1988 Mercury Sable Engine Problems

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. CURRENTLY IN THE VEHICLE RADIO LIGHT AND DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENLY COMES ON. HORN ALSO HONKS AS I DRIVE . STEERING WHEEL FEELS WOBBLY AND THERE ARE POPPING NOISES COME FROM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT LUMBAR BUTTON IS STUCK. TIRES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT. ELECTRIC WINDOWS FAILED THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL IS THAT THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING WHEN YOUR DRIVING AT55 MPH; THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. MR

NHTSA ID

767752

Incident

Sep 25, 2002

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN INTO DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

897570

Incident

Apr 24, 1998

WHILE TEST DRIVING SLIDE CONTACTS WENT OUT, THEN 2 MONTHES LATER THEY WENT OUT AGAIN THEN 10 MONTHES LATER WENT OUT AGAIN. THEN HEAD GASKET WENT OUT. CRUISE DOSN'T WORK OR HORN. FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND REPLACEMENT SO I HAVE TO JUST LIVE WITHOUT HORN AND CRUISE. I THINK I HAVE SHORT BECAUSE OF HORN NOW BUT WANT TO CHARGE ME TO LOOK AT IT, AND IT CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

726253

Incident

Jul 15, 2000

POWER STEERING LEAKS STARTED IN 1995 AFTER THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND THE AUTOMOBILE WAS TAKEN IN MANY TIMES TO REPAIR THE LEAKS TO NO AVAIL. HOSES AND LINES WERE REPLACED TWICE, SEALS WERE REPLACED ON PS PUMP, AND FINALLY IN 1998 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NON FORD DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION. THE MONEY SPENT WAS WELL OVER $2100.00 TO FINALLY REPAIR THE LEAKS. THIS INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH WERE A RECALL ITEM AND I PAID FOR THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY OR RECALL PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE LED TO THE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES FOR REPAIRS. THE LATEST PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND THE ESTIMATE IS FOR $1000.00. THE HEADGASKET SECRET WARRANTY ONLY COVERS THROUGH DEC. 1998. I HAVE YET TO TALLY ALL REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT I AM SURE IT IS WELL OVER $5000.00 OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION REPLACED, ALTERNATOR, TWO POWER STEERING PUMPS, RACK AND PINION, RADIATOR, TWO HEAD GASKET FAILURES, EXCESSIVE BRAKE JOBS EVER SINCE THE RECALL OF THE ROTORS, ALMOST YEARLY AFTER THIS RECALL. NUMEROUS VACUUM LEAKS UNDER THE DASH AND ONE AGAIN LAST WEEK. TWO SETS OF POWER STEERING LINES. THE CAR NEVER STAYS RUNNING WHEN IT IS HOT. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE THROTTLE CABLE STUCK WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THEN BROKE AFTER DRIVING IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. THE REAR ALIGNMENT BOLTS ARE FROZEN. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALWAYS LEAKED EXCESSIVELY. FROZEN CALIPERS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

720073

Incident

Aug 19, 1997

I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE CAR LOT ON THIS, THEY REFUSE & I REPORTED PROBLEMS WITHIN 48 HOURS OF PURCHASE

NHTSA ID

709215

Incident

Jul 24, 1999

HEAD GASKET LEAKED CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. NM

NHTSA ID

545284

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE IS JERKING, AND THE BATTERY LIGHT WON'T GO OF, AND THE VEHICLE IS STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID

835612

Incident

Jan 24, 1999

AROUND JAN 20, 1999 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD PERTAINING TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SUB FRAME RETAINING BOLTS. WORK WAS DONE AT HERITAGE MOTORS IN SYRACUSE ON 1/29/99. HERITAGE NOTIFIED ME AT THE TIME THAT MY FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN AND RECOMMENDED THEY BE REPLACED. BECAUSE OF CONVENIENCE I TOOK THE CAR TO AZRIA REPAIR SERVICE. WHILE REPLACING THE MOTOR MOUNTS MR AZRIA OBSERVED THAT ONLY THE TWO REAR SUB FRAME BOLTS HAD BEEN REPLACED BY HERITAGE. HE SHOWED ME THAT ONE OF THE FRONT BOLTS WAS IN FACT ALREADY BROKEN AND THE OTHER FRONT BOLT WAS IN DANGEROUS CONDITION. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT DRILLING OR CUTTING ACCESS HOLES INTO THE FRAME IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE RUST-FROZEN NUTS AND BOLTS HOLDING THE SUB FRAME IN PLACE. HE SHOWED ME HOW REMOVAL OR AT LEAST LOOSENING OF THE SUB FRAME WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE MOUNTS. THE INACCESSIBLE AND FROZEN RETAINING BOLTS MADE HIS WORK UNNECESSARILY TIME CONSUMING AND COSTLY. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY AND I THEREFORE AUTHORIZED HIM TO REPLACE THE TWO REMAINING BOLTS AS WELL AS THE MOTOR MOUNTS. MY CONTENTION IS THAT HERITAGE SHOULD HAVE REPLACED ALL THE BOLTS (FRONT AND REAR) AS PART OF THE SAFETY RECALL SINCE ALL THE BOLTS WERE KNOWN TO BE IN DANGEROUS CONDITION AND POSED A HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR PERTAINING TO THOSE ITEMS WHICH WERE KNOWN BY FORD TO BE DEFECTIVE AND POSED A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I AM RETAINING THE ORIGINAL PARTS IN CASE ANYONE WISHES TO EXAMINE THEIR CONDITION. MY BILL FROM AZRIA SERVICE WAS $575.41

NHTSA ID

703903

Incident

Jan 29, 1999

CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, MANUFACTURER'S RECALL #98S36/NHTSA #98V323000, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED, AND DEALER DID NOT REPLACE WHAT WAS SAID TO BE REPLACED IN THE LETTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

834602

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

834378

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

RECALL MFR 38S36/ 98V323000 PROBLEM IN FRONT RATHER THAN REAR. DEALER CONTACTED,AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO COMPLIANCE WITH RECALL. ALSO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 1/15/99. PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

834283

Incident

Sep 16, 1998

I WAS JUST TOLD RECENTLY THAT THIS MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE WAS KNOWN ABOUT BY THE MANUFACTURES ABOUT THE HEAD BOLTS CAUSING THE HEAD GASKETS TO BLOW AND DAMAGE THE HEADS AND VALVES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF I WERE TO SEND IN A COPY OF MY REPAIR BILL TO THE MANUFACTURER THAT I WOULD BE FULLY REIMBURSED. CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME BY MAIL THE ADDRESS THAT I COULD SEND THE COPIES TO? I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH , THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

701092

Incident

Oct 31, 1997

WORN TIE ROD ENDS CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR/SEPARATION OF TIRES.

NHTSA ID

541372

Incident

Aug 3, 1998

MOTOR MOUNT FAILED.

NHTSA ID

523649

Incident

Jul 5, 1997

HEAD GASKET FAILED.

NHTSA ID

516290

Incident

Feb 20, 1997

TRANSMISSION CONVERTER BYPASS SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STUMBLE. *DH

NHTSA ID

507123

Incident

Mar 1, 1993

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND TOTALED THE CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

987281

Incident

Jul 23, 1996

ENGINE MOUNTS HAVE FAILED, INVOLVED IN RECALL FOR MOTOR MOUNTS, DEALER MADE REPAIRS, BUT AGAIN HAD SAME PROBLEM. TT

NHTSA ID

976059

Incident

Dec 5, 1995

FUEL INJECTOR FAILED. *SD

NHTSA ID

487067

Incident

Oct 12, 1995

SUB FRAME MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE. TT

NHTSA ID

972453

Incident

Sep 11, 1995

REAR AXLE SEALS FAILED PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

484872

Incident

Sep 7, 1995

MOTOR MOUNT BROKE, RESULTING IN LEAKAGE AND OTHER DAMAGE. TT

NHTSA ID

966510

Incident

May 15, 1995

POWER STEERING HOSES WERE STRETXHED/STRAINED, CAUSINGMPOWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DENSE SMOKE. TT

NHTSA ID

964347

Incident

Jul 5, 1994

ENGINE NEED A TIMING GEAR PUT IN NEW GASKET . TT

NHTSA ID

963538

Incident

Mar 21, 1995

RECALL REPAIR ON MOTOR MOUNTS NOT PERFORMED WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR RECALL WORK (92M77), REPAIRS PERFORMED WHEN VEHICLE AGE EXCEEDED TIME LIMIT AND FEE CHARGED. *TW

NHTSA ID

482963

Incident

Oct 2, 1994