1995 Mercury Sable Transmission Problems

I BOUGHT A 1995 MERCURY SABLE. THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM SAID IT HAD ALL NEW BRAKES, SPRINGS, FILTERS, SENSORS, RADIATOR, ETC. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC LAST WEEK (FRIDAY), HE SAID THERE IS A NUMBER OF ILLEGAL THINGS ON IT AND IT NEEDS 1500$ WORTH OF WORK TO MAKE IT SAFE. HE SAID IT WAS A LEMON AND I SHOULD CONTACT THE PERSON THAT SOLD IT TO ME, SO I DID, I BROUGHT HIM TO THE MECHANIC SO HE COULD HEAR EVERYTHING ILLEGAL AND UNSAFE AND BROKEN ABOUT IT. HE STATED IN FRONT OF THE MECHANICS THAT HE WOULD BE REFUNDING MY MONEY ON MONDAY (TODAY). WHEN I CALLED TODAY THEY TOLD ME TO BAD I'M NOT GETTING MY MONEY BACK. WE BOUGHT IT AS IS AND OH WELL. I HAVE A DETAILED LIST OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM MY MECHANIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317799

Incident

Mar 5, 2010

Mileage

131,000 mi

IN JULY '1996, PURCHASED A BRAND NEW MERCURY SABLE WAGON FROM RISING SUN, MD DEALER. THE CAR HAD ONLY ACCRUED 52,000 MILES IN 2000 AT WHICH POINT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FIRST MANIFESTED WITH PROGRESSIVELY ROUGHER DISENGAGE UPON BRAKING FOR GRADUAL LURCHING STOP. TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY DEALER IN NEWARK, DE AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS "NORMAL FOR AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION". NOW, WITH 63,100 MILES, THERE IS HESITATION IN ENGAGING FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND WHIT DOES ENGAGE, IT CATCHES WITH A CHIRP OF THE TIRES ON THE DRIVE WHEELS. ALTHOUGH UNPREDICTIBLE IN OCCURRENCE, IT IS HAPPENING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, REGARDLESS OF BEING WARM OR COLD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025203

Incident

Jun 30, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE LUNGED. ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE THE GEAR SHIFT MOVED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED PRETENSIONER. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10015478

Incident

Apr 4, 2003

Mileage

93,000 mi

I CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY COMPLAINING ABOUT A FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN MY 1995 MERCURY SABLE THAT SUDDENLY WENT OUT ON ME WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY HOME IN DECEMBER OF 2002. THE CAR HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS SINCE THE FIRST DAY I GOT IT AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OKAY, THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. MY CAR HAD BEEN SKIPPING FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WOULD STOP, SO I THOUGHT NO MORE OF IT. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FROM A CAR DEALER (NOT A FORD DEALERSHIP) AND PRINTED A CARFAX JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK FOR ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. I FOUND NONE. AFTER REPLACING THE RADIATOR, FIXING THE ALTERNATOR, AND REPLACING THE BRAKE SYSTEM IN THE THREE YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD MY CAR, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT ONLY HAS 123,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED YOUR WEB SITE AND DISCOVERED 19 OTHER COMPLAINTS BESIDES MINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL CAR. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE MAN REPLACED HIS SIX TIMES!!! THEN, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THEY CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO GO LOOK AT ANOTHER CAR AT FAIRWAY. WELL, THERE'S A FAIRWAY FORD HERE IN ANDERSON, SC. I GO UP THERE AT 10 LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I CALL THE BRANCH BACK AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY DON'T OWN ANY FORD PLACES IN SC, THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO ALBANY, GA. THAT IS A GRAND TOTAL OF 600+ MILES AND 10 HRS AWAY ROUND TRIP. I GO ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE FOR THE MANAGER TO TELL ME BASICALLY THAT I WENT DOWN THERE TO TRADE IN A CAR. I HAD TOLD THEM THAT MY CAR IS NOT RUNNING, BUT APPARENTLY, THEY DON'T LISTEN VERY WELL. SO, I'M STILL OUT OF A CAR AND THE ONE I HAVE IS NOT TRADABLE IN THE CONDITION ITS IN. I STILL OWE $1700 AND ITS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST THAT MUCH IF NOT MORE TO FIX IT. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO FIX THIS PART THAT THEY KNOW IS FAULTY, BECAUSE OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS PART QUITS ON THEM BEFORE FORD WILL RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THEM. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010607

Incident

Dec 12, 2002

Mileage

123,000 mi

MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 1999. IT ONLY HAD 86000 MILES ON IT AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE DRIVEN FOR A WHILE AND IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN ITSELF OUT. WELL, NOW IT'S SITTING IN MY FRONT YARD NEEDING A $1700 TRANSMISSION IN IT. LUCKY FOR ME, I WAS ON MY WAY HOME ON A BACK ROAD INSTEAD OF ON A HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC ZOOMING BY.

NHTSA ID

10007906

Incident

Dec 12, 2002

Mileage

123,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014883

Incident

Jul 24, 1995

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO 30 MPH, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE RECONDITIONED.*AK *MJ

NHTSA ID

8011101

Incident

Sep 14, 2001

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN NASHUA, NH BUT NOW LIVE IN FLORIDA. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS THIS: WHILE I AM TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, THE CAR ACTUALLY "LURCHES" FORWARD AND THEN WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK, IT "SLAMS" INTO GEAR. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE SUPERVISOR AT THE LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP IN DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA . HE TOLD ME HE HAS HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURING SEVERAL TIMES WITH OTHER SABLES AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT PART IT IS. HE ESTIMATES ABOUT $800-$1200 IN REPAIR COSTS. HE TOLD ME THAT IT COULD GO AT ANYTIME AND I WILL BE LEFT STRANDED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE MY CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. MY BROTHER IN LAW HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS SABLE. I THINK IT IS A DEFECT IN THE SABLE'S TRANSMISSION - I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN A 6 YEAR OLD CAR.

NHTSA ID

753367

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

TRANSMISSION HESITATES FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL SLAM INTO GEAR. NOW I HEAR THE TRANSMISSION WHINING IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. IT STARTED DOING IT ALL OF A SUDDEN. I HAVE NOTICED ALOT OF COMPLAINTS WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THE ONES IN THE FORD TAURUS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A TRANSMISSION GOING BAD AT ONLY 74,000 MILES, WHEN IT IS DRIVIN SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY. I HAVE MADE SURE THE OIL WAS ALWAYS FULL, AND I EVEN CHANGED THE OIL AND THE FILTER IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT DID NOT HELP!

NHTSA ID

738872

Incident

Nov 15, 2000

TRANSMISSION WILL DISENGAGE LEAVING NO PROPULSION (FWD OR REVERSE). SIMILAR TO MANY OTHER TSB'S I'VE SEEN, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN SERIOUS INCIDENTS. FORD CLEARLY KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND MY 12/99 LETTER TO THEM WAS NOT ANSWERED. THIS IS AS SERIOUS A DEFECT AS ONE CAN HAVE, AND WHEN IT OCCURS ON THE HIGHWAY IT IS SCARY.

NHTSA ID

731685

Incident

Nov 28, 1998

ENGINE DEVELOPED A SEVERE NOISE. OIL WAS CHANGED ON REGULAR BASIS AT GARAGE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE. TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE WAY TO WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID

725936

Incident

Oct 27, 1999

SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE IN AUG 1997 WITH 20,000 MILE OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. ALSO VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION, DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION/ THERMOSTAT/MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH/ MAP SENSOR/SPEED CONTROL SENSOR, AND REAR SUB-FRAME MOUNTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

834132

Incident

Jan 27, 1999

BLOWN HEAD GASKET, FAILED MOTOR MOUNTS, FAILED TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET, TRANSMISSION GASKET FAILURE, RADIATOR LEAK AND COOLING FAN FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

716126

Incident

Dec 9, 1999

SPEED SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST, AND NOW THE CAR IS ACTING UP IN THE SAME MANNER AS IN THE PAST 3 INCIDENTS. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AT FORD AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THESE PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

715409

Incident

Nov 29, 1999

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND COMING TO A STOP TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHEN COMING TO A STOP. WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE JUMPS FORWARD. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

852445

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, AND TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STARTING POSITION VEHICLE HEASITATES. *AK

NHTSA ID

849965

Incident

Mar 1, 1997

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HESITATION BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. SEEKING HELP FROM HNTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

844561

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

AT SLOW MOVING TRAFIC, TRANSMISSION SLIPS, VEHICAL DOES NOT MOVE, BUT RPM GOES UP. SUDDENLY TRANSMISSION SLAMS AND VEHICAL JERKS FORWAD. HAPPENS AT RANDOM, ALWAYS AT LOW SPEED. COULD CAUSE COLLISION DUE TO ERRATIC SPEED. MANUFACTURER SAYS INTERNAL PROBLEM AND I NEED TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION COSTING 1785 + TAX. *AK

NHTSA ID

707097

Incident

Apr 18, 1999

SPEEDOMETER PRODUCES SQUEAL AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH ALSO NEEDLE SWINGS WILDLY USUALLY FROM CURRENT SPEED TO PEGGED AT 85MPH WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMPS IN ROAD. NEEDLE DOES NOT NECESSARALLY RETURN TO ACTUAL SPEED. BEEN ADVISED BY OTHER FORD OWNERS THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIANCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VCEHICLE!

NHTSA ID

704636

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD 6 TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED ( NEW AND REBUILT), THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAD MY CAR MORE THAN IHAVE OVER THE PAST TEN MONTHS. I DRIVE IT A WEEK OR A MONTH AND IT DOES THE SAME THING EVERY TIME. IT SLIPS AND HARD SHIFTS. IM AT MY WITS END. CAN SOME ONE HELP..MY EXTENDED WARRENTY HAS BEEN BILLED OVER $8,000.00 FOR THIS PROPLEM AND IT IS SOON TO RUN OUT. IF THERES ANY HELP PLEASE CALL..

NHTSA ID

703268

Incident

Apr 12, 1998

DEFECTIVE PISTON WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL, QUITS PULLING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

833498

KNOCKING AND JUMP-SHIFTING TRANSMISSION DURING ACCELERATION; KNOCKING TRANSMISSION DURING CRUISING AFTER ACCELERATION; ROUGHING/SCRATCHING BRAKING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, PADS/DRUMS/DISCS ARE IN THE EXCELLENT CONDITION. SPEEDMETER NEEDLE JUMPED TO 85 MPH WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ONCE. STURCTURE FAILURE IN THE TRUNK, UP/RIGHT CORNER HAD A CRACK WHICH LET RAIN WATER LEAKS IN THE TRUNK. MY AIR CONDITION GIVES MILDREW/MUSKY WHEN USE. MY CAR WAS NEVER IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

701556

TRANSMISSION FAILED IN TRAFFIC CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP AND START ERRATICALLY. FAILURE DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY LACK OF LUBRICATION TO TRANSMISSION PLANETARY GEARS. ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY PERFORMING TRANSMISSION REBUILD, THIS FAILURE RESULTED FROM A LUBRICATION DESIGN PROBLEM IN THA AXODE TRANSMISSION USED IN THIS VEHICLE. PROBLEM CORRECTED IN REBUILD UPDATE.

NHTSA ID

540840

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

OWNER COULD NOT SHUT ENGINE OFF AFTER TURNING KEY, POSSIBLE CAUSE STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. ALSO, TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID, CAUSE UNKNOWN. REARVIEW MIRRIOR HAS BROKEN OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

825897

I HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR MONTHS TO FIND INFORMATION ON PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ONLY ONE PROBLEM. FROM TIME TO TIME, WHEN BACKING UP AND THEN TRYING TO GO FORWARD, THE TRANSMISSION WILL HESITATE AND SLIP BEFORE IT CATCHES. I HAD HEARD IN EARLY 1997 ABOUT A RECALL FOR 1994 MERCURY SABLES, BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO SUCH THING. IS THERE SOMEWHERE ELSE I CAN CHECK. I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER IN DETROIT WITH NO LUCK.

NHTSA ID

537190