Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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
WIRE CONNECTING FUEL PUMP WAS WITHOUT SLEEVE AND WIRE WAS BURNT ALMOST INTO WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO AN EXPLOSION COSTING ME MY LIFE. I HAVE THE FUEL PUMP IN MY POSSESSION THAT WAS REMOVED. I NEED SOMEONE IN CHARGE TO VIEW THIS FUEL PUMP IN ORDER TO PROTECT LIVES. I ALSO WOULD LIKE COMPENSATION FOR MY EXPENSES.*AK
I HAVE A NUMBER OF WORRIES WITH MY VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING ARE: WHEN PLAYING THE RADIO/TAPE DECK, YOU HEAR A LOUD BUZZING NOISE COMING THROUGH THE SPEAKERS EVEN IF THE RADIO IS TURNED DOWN; WHEN STEERING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT YOU'LL HEAR A CRANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF CAR; CAR DOES NOT ABSORB BUMPS AT ALL, IT ROCKS, MAKES KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE NEAR WHEELS; WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 50-70 MPH, CAR WILL SWAY, LIKE A WIND IS BLOWING IT AWAY; FEUL SENSOR WILL FLOAT, YOU CAN NOT COUNT ON IT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE; TRUNK HOOD FLIPS UP IN THE AIR SO FAST AND HARD, I HAVE STUNTED MY FINGERS BEFORE ON IT; THE DOORS ON THE CAR HAVE A SHARP EDGE TO IT, IF YOU DON'T STAND BACK WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, IT CAN GASH YOUR LEG; WIND SHIELD ARE A BLIND SPOT, TO LONG, WIPERS ARE SO STRONG THEY VIBRATE THE CAR, UNUSUALLY STRONG; BACK WINDOW ON LEFT SIDE (PASSENGER) WILL NOT ROLL UP, OR ROLL DOWN SOMETIMES; ASSEMBLY OF LIGHT MOLDINGS/FIXTURES IN BACK OF CAR ARE OFF(NOT EVENLY LINED UP), SO IS THE LEVELING OF TRUNK LID; CAR JUMPS WHEN STARTING IT UP, LIKE IT'S READY TO PULL OFF, EVEN WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE; WHEN MOVING THE GEARS THE CAR MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE, AND JUMPS ALSO; BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT TIMES; CAR LOSES POWER AT TIMES, EVEN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY, 2001; KEYLESS ALARM SYSTEM IS SENSITIVE, SOMETIMES A INCONVIENCE, IF YOU PICK KEYS UP AND TOUCH THE PANIC, OR TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON IT CAN BE SET OFF IN THE HOUSE, BEHIND A BRICK WALL.*AK
RECALL 98V067000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98S10/ FUEL TANK. DEALER CANNOT REPAIR RECALL UNTIL DECEMBER, 2000. *AK
FUEL SHUT-OFF SWITCH TRIPPED, SHUTING DOWN THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER I WENT OVER A VERY SMALL BUMP.
CAR STALLED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND HAD TO BE TOWED. UPON INSPECTION BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE WIRES LEADING FROM THE FUEL PUMP HAD BECOME FRAYED DUE TO RUBBING AGAINST THE PUMP HOUSING ITSELF. A NEW PUMP WAS ORDERED FROM THE FORD DEALER AND THE NEW PUMP WAS NOTED TO HAVE A THICK PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AROUND THE WIRES TO PREVENT THEM FROM FRAYING. THE BARE WIRES ON MY PUMP COULD EASILY CAUSE A SPARK AND EXPLOSION SO I WROTE TO FORD TO APPRISE THEM OF THE SITUATION. I HEARD FROM THEM ABOUT A WEEK LATER AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME TO GET LOST, AND THAT SINCE I DID NOT BRING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME. I ALSO SUGGESTED THEY RECALL THE PART TO PREVENT INJURY DUE TO POSSIBLE EXPLOSION DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP DESIGN, BUT AGAIN THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM ME. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN.
AT HIGHWAY SPEED, FUEL PUMP FAILED, BLEW A FUSE; THE MOTOR STOPPED.
FUEL VAPOR IS LEAKING INTO VEHICLE. ALSO, VAPORS ARE SO STRONG THAT CONSUMER CAN EVEN SMELL IT WHILE BEING OUT OF THE CAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
LEFT LATCH ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD SNAPPED LOOSE.
THE CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE AND SHORTED WIRE ON FUEL PUMP.
FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILURE DUE TO A SHORT IN THE POWER WIRE FUEL PUMP, NO FUEL PRESSURE. *AK
PURCHASED CAR NEW THERE IS A BAD RAW GAS SMELL LIKE THERE IS A GAS LEAK TOOK TO DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
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 .