2002 Mercury Sable Exterior lighting Problems

AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS RELAY SODDARD INTO BACKSIDE OF FUSE PANEL (GEM) WAS BAD LOCATION FOR A PERSON WITH NO EXPERIENCE TO FIX OR LOCATE MOST PEOPLE NEVER GOT IT FIXED BECAUSE OF NO EXPERIENCE AND AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL MECHANIC TO FIX. I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A FEW PEOPLE DID GET IT FIXED THROUGH A RECALL BUT I DIDN'T AND I NEVER GOT A RECALL FOR THIS IN THE MAIL. I WOULD LIKE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FIX THIS BECAUSE I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11100705

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

35,000 mi

WAS PULLING INTO PARKING LOT BRAKES WENT OUT TOTALLY NO WARNING STOPPED BY EMERGENCY BRAKE HAVE NO BRAKES AT ALL TURNING AFTER 45 MPH THEN TO A STOPLIGH INTOTHE CITY'S RESTURANT

NHTSA ID

10885270

Incident

Jul 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

NHTSA ID

10808810

Incident

Dec 4, 2015

Mileage

102,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY AND ONLY TURN OFF ONLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. AS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, THE DOOR LIGHTS AND THE DOOR LOCKS STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000. THE CURRENT VEHICLE WAS MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10563766

Incident

Feb 19, 2013

Mileage

167,000 mi

WIRE HARNESS FAILURE IN RUBBER BOOTS FROM BODY OF CAR TO REAR LIFT GATE ON STATION WAGON MODEL. INSULATION CRACKING AND WIRE BREAKING COMPLETELY IN FLEXIBLE RUBBER BOOT CAUSES ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, BACK UP LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER, OPEN LIFT GATE AND OPEN REAR WINDOW SAFETY SENSORS AND STEREO SPEAKERS. INSULATION AND WIRING WITHIN BOOT HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND FATIGUED. CLEAN BREAKS IN WIRES FROM OPENING AND CLOSING LIFT GATE ARE EVIDENT. WIRES WHERE INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CIRCUITS WHERE THAT INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH AND RESULTS IN "CONFUSING" OPERATION OF LIGHTS. IE PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON - PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT GOES OUT. BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T COME ON AT ALL. IE TURN ON REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT COMES ON. WIRING DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MULTIPLE INTERNAL COPPER STRANDS OR SUPPLE ENOUGH INSULATION TO PROVIDE NEEDED FLEXIBILITY DURING REGULAR OPENING AND CLOSING OF REAR LIFT GATE. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A LATENT SAFETY DEFECT. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE KNOWN DURING DESIGN THAT WIRING IN BOOT TO STATION WAGON LIFT GATE WOULD BE PRONE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITH REGULAR USE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10457115

Incident

May 2, 2012

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS INDEPENDENTLY ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARRANT. THE BRAKES LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

10389610

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

68,000 mi

RECALL ELECTRICAL INSIDE LIGHTING. DISC PLAYER SHORTENING OUT, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH COMING ON. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ID

10266844

Incident

Apr 23, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED. HE REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS WERE FAULTY. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL BECAUSE HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID

10252822

Incident

Jul 26, 2008

Mileage

64,000 mi

VEHICLE: 2002 MERCURY SABLE PROBLEM: AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON LEAVING DRIVER TEMPORARILY DRIVING IN DARKNESS UNTIL DRIVER CAN SWITCH HEADLIGHTS TO THE MANUAL MODE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE EARLY DECEMBER 2006. *JB

NHTSA ID

10179229

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

MY LEFT HEADLAMP HOUSING HAS WATER ON THE INSIDE OF THE PROTECTIVE HOUSING AROUND THE HEADLAMP AND PARKING LAMP. THE MOISTURE IS INCREASED TO THE POINT WHERE NIGHTTIME LIGHTING HAS BEEN ADVERSELY DIMINISHED. THERE ARE NO CRACKS, STONE CHIPS, OR OTHER VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE PROTECTIVE COVER TO THE LIGHT HOUSING. THE MOISTURE WAS FIRST NOTICEABLE IN MAY 2005. THE VEHICLE HAS 30,000 MILES AND I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE NEW. I CAN SUPPLY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING IF NEEDED. THE DIMINISHED NIGHTTIME VISIBILITY FROM THE HEADLIGHT IS COMPROMISING OPERATIONAL SAFETY. THE VEHICLE VIN NUMBER IS: [XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10132947

Incident

May 1, 2005

Mileage

29,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. ALSO, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE DIMMER SWITCH WAS USED THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10053763

Incident

May 21, 2003

Mileage

7 mi