 MILES ON IT.

THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY FIX IT AND IT STILL KEEPS ON BREAKING DOWN. DRIVER DOOR WON'T LOCK, ROOF LIGHT STAYS ON, PANEL LIGHT INDICATING ALL DOORS ARE OPEN STAYS LIT. THEN IT GOES OFF AND THEN ON. ITS A CONTINOUS THING THAT HAPPENS. YESTERDAY. 11-28-01 IT WOULD NOT START. I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AND SOMETIMES IT STARTS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. DO I QUALIFY TO GET A LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL THEY FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY ANSWERS YET. MY VEHICLE IS PAID OFF SINCE OF LAST MONTH. ERLINDA L. PICAZO

COOLANT INSIDE VEHICLE HAS DETERIORATED, CAUSING ENGINE TO RUST. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN FEB 2000. CURRENTLY, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK CONSUMER STATES DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION THE FIRST TIME, AND NOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THEY ARE REFUSING, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THINGS JUST HAPPEN.*JB

AT 14,000 MILE VEHICLE COMMENCES TO ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY AND MOMENTARILY WHILE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED FROM A STOP POSITION. SUDDEN ACCELERATION WOULD LAST FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE OR LESS. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

THE LEFT FRONT SPRING PIERCED THE FRONT TIRE, AFTER IT HAD BROKEN IN TWO WHILE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DEALER FOUND PASSENGER SPRING, STABLIZER LINK, AND STRUT BEARING BROKEN, BOTH SPRINGS WERE REPLACED.*JB MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

I WAS TRAVELING HOME FROM MY FIRST LONG DISTANCE TRIP FROM NAPA, CA. TO VENTURA, CA. WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE CARS TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT STRAIGHT TO HOT, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST TOTAL POWER, RESULT? TWO BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, NUMEROUS COOLING PARTS REPLACED. WHEN FORD WAS CONTACTED ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT FOR A KNOWN DEFECT (HEAD GASKETS) THEY SAID THE GOODWILL POLICY DOESN'T COUNT IN MY CASE BECAUSE I TOOK IT TO A REPAIRSHOP OTHER THAN FORD. SO HERE I AM OUT $2,724.62 REPAIR COSTS $400. TOWING COST AND ANOTHER $250. IN RENTAL COST. I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED MY COSTS EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED BY FORD, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE EXTENDED "GOODWILL" WARRANTY UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. SO HERE IS ANOTHER SOB STORY ABOUT DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS NOT BEING FIXED. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO FIX IT. *AK

VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. COOLING SYSTEM BROKE DOWN TO SOON AND CAUSED EROSION. FORD DEVELOPED A REPAIR KIT FOR COOLING SYSTEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER PAID HALF OF THE COST. *AK