1993 Mercury Sable Suspension Problems

IN 1993 I HELPED MY MOTHER PURCHASE A NEW MERCURY SABLE IN RACINE, WISCONSIN WHERE SHE LIVED. BY 2001 MY MOTHER WAS AT AN AGE SHE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THE BIG EVENT WAS WHEN SHE BROKE HER HIP AND WE ALSO LEARNED SHE WAS STARTING TO LOSE HER SHORT TERM MEMORY. IN LATE 2001 WE HAD THE 1993 MERCURY SABLE WITH ONLY ABOUT 30 TO 35,000 MILES STORED PENDING DECIDING IF ANOTHER FAMILY COULD USE THE CAR. IN EARLY 2002 WE HAD THE TITLE TRANSFERRED TO MY SON AND HE STARTED TO DRIVE THE CAR. HE TOLD US WITHIN A WEEK THERE WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE AND WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AT OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER IN LEXINGTON ILLINOIS. THERE SERVICE MANAGER, DANNY, TOLD ME BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I FOUND THIS VERY ODD BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILES ON THE CAR AND IT WAS NOT DRIVEN MUCH IN THE WINTER SALT. I HAD DANNY SAVE BOTH OF THE OLD SPRINGS FOR ME BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD COVER THE EXPENSE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME AREA AND THE ORIGINAL PAINT WAS ON THE SPRINGS, INDICATING TO ME THEY HAD VERY LITTLE IF ANY SALT DAMAGE. I STILL HAVE THE SPRINGS IN STORAGE. I ALSO LEARNED LATER THAT FORD HAD SOME SORT OF RECALL FOR FRONT COIL SPRINGS, BUT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED BY DECEMBER 2001. FORD DID NOT PAY THE $340 BILL THAT I PAID TO REPLACE THE SPRINGS IN EARLY 2002. YOU MIGHT ASK, WHY AM I DOCUMENTING THIS NOW. TWO REASONS, ONE I JUST LEARNED OF THE WEB SITE AND TWO, I OWN A 2000 FORD TAURUS AND JUST RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. APPARENTLY, FORD DID NOT LEARN FROM THE EARLIER PROBLEM. I LEARNED LATER HOW THE BROKEN SPRINGS COULD HAVE CAUSED TIRE FAILURE AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH MY MOTHER ALWAYS HAD HER CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THEY APPARENTLY NEVER CHECKED IT FOR THE RECALL ITEM. I FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE A MORE ACCOUNTABLITY ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER(FORD) TO ASSURE ALL CARS ARE CHECKED. MY MOTHERS CAR WAS OVERLOOKED, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF HER AGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10089075

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

Mileage

33,000 mi

MY 1993 MERCURY SABLE WAS SUBJECT TO A FRONT SUSPENSION RECALL IN 1998 (NHTSA ITEM # 615138). THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN ON MY CAR, SAME PROBLEM, SAME REASON (CORROSION). THE ORIGINAL RECALL HAS EXPIRED SO I HAVE NO OPTIONS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. FORD DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY SIMPLY REPAIRED THE DAMAGE WITH PARTS SUBJECT TO THE SAME DEFECTS. THEY WILL NOT HELP ME SO I'M LODGING THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10055051

Incident

Jan 9, 2004

Mileage

165,285 mi

ABOUT 1 MONTH AFTER THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER MY HEAD GASKETS WERE REPLACED, MY SABLE STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN WARM. THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER. THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED WITH NO EFFECT. THE TIMING HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND TO BE RIGHT ON.

NHTSA ID

10068968

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

106,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS SNAPPED, CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO FALL. THE DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE SPRINGS PUNCTURED THE FRONT TIRES. RECALL# 98V094000 THE SALES DEALER HAD GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10038469

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

48,100 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10024171

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

FRONT COIL SPRING RECALL WAS DONE IN DECEMBER OF 1999, AFTER THAT CONSUMER ALWAYS HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. DURING ROUTINE REPAIR WORK MECHANIC FOUND PASSENGER FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010517

Incident

May 25, 2002

STEERING HAS BINDING NOISE, FRONT END SUSPENSION RATTLES AND VIBRATES.

NHTSA ID

9005825

Incident

Nov 1, 1993

ENTIRE VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. DEALER DENIED PROBLEM. AK SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****751026

NHTSA ID

10006453

Mileage

42,000 mi

CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN OVER A DITCH. THEN, FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING DID BREAK AND PUNCTURED TIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

882943

Incident

Mar 6, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

739701

Incident

Jan 15, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE ENGINE FAN MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO OVERHEAT.

NHTSA ID

723292

Incident

May 22, 2000

PRIOR TO RECALL HEAD LIGHTS GO OFF AND TURN ON AGAIN ALSO INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE DUE TO SWITCH FAILURE AT THE CONNECTOR (98V-009). YH

NHTSA ID

551846

Incident

Dec 11, 1996

WHILE DRIVING AND GOING OVER A BUMP HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOOSE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID CONSUMER NEEDED NEW SPRINGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

858902

Incident

Feb 21, 2000

WHILE DRIVING FRONT OF CAR SHAKING UPON STOPPING. ALSO, BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

858164

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

REAR STABILIZER BAR (SWAY BAR LINKS) OF THE VEHICLE BROKE. YH

NHTSA ID

550584

Incident

Dec 22, 1999

R+R SWAY BAR BUSHINGS FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

550442

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

717351

Incident

Nov 12, 1999

EXCESSIVE WEAR ON FRONT TIRES, CAN NOT KEEP FRONT END ALIGNMENT CORRECT, TIRES WEAR ON INNER SIDES, VEHICLE SHUDDERS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE ALSO SHUDDERS FOR NO REASON WHEN DRIVING , THIS COMES AND GOS . TIRES REPLACED AT 33,000, 85,000 MILES AND AS OF THIS WRITING NEW TIRES NEED( 110,000) NEW TIRES PUT ON 7/98 85,000 MILES, RECALL DONE 12/98 FOR FRONT SHIELDS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE WEAR.

NHTSA ID

714384

VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER RECALL 98V094000, FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE FENDER HAS BEEN TRIMMED VERY SLOPPY. DEALER SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER, BUT IT'S TOO LATE. *AK

NHTSA ID

839954

FRONT SPRING COIL BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. CONSUMER CAME ACROSS A RECALL FOR THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS , THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

837732

Incident

Jun 15, 1997

COIL SPRINGS BROKE, AND WERE REPLACED WITH FORD REPLACEMENT PARTS. HOWEVER, THEY BROKE AGAIN WITHIN A 1 YEAR AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. 98V-094. *AK

NHTSA ID

836236

Incident

Mar 28, 1999

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SPRING CRACKED, AND PUT A HOLE IN THE TIR, CAUSING THE TIRE TO DEFLATE. I WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. WHAT WOULD HAVE THIS BEEN LIKE IF THIS HAD HAPPENED SATURDAY ON THE WAY BACK FROM BALTIMORE AT 65 OR 70 MPH? BOTH SPRINGS WERE REPLACED AT FORD'S EXPENSE LAST YEAR WHEN BOTH WERE BROKEN. THESE ARE FORD REPLACEMENT PARTS, I THOUGHT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. I HAD MY WIFE, SON-IN-LAW, AND MY TWO GRANCHILDREN IN MY CAR THIS AFTERNOON ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. I AM CALLING FORD TOMORROW (MONDAY) ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND PROBABLY WON'T BE TO NICE. THANK YOU AND PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

705032

Incident

Mar 28, 1999

RECALL REPAIR ON RECALLED COIL SPRING GUARD PERFORMED, BUT NOW THE GUARD HITS WHILE DRIVING(MAKING NOISE).

NHTSA ID

544530

RECALL 98V094000, FRONT COIL SPRING . DEALER COULD NOT PLACE THE SPRING CATCHER BRACKET/SHIELD IN WHICH PREVENTS THE FRONT COIL SPRING FROM PUNCTURING THE TIRE WHEN IT BREAKS. BUT THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THE SHIELD WHICH CAUSED A BANGING NOISE, AND RUB AGAINST THE TIRE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A BLOWOUT. DEALER REMOVED BRACKET AFTER THREE TRIES AT INSTALLING BRACKET, LAST TIME IT WA SRUBBING ON TIRE. MANUFACTURER SAID CASE WAS CLOSED. *AK

NHTSA ID

834912

RECALL REPAIR WORK NOT COMPLETED ON TWO COMPONENTS (HEADLAMP SWITCH 98S01 AND COIL SPRINGS), DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

544082