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 1993 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR ALL THE ABOVE BUT COULD FIND IT IF NECESSARY. I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND, LIVING ON A SMALL PENSION AND SOCIAL SECURITY, DO NOT HAVE THGE MONEY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE.
STEERING HAS BINDING NOISE, FRONT END SUSPENSION RATTLES AND VIBRATES.
WHENEVER VEHICLE WAS IN OVERDRIVE, IT WOULD JERK AND THEN STALL OUT WHEN TURNING CORNERS. THIS CAUSED POWER STEERING TO LOCK UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED.*AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, SO CONSUMER HAD THE HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND PAID FOR REPAIRS. TRANSMISSION IS NOW GOING OUT. RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END REPLACED, WAS CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP FAILED AND CAUSED A LEAK. HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED. *SLC
THIS IS MY MOTHER'S CAR. I PURCHASED IT IN SPRUCE PINE, NC FOR HER. SHE HAS GIVEN ME POWER OF ATT. FOR THIS DIFFICULTY. HER CAR LOST COOLANT, SHE TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER IN NJ. HE CHECKED AND TOLD HER TO DRIVE IT AND COME BACK IN A WEEK. THE CAR OVERHEATED DUE TO HEAD GASKETS. IT ENGINE WAS RUINED- HEADGASKETS, HOUSINGS, RINGS, BEARINGS, WATER PUMP. PAID $3000.00 IN REPAIRS, BUT RINGS AND BEARINGS WERE NOT REPLACED. NO OIL PRESSURE, USES OIL, AND RACK & PINION THEN WENT OUT. HAS 80000 ON IT NOW. DEALER KNEW 3.8 ENGINES HAD PROBLEMS BACK TO '89. NO SATISFACTION- NO WORKABLE CAR. FORD WILL PAY FOR NEW ENGINE UP TO 1994 EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 1989. PLEASE HELP. *AK
PCV VALVE REPLACED. *CJ
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40-45 MPH, VEHICLE JUST DIED AND THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. AFTER ABOUT 25-30 MINUTES, VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. POWER STEERING LINES WERE LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DIE. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING GOES OUT. CONSUMER WAS MAKING A LEFT AND HEARD A POPPING SOUND. ALSO, TRANSMISSION JERKS & SHAKES. POWER WINDOWS WON'T WORK WHEN IN REVERSE. CONSUMER HAS HAD CAR FOR 4 DAYS. THERE IS A EXTENDED WARRANTY, CONSUMER WILL TAKE BACK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED OUT. *AK
ENGINE GASKET AND POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING.
OUTER TIE RODS FAILED. MJS
WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM GAS VEHICLES SPEED DOES NOT DECREASE, SPEED REMAINS THE SAME FOR SEVERAL MILES IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR.
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. WHEN CONSUMER MANEUVERS THE STEERING WHEEL, HEARS A GRINDING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
THE STEERING BINDS WHEN GOING AROUND LEFT-HAND CURVES AT SPEEDS OF GREATER THAN 45MPH. DEALER SAYS THE STEERING-RACK NEEDS REPLACEMENT, BUT THIS WILL NOT BE COVERED BY THE DEALER.
RACK & PINION WENT OUT, STEERING WHEEL HAD TIGHTENED UP, CONSUMER HAD TALKED TO MANUFACTURER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & NO REPAIRS WERE DONE TO STEERING WHEEL. MECHANIC NOTICED HOW THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED UP. *AK *SLC
FUEL FILTER AND ASSEMBLY FAILED.
VEHICLE LEAKING DARK FLUID. TOOK TO 1ST MECHANIC & TOLD IT WAS THE STEERING MECHANISM THAT CAUSED THE RACK & PINION TO WEAR OUT. TOOK TO 2ND MECHANIC & TOLD RACK & PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS WORN OUT & WOULD EVENTUALLY LOOSE STEERING CONTROL. *AK
POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED CAUSING SMOKE TO POUR FROM UNDER HOOD.
ENGINE STALLS OCCASIONALLY.
STEERING COLUMN ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY ROD CAME OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE MOTOR TO CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER SHUTTING OFF WITH KEY.
POWER STEERING LINE FAILED, CAUSING LEAKAGE UNDER HOOD.
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING PUMP IS VERY, NOISY. THE PUMP WAS CHANGED BY DEALER IN OCT 0F 95. THE PUMP IS NOISY AGAIN AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT 75,000 MILES. *AK
WATER LEAKS AROUND THE REAR WINDOW.
EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER.
WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS PEELING/RUSTING WIPER BLADES, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *SD
BELT TENSIONER BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOST STEERING, REPLACED TWICE. TT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, IGNITION SWITCH FAILED ON TWO OCASSIONS. TTCONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAS LIGHTS BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT START, STARTE WAS REPLACED ALSO TAPE DECK BUTTON POPS OFF, CUST STATES WHEN MAKING TURNS THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE, STABILIZER LINKS WERE REPLACED.*JB
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
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