1998 Mercury Sable Engine Problems

FOR YEARS I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON 1998 MERCURY SABLE--THE DOME LIGHT, FLOOR LIGHTS AND DOOR LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ON. I KEEP THE DOME LIGHT OFF. THE FLOOR LIGHT BULBS WERE REMOVED. DOOR LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY ON. HOWEVER, 1.5 YEARS AGO, I LOST ALL HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT UPON ENTERING A HIGHWAY. I COULD RISK USING HIGH BEAMS BY HOLDING IN PLACE. MULTIFUNCTION ARM WAS REPLACED AND THE DIAL ON DASHBOARD. THEN BOTH DIALS WERE REPLACED FOR FAN AND HEATING, DEFROST AND AIR CONDITIONER. THEN TOLD MY COMPUTER CHIP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE NO DEFROSTER, HEAT, FAN OR AIR CONDITIONER. ALSO, LAST YEAR AFTER DEALING WITH SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF THEN STAYING ON FOR YEARS, HAD TO REPLACE THE EMISSIONS SENSOR FOR CAR TO BE INSPECTED. WOULD A DEALER BE WILLING TO GIVE ME A DEFROSTER FIX AND/OR HEAT. MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT FORD AND MERCURY ARE KNOWN FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. AND OVER 1500 DOLLARS LATER AND I STILL HAVE A DEFECTIVE, UNSAFE CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174619

Incident

Oct 27, 2002

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE SHUT OFF. IT WOULD RESTART AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TOO THE DEALER, AND THEY PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10064743

Incident

Mar 23, 2004

MY 1998 MERCURY SABLE WITH 3.0 LITER ENGINE APPARENTLY IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NO ENGINE BRAKING WHEN COASTING. THE ENGINE COMPUTER PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE. OTHER HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS OCCURS WITH OTHER FORD TAURUS' AND SABLES. THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN EXCESSIVE SPEED BUILDING UP WHEN GOING DOWNHILL - ESPECIALLY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10062461

Incident

Mar 15, 2004

THIS IS THE 2ND YEAR IN A ROW THAT I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED BECAUSE IT IS GETTING SOMETHING IN IT FROM THE ENGINE AND THEN BLOCKING THE HEATER CORE. MY MECHANIC (A NEGHBOR) INDICATED THAT HE HAS STARTED SEEING THIS PROBLEM IN A LOT OF SABLES & TARAUSES AT 4 YEARS OR MORE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056928

Incident

Feb 9, 2004

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, CALLED A TOW TRUCK, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10050165

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

I HAVE HAD A OIL LEAK SEVERAL TIMES REPLACED OIL PAN AND GASKET 4 TIME,S STILL HAVE PROBLEM, HEADLIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, AND ARE NOW COMPLETELY OUT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037546

Incident

Jun 24, 2003

THE RADIATOR COOLANT SYSTEM HOSE COME OFF, AND LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS RESULTED IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE SERVICE SHOP INDICATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE HOSE COMING OFF COULD BE CAUSED BY PRESSURE BUILD UP. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID

10034599

Mileage

58,000 mi

AUTOMOBILE 1998 MERCURY SABLE ENGINE RPM SURGES FIXED SEVERAL TIMES AT DEALER REPLACING SENSORS AND OTHER PARTS STILL SURGES PERIODICALLY IN 2002 THE ENGINE SURGED AND THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES BEFORE THE CRASH FOR THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE 2002 ANOTHER 4 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED ALSO AFTER SHUTTING OFF CAR, THE FAN STILL RUNS ALSO FIXED 4 TIMES NOW ONLY REASON WE DID NOT BUY A NEW, AND OTHER BRAND VEHICLE IS LACK OF FUNDS TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS NOT SURE OF ACCIDENT DATE EXACTLY WILL CHECK POLICE REPORT . *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019284

Incident

May 20, 2002

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED HIS REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017865

Incident

Apr 29, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN AT A STOP AND WITHOUT WARNING THE ENGINE WOULD START RACING AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID

10002358

Incident

Dec 31, 2002

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, THE FIRST OCCURRED AT 62,000 MILES, AND I FEEL FORD IS DRAGGING THEIR FEET IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THE 3.8 LITRE MOTOR INCIDENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

760187

Incident

Mar 18, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHAKE WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

8005865

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

VEHICLE OVERHEATED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON. CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. MECHANIC CHANGED THERMOSTAT. NEXT DAY WATER WAS ALL OVER THE GROUND. PROBLEM WAS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

899141

Incident

Sep 14, 2001

MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE AIR BAG DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERN ABOUT DRIVING AROUND IN A VEHICLE I THOUGHT WAS SAFE. ME AND MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE LOST OUR LIVES TO THAT 18 WHEEL TRUCK. THE TRUCK STRUCK BOTH THE FRON AND REAR OF MY 1998 SABLE AND THE BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT STATED TO ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER ON A CALL BACK AND THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY CAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I HAD THIS CAR TESTED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED IT. IT HAD SOME ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS OF WHICH I HELD ON TO THE INVOICES . I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT. IT UNDETERMINE IF THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. BUT I CAN SAY IT HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHICH MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE AIR BAG SENSORS.*AK

NHTSA ID

750576

Incident

Jul 16, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

559208

BRAKES FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

551117

Incident

Jan 17, 2000

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER EMITTED ODORS THAT MADE THE DRIVER SICK . THIS COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSS CONTROL. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE THREE TIMES ,AND NO ONE COULD FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

849085

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT. ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS WRONG WITH IT, THERE IS A ODOR ENTERING THE VEHICLE, MAINLY ON THE PASSENGER'S FRONT WHEN AT A STOP. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO ALL THE LOCAL DEALERS AND THEY EITHER TELL US THEY CAN SMELL IT AND JUST SPRAY AIR FRESHNER INTO THE VENTS. OTHERS SAY THEY CAN'T SMELL ANYTHING AND THEREFORE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE RECENTLY TOOK THE CAR TO A PRIVATE GARAGE AND THEY FOUND EVIDENCE OF FLUID LEAKING OR SPRAYING ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IT IS FELT THAT THE FLUID IS COMING FROM THE HYDRAULIC ENGINE MOUNT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE ODOR CAUSES A BURNING SENSATION IN THE THROAT AND LUNGS AND FOLLOWED BY HEADACHES. IN ONE CASE, IT CAUSED SEVERE BREATHING PROBLEMS. THIS PERSON ALREADY HAS LUNG RELATED PROBLEMS BUT THIS ODOR CAUSED A SEVERE AND VIOLENT REACTION. YOU HAVE NOTHING LISTING WHAT IS USED IN THE NEW ENGINE MOUNTS THEREFORE MAKING IT APPEAR THAT THIS COULD BE A TOXIC SUBSTANCE WHEN BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH A HOT MANIFOLD. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO. *AK

NHTSA ID

707364

Incident

Apr 18, 1999

WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE VEHICLE IN "DRIVE", THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ROARED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD. DRIVER SHIFTED TO PARK AND THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED.

NHTSA ID

541645

Incident

Sep 23, 1998