1996 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

JUST BOUGHT A MERCURY SABLE 1996. AFTER DRIVING THIS VEHICAL FOR ABOUT 10 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP BADLY. IT BEGAN WITH HAVING TROUBLE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING IN A RURAL AREA WITH FEW STOPS AND LITTLE TRAFFIC. BY THE TIME I STOPPED AT THE 3 STOP SIGN. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE INTO 1ST OR 2ND GEAR. NEVER GOT INTO 4TH GEAR. BUT HAD TO GET PUSH THE VEHICAL FROM THE LAST STOP SIGN UNTIL I REACHED A SMALL HILL THAT ALLOWED ME TO REACH THE SPEED SO THAT 3RD WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO MY HOUSE. THE CAR HASN'T MOVED SINCE THEN. WASTE OF $1,000!! TRANSMISSION IS FINISHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN, MAKING TURNS, AND REVERSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRADLE AND SUBFRAME BUSHING WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT CERTAIN SPEEDS AND MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE AND THE SUBFRAME WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED HOWEVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000. *TR

RELEVANT INFORMATION---ENGINE WAS REPAIRED ON SEPT. 9/10, 2012 SAME MORNING AS THE ACCIDENT--CAR WAS DRIVEN TO BANK BUT AS I WAS LEAVING I COULD NOT PUT CAR INTO REVERSE. A GENTLEMAN PASSERBY WAS ABLE TO PUT IT INTO REVERSE WITH EFFORT AND A LOUD NOISE IN THE GEARS. I PROCEEDED TO MY EXERCISE CLASS WHICH LASTED ONE HOUR. HAD NO TROUBLE WITH REVERSE GEAR THIS TIME. ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT AND IN A MATTER OF MINUTES THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP AND SHOT FORWARD ON ITS OWN, WENT OVER A CURB & SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL AT HIGH SPEED. THE AIR BAGS WENT OFF AND WITH EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR. I HAD MINOR INJURIES--NOSE, CUT ON ELBOW, BANGED UP KNEES. THE ENGINE OF THE CAR KEPT ROARING FOR POSSIBLY 15 MINUTES UNTIL SOMEONE CUT THE CABLE TO THE BATTERY. THE POLICE REPORTED THAT I HAD STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE WHICH WAS TOTALLY FALSE. I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY THINKING--THERE'S SOMETHING TERRIBLE WRONG WITH MY CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT INTERESTED IN PURSUING THE CAUSE WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE REPAIR DONE ON THE ENGINE. THEY CALLED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND COULD DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V323000 (STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT INCLUDE 1996 MODELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, HE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HE MENTIONED THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS PROPERLY WEARING HIS SEAT BELT AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, IT FAILED TO PROTECT HIM. HE MENTIONED THAT HIS HEAD AND RIGHT HAND HIT INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND SHATTERED IT. HE ALSO SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND INJURIES TO HIS KNEES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 166,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 06/13/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED ON SEPT 10,09 AT 3:30, THE NEXT DAY, AT 6:30 PM THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRED AND STATED THAT IT WAS AS ELECTRICAL FIRE. A FIRE REPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE INSURANCE HAS NOT ADVISED THE CONTACT IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED OR NOT. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER WILL PROVIDE THE FINDINGS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 10/20/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE. UPDATED 10/23/09.*JB

THE STEEL BRAKE LINES TO THE REAR BREAKS RUSTED AND MY BREAKS FAILED. I HAVE LOOKED AT THREE OTHER CARS OF THE SAME TYPE AND TEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD KILL SOMEONE. *TR

THE SUB FRAME ON MY SON'S 96 MERCURY SABLE SUDDENLY BROKE LOOSE AND NEARLY CAUSED HIM A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE STEERINMG OF THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY ERATIC AND AS SUCH LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT.THE AREA WHERE THE FRAME ATTACHES TO THE BODY HAD LITERALY RUSTED AWAY AND THE SUBFRAM HAD SHIFTED. I CHECKED THE COMPLAINT DATABASES AND FOUND FORD HAD A RECALL ON SABLES AND TAURUSES FOR SUBFRAME FAILURES FROM 89 TO THE 95 MODEL IN SALTBELT STATES. THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURES LISTED IN THE RECALL INFORMATIOIN ARE ALSO ENDEMIC TO THE 96 MODEL. OTHER THAN THE SUBFRAME FAILURE THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND WELL MAINTAINED. THE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS HOW MANY OTHER 96' SABLE AND TAURUSES ARE STILL ON THE ROADS IN THE SALTBELT STATES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A VERY SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT TO OCCUR DUE TO THIS DEFECT. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT FORD OR SOME GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY SHOULD REQUIRE WARNINGS TO BE ISSUED TO OWNERS OF THESE CARS TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED BEFORE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THESE CARS FIND THEMSELVES IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.