Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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
10/2/2022 was on I 94 east bound lost momentum rpms jump to 6k then lost all gears in transmission car has 88639 miles on it hardly driven changed trans fluid hoping to get trans working again and still won't move in any gear had to wait 4 hours on freeway for a tow just to get it off the freeway had to fight with AAA for the 4 hours to get it towed now in my driveway and still won't move at all
The contact owns a 2002 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light and transmission symbol remained illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered and stalled occasionally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was unknown.
I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT FROM MY MECHANIC THAT THE TRANSMISSION, AX4N, THAT IS IN MY MERCURY, HAVE SUDDEN AND IMMEDIATE FAILURES DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. WHEN I CALLED SEVERAL LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS, THEY ARE ALL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. COST TO FIX, APPROXIMATELY $1800 FOR A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING THE CAR IT WILL ACT LIKE YOU SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. YOU IMMEDIATELY HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER TO. THIS CAN BE QUITE HAZARDOUS IF YOU ARE ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THERE IS NO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE HYDRAULIC PUMP SHAFT HAS APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES OF MAIL SPLINE. THE FEMALE COUNTERPART WHICH IS IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS APPROXIMATELY ONE EIGHTH OF AN INCH IN THICKNESS. THE HYDRAULIC PUMP SHAFT WILL STRIP THE TEETH ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME INOPERABLE. WHAT IS FRUSTRATING IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. AND YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY WARNING OF AN IMPENDING PROBLEM. YOU ARE NOW LOOKING AT A $1800, FOR A REPLACEMENT TORQUE CONVERTER. THE REBUILD COMPANY THAT SELLS REBUILT TORQUE CONVERTERS REPLACES THE 1/8 INCH FEMALE SPLINE,THAT HAS STRIPPED, IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER WITH A NEW 1/4 INCH THICK FEMALE SPLINE IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. IT CERTAINLY SEEMS THAT FORD WAS NEGLIGENT WHEN ASSEMBLING THIS TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY CAR CAN LOOSE POWER AT ANY TIME. WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR ON THE ROAD WHILE TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I NOW HAVE TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND BE PARANOID WHILE ON THE ROAD. THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER FOR PEACE OF MIND WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. IT ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT. FORD SAID MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE TRANSMISSION FROZE UP BREAKING THE AXLE RIGHT OFF AS I PULLED OUT OF A DRIVE WAY ONTO THE STREET WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC.
THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES.THE CAR IS ALWAYS SERVICED, WELL MAINTAINED AND RUNS TERRIFIC. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE PARKWAY. SUDDENLY I EXPERIENCED THE CAR STICKING LIKE IT WAS CHOKING, LOSING POWER AND THEN SURGING AHEAD. I WAS SHOCKED, CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND IT EVENTUALLY CLEARED ITSELF. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS OR INCIDENTS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A CLOGGED FUEL INJECTOR SO I IMMEDIATELY ADDED SOME FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING BUT HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 3 - 4 WEEKS LATER AND I CALLED THE MECHANIC AGAIN. WE ONLY FOUND A SMALL TRANSMISSION LEAK BUT NOTHING ELSE. I HAPPENED TO MENTION THE INCIDENTS TO A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE AT WORK AND HE TOLD ME IT SOUNDED LIKE THE THROTTLE. HE SAID HE ALSO THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND NEED THE DEALER AND THE NHTSA TO ADVISE IF THERE IS A RECALL! IF THERE ISN'T THEN THERE SHOULD BE ONE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
MY DAUGHTER HAD JUST MERGED ONTO THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. INITIALLY IT FELT DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR UP TO SPEED. SHE NOTICED SHE WAS EDGING UP ON THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER AND TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN BUT INSTEAD THE CAR SPED UP. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR IN AN ATTEMPT TO "UNSTICK" IT WHICH HAD NO EFFECT ON THE SPEED OF THE CAR. SHE THEN ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES FURTHER AT WHICH TIME THE BRAKES BEGAN SMOKING. THE CAR HAD REACHED 90MPH AT THIS POINT AND WAS SHAKING. WHILE CONTINUING TO KEEP HER FOOT ON THE BRAKES, SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE VEHICLE ONLY SLOWED DOWN MINIMALLY AT WHICH TIME SHE PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE THEN STOPPED BUT SHE KEPT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE BECAUSE THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV BETWEEN 3,000 - 4,000 RPMS AND SHE COULD FEEL RESISTANCE AS IF THE CAR WANTED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD DESPITE BEING IN PARK. AT THAT TIME SHE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ARRIVED ON SCENE MY HUSBAND VERIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT STUCK ON ANYTHING, SUCH AS A FLOOR MAT. ONCE HE SAW THAT THE ACCELERATOR APPEARED TO BE IN A NORMAL POSITION HE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE WAS REVING WITH RPMS AGAIN BETWEEN 3,000 - 4,000. THE ENGINE WAS AGAIN SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. *TR
HAD TUNEUP. [PLUGS AND WIRES] COMPUTER UPGRADE. CAR NOW SURGES AND IDLE JUMPS TO 2000 RPM. HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT STOP LIGHT, AND ALMOST A PERSON IN WALK, WHEN SURGED. AM SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AT STOPS, BUT, IT SNAPS YOUR NECK WHEN YOU SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE. HAVE HAD TO 2 DIF FORD & MEC. DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES AND ONLY GET NOTHING!! HELP PLEASE. *TR
HIT THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE REVS UP. MULTIPLE TIMES TO DEALER AND STILL NOT FIXED- I REQUESTED A NEW COMPUTER OR BRAIN FOR THE CAR WHILE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY- NO GO FROM DEALER. ON SNOW THIS IS VERY SCARY-ON WET ROADS IN FLORIDA I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES-WHEN SOMEONE GETS HIT AND KILLED I WILL BE TOLD I SHOULD HAVE TOLD SOMEONE -MULTIPLE DRIVERS AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITH ME WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED- INCLUDING MECHANICS FROM A LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN ORCHARD PARK NY. *TR
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.
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
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