2003 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

2003 MERCURY SABLE WAGON -- THE SEAT BELTS IN THE MIDDLE SEAT OF THE CAR NO LONGER RETRACT. THEY HANG LOOSELY AND WOULD CERTAINLY BE A GRAVE DANGER TO ANY PASSENGER SHOULD THE CAR EXPERIENCE A CRASH OR ROLLOVER. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ALREADY, BUT NOW THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RETRACTION MECHANISM. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM IN MERCURY SABLES AND TAURUS WAGONS FROM WHAT I'VE READ. HEY FORD, HOPE YOU GIVE A [XXX] ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS AND CUSTOMERS ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE LEFT FRONT SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE AS THE CAR WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF A GARAGE. ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #04V332000, A PROTECTIVE DEVICE WAS TO BE INSTALLED TO PREVENT THE TIRE FROM BEING PUNCTURED BECAUSE OF SPRING FRACTURE AND THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED ON THE SPRING. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO FIX MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER THE LATEST DATE APPLIED TO THE RECALL AS NOTED ABOVE. SINCE, THE FAILURE IS THE SAME AS EXPLAINED IN THE RECALL DESCRIPTION; I CLAIM THE MANUFACTURER IS OBLIGATED TO COVER THE REPAIRS BASED ON PAST HISTORY. PLUS, THE "FIX" WAS NOT INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE THEREFORE EXPOSING THE TIRE TO THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF BEING PUNCTURED BY THE BROKEN SPRING.

2003 SABLE WAGON WAS DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. WHEN WE WENT TO MOVE IT AGAIN A HORRIBLE GRINDING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT END, SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING SCRAPING ON THE DRIVEWAY OR CAUGHT IN WHEEL WELL. CAR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PARKED. WHEN IT WAS LIGHT AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, A PIECE OF THE FRONT END COIL SPRING WAS FOUND LYING UNDER THE CAR, APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT LONG THAT IS SHEARED OFF FROM THE REST OF THE SPRING. NO VISIBLE RUST ON THE PART, JUST APPARENTLY A DEFECTIVE PART THAT BROKE. NOW THE CAR HAS TO BE TOWED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE REST OF THE SPRING IS EMBEDDED IN THE TIRE, WEDGED BETWEEN IT AND THE WHEEL WELL. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE THE CAR EVEN TO ALLOW FOR A TOW TRUCK TO GET UNDER IT. THE TIRES WERE ALSO JUST PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO AND THIS CERTAINLY HAS RUINED AT LEAST ONE OF THEM. *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE 1 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE CAUSING IT TO BURST. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE COIL SPRING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BECOME FLAT. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A BANG AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED SUDDENLY. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER BUT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000. UPDATED 01/18/11 *BF UPDATED 01/31/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE NEUTRAL GEAR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ONE MONTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE WIRING. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

COMPLAINT OR INQUIRY RECEIVED VIA EMAIL, INTERNET BY THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION *TGW 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FAILED. *JB

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PLEASE SEE YOUR REPORT PE09033. MY MERCURY SABLE USES THE SAME TRANSMISSION. AND THIS WEEK END ME AND MY FAMILY ALMOST GOT KILLED WHEN ON I-75 IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH CONCRETE BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES MY TRANSMISSION DIED WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 40000 MILES ON IT AND I CHANGED THE FLUID AS RECOMMENDED AT 30000 MILES. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 40000 MILES! THE MECHANIC SAID TO ME YOU HAD NO WARNING DID YOU! I AGREED. HE SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD PROBABLY FAILED! THE HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT $2200 FOR PARTS AND ABOUT $1100 FOR LABOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $3300. I AM AN ENGINEER SO I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT ENGINES AND MECHANICAL APPLICATIONS. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. I BELIEVE AFTER SOME RESEARCH THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FAULT IN THEM PARTLY FROM TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE AND PARTLY FROM OVER HEATING BECAUSE OF POOR CIRCULATION AND HEAT DISSIPATION DESIGN. I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA ABOUT THE ABOVE AND JOIN OR START A CAMPAIGN FOR A RECALL ABOUT THE ABOVE STATED PROBLEM. I HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT I WILL HAVE SOME RECOURSE WITH FORD. SO WITH SOME ANTICIPATION I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SOME HELP OR A RESPONSE WITH TO MY REQUEST. [XXX] *TR

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND I HEARD A LOUD WOOSHING NOISE. I GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE AND SAW MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. I TRIED TO REMOVE IT BUT COULDN'T GET A JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOW TO THE GROUND. I FINALLY MANAGED TO JACK UP THE CAR AND HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE REMOVING THE TIRE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I REALIZED THAT THE SPRING HAD BROKEN AND LODGED ABOUT 3 INCHES INTO MY TIRE. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION AND THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $600.51 IN ADDITION TO THE COST FOR TOWING AND TWO NEW TIRES. I HAD JUST DRIVEN 40 MILES ON THE EXPRESS WAY AT 70 MPH AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THIS HAPPENED EN ROUTE. *TR