2001 Mercury Sable Body & structure Problems

THE ENGINE CRADLE/FRAME SUPPORTING THE ENGINE & TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION AND STEERING ASSEMBLIES FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION CAUSING THE REAR MOUNT AT THE BODY CONNECTION ON BOTH SIDES TO SEPARATE AND DROP ABOUT 3" CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. THE DROP OF THE CRADLE AND ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PULLED DOWN ON THE STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT UNDER THE DASH CAUSING THE STEERING TO BIND UP AND ALSO CAUSING THE ENTIRE STEERING AND SUSPENSION GEOMETRY TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GARAGED, WAS PURCHASED NEW BY ME, WAS NOT IN INVOLVED IN ANY FLOOD DAMAGE, WAS NOT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SALT WATER AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS SPRAYED EACH TIME I FREQUENTLY WASHED THE VECHICLE. THE ENGINE CRADLE IN ADDITION TO THE REAR MOUNT FAILURE HAS EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION THRUOUT THE STRUCTURE. AS SOMEONE WHO PAYS ATTENTION TO MY VEHICLE I BEGAN TO NOTICE RUST/CORROSION ON THE ENGINE CRADLE ABOUT 5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITHOUT FINDING ANY. I'M WIRTTING THIS AFTER FINALLY SEEING A COMPLAINT ON A 2001 FORD TAURUS CRADLE/FRAME FAILURE AND THINK THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. THANKFULLY I WAS GOING AT A SLOW SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO VEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE EVENT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC NOT ONLY TO ME BUT OTHERS ON THE ROAD ALSO. LOVED MY VEHICLE IT RUNS GREAT AND WAS LOOKING FOWARD TO MORE MILES WITH IT, UNFORTUNATELY THE REPAIR WOULD BE A MAJOR UNDERTAKING AND EXPENSE AND MY SABLE IS TO HEAD TO THE JUNK YARD ON A FLATBED.

NHTSA ID

10761626

Incident

Sep 3, 2015

Mileage

89,789 mi

THE FRONT DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT SHUT IN COLD TEMPERATURES. AS I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE FOR WORK THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. ENDED UP HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WENT AND BOUGHT A RATCHET STRAP TO SECURE THE DOOR IN PLACE AS IT IS OFTEN COLD IN WISCONSIN.

NHTSA ID

10717779

Incident

Jan 4, 2010

Mileage

80,549 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SUB FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE CORROSION. ALSO, THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO PURCHASE A USED SUB FRAME FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER MANUFACTURING NEW SUB FRAMES FOR THAT SPECIFIC YEAR MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000. UPDATED 12/28/12 *CN UPDATED 1/15/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10484108

Incident

Sep 3, 2012

Mileage

106,000 mi

1-SPRING -WIFE WAS DRIVING LOCALLY, HEARD LOUD NOISE LIKE HITTING SOMETHING; PULLED INTO FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY; WALKED BACK INTO ROADWAY AND FOUND SPRING; TOWED TO FORD, BOTHSPRINGS REPLACED UNDER RECALL 04M04 2-FILL PIPE - 11/12/2010- AT ROUTINE SERVICE DEALER SAID RUSTED (90672MI) PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED - $428. 3-SUBFRAME -07/19/2012- ROUTINE SERVICE (106097MI) DEALER SAID CAR NOT ROAD WORTHY; LEFT FRONT SUBFRAME RUSTED THRU, L FRT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY ABOUT TO BREAK AWAY FROM SUBFRAME - ASTONISHING!!! - HAD JUST COMPLETED 300MI TRIP , WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE ON 700MI TRIP - WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN KILLED ALONG WITH DRIVERS OF NEARBY VEHICLES ON INTERSTATE; HAVE PHOTOS; FORD SUBFRAME NO LONGER AVAILABLE, NEVER ANY AFTER MKT MFG; WOULD BE CRAZY TO TRUST USED PART! CAN'T BELIEVE HOW CLOSE I CAME TO MAJOR ACCIDENT/DEATH - [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10469150

Incident

Mar 25, 2009

Mileage

75,622 mi

CAR DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE IN LOW TEMPERATURES. DOOR WILL ALSO OPEN ON ITS OWN DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. THE DOOR WILL OPEN DURING VEHICLE OPERATION DUE TO THE LATCHING MECHANISM NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. IT OCCURS ANYTIME TEMPERATURES GET BELOW 25 DEGREES. I HAVE NOT FOUND A PERMANENT FIX SHORT OF REPLACING THE LATCHING MECHANISM ON THE DOORS. THIS REPAIR HAS NOT BEEN DONE AS I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. TO GET THE LATCH WORKING AGAIN, IT HAS TO EITHER BE HEATED UP OR LATCH HAS TO BE WORKED 10+ TIMES BEFORE IT WILL FINALLY LATCH AND HOLD. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WINTERS AND IS GETTING WORSE. START DATE WOULD BE APPROX. 2009 AND PERSISTS TO THIS DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395911

Incident

Nov 14, 2009

Mileage

145,000 mi

IN EARLY 2007 THE PAINT ON MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE LS STARTED TO BUBBLE/BLISTER UP ON THE ROOF NEXT TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW TRIM. SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL HOUSINGS ALSO HAD BUBBLES/BLISTERS IN THE PAINT AND ARE NOW SHOWING RUST. I FIGURED IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK AND WAS STUCK BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED BUT THEN LAST WEEKEND I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER 2001 SABLE LS AND WALKING BY IT I NOTICED THAT STRANGELY IT HAD THE VERY SAME PAINT BLISTERING AND RUSTING IN THE EXACT SAME PLACES AS MY CAR. I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT AND ITS NOT JUST MY CAR. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND ON WWW.LEMONLAW.COM THERE'S ALOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING DUE TO ALUMINUM CORROSION CAUSED BY IRON PARTICLES WORKING THEIR WAY INTO THE ALUMINUM BODY PART PRIOR TO IT BEING PAINTED. NOW KNOWING THIS IS NOT AGE OR "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" OR LACK OF PROPER CARE I EXPECT FORDDLINCOLN MERCURY TO FIX MY CAR AT NO EXPENSE TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214226

Incident

Jan 8, 2008

FIRST THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LEAKED WATER DURING RAIN STORMS. I HAD THAT FIXED LAST FALL. NOW THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT, AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THESE TWO REPAIRS ARE RELATED. THE COST FOR THE 2001, SABLE IS $2500 IN REPAIRS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. RECALL #03V087000 AND OTHER COMPLAINT #10184014. *AK

NHTSA ID

10188227

Incident

Apr 18, 2007

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING THE 2001 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE FELT VIBRATION BY THE GAS PEDAL. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT FRAME MOUNTS SHEARED OFF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE WILL CALL FORD BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO REPAIR IT.

NHTSA ID

10183871

Incident

Feb 28, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST BEING THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE WOULD START IF IT WAS BOOSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE REPAIR PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THE BATTERY CABLES HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TERMINALS. THE CABLES WERE REPAIRED. THE SECOND WAS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND THE VEHICLE DRIVES NORMAL. THE FRONT BUMPER FASCIA CRACKED. THE LEFT REAR TIRE FAILED. UPDATED 03/03/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10149888

Incident

Jan 16, 2006

Mileage

28,900 mi

BLOWER FAILURE AND STANDING WATER ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FLOOR BOARDS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10112082

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHILE IN IDLE, THE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH OR FROM SIDE TO SIDE. VEHICLE ALSO PICKED UP SPEED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. TS *JB

NHTSA ID

8023297