Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND U-TURN AT 30 MPH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT A CURVE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK VEHICLE ALSO JUMPED UP INTO A CURVE AND DENTED THE LEFT FENDER BY A TREE. *LA
CONSUMER ONLY OWNED VEHICLE FOR A MONTH AND A HALF, WHEN PROBLEMS STARTED TO ARISE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION AND C0NSUMER WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING, SHE THEN TOOK VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER DELAER TO GET A SECOND OPINION AND SHE WAS ADVISED OF THE SAME THING. *JB
RECALL (98V-323) FAILED SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, FINAL FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRE WHEN THE MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING STRESS AND BREAKAGE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE WHICH LEAKED ONTO HOT ENGINE (FIRE). MJS
PARKED & TURNED VEHICLE OFF. EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED VEHICLE. GOT OUT & LIFTED HOOD. A LOT OF SMOKE BILLOWED OUT. LATER NOTICED FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. FIRE WAS WAS CAUSED BY STEERING HOSES RUBBING AGAINST EACH OTHER & CAUSING A LEAK WHICH DRIPPED FLUID ONTO ENGINE AND CAUSING A FIRE. *AK
POWER STEERING HOSE CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE BECAUSE OF LEAKING FLUID. DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE 3 TIMES FOR SAME REASON. *AK
STEERING FAILED TO TUFN RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND TOTALING CAR
POWER STEERING IS DEFECTIVE. WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY HOT DAY THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING, CAUSING A VAPOR WHICH IGNITED ON THE MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN A FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT, THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER WILL INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURNED UP. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
POWER STEERING HOSES CRACKED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE. *AK
FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE LINE, THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE IS LEAKING FLUID, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CONSUMER ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE PRESSURE LINE. *AK
POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN FIRE.
REAR MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE PRIOR TO RECALL, CAUSING ENGINE TO DROP/LOSS OF STEERING, ALSO CAUSED THE TIE RODS TO COME FREE.
VEHICLE PARKED IN PARKING LOT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. PROGNOSIS: FIRE ORIGINATED IN STEERING COLUMN. *AK
RACK AND PINION WENT OUT COULD NOT MAKE TURNS. TT
LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME INWARD AND PUSHED FLOOR BOARDS INWARD. TT
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAUSED BY POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING. TT
AIR CONDITIONER CLIMATE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. *SD
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED AND CAUSED FIRE. TT
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING LINE, LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. TT
DEFECT/POWER STEERING HOSE CAUSED FIRE; WHILE PARKING, HEARD POPPING SOUND;STEERING WHEEL FROZE;SMOKE STARTED POURING FROM ENGINE;OPENED HOOD, SAW FLAMES/SMOKE.
POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED 4 TIMES. *SD
POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT THEN SMOKE CAME THROUGH VENTS, POWER STEERING FLUID CAUGHT FIRE ON MANIFOLD. TT
POWER STEERING PUMP/HOSE REPLACED. TEN DAYS LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .