2004 Mercury Sable

Preliminary Evaluation (PE)12-005 was opened to investigate allegations of speed control cables detaching from the throttle body and subsequently interfering with the throttle closing fully to the idle position in model year (MY) 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles.The speed control cable, throttle body attachment arm (?nail head?) for the speed control cable, cable mounting bracket and cable routing for the MY 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus are common to all MY 2004 through 2006 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable vehicles equipped with either the 155 HP 3.0L 2-valve Vulcan engine or the 200 HP 3.0L 4-valve Duratec engine (the ?subject vehicles?). Figures 1 and 2 show the throttle body cam and speed control cable installed and a cable interference condition caused by contact between a detached cable and the ?nail head.?Ford?s assessment of the condition in incident vehicles noted that the interference conditions produced tended to be short in duration as the cable end tended to dislodge itself from the throttle body due to vibration, road loads or engine roll in addition to tapping the acceleration pedal.Ford inspected three incident vehicles and measured maximum throttle openings of 5.8% to 14.9%, resulting in engine speeds ranging from 1600 to 2200 rpm with the transmission selector in Drive.A Ford stack-up analysis of the speed control cable length from the attachment bracket to the throttle body indicated a maximum theoretical throttle opening of 16.4% that could result from the alleged defect. Engineers at the NHTSA Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) inspected an incident vehicle to evaluate throttle positions and engine speeds that could result from the alleged defect and performed brake testing of a vehicle with the throttle stuck at the worst case throttle opening that could result from the condition.The VRTC vehicle inspection noted that, depending on the orientation of the detached cable end, the amount of throttle opening that could result from interference by a detached speed control cable end varied from 4.8% to 11.3%.VRTC brake testing of a MY 2006 Taurus with a Vulcan engine and the throttle held open at 16% found that, even with multiple brake applications, sufficient vacuum was available for the brake booster assist and the brake pedal efforts required to stop the vehicle did not increase significantly from normal operating conditions. ODI?s analysis of 100 complaints related to the alleged defect found that drivers were generally able to free the interference condition or safely brake to a stop without incident.Approximately one-third (32) reported that the stuck throttle condition was corrected with no action or by tapping the accelerator pedal while the vehicle was still moving, another third (34) reported braking to a stop with the vehicle in Drive prior to correcting the condition, and the remaining third (34) reported that the driver responded to the incident by shifting to Neutral before stopping the vehicle.One complaint alleged that stuck-throttle type symptoms caused the vehicle to pass partially through a traffic light and into an intersection before stopping, however,ODI was unable to contact the owner to verify the cause or relationship to the alleged defect condition.ODI has not identified any crashes related to the alleged defect. Tables 1 and 2 provide a breakdown of complaints and warranty claims related to the alleged defect by engine and model year.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation do

ON OCTOBER 11, 2006, PUBLIC CITIZEN PETITIONED ODI TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF ENGINE STALLS CAUSED BY E85 FUEL IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 - 2005 FORD TAURUS FLEX-FUEL VEHICLES (FFV). ODI'S REVIEW OF THE PETITION AND OTHER AVAILABLE DATA FOUND A LOW STALL RATE ATTRIBUTABLE TO E-85 FUELING AND THAT THE MAIN CONCERNS,PROLONGED ENGINE START AND ROUGH IDLE DURING COLD ENGINE STARTUP AT WINTER TEMPERATURES, WERE RESOLVED BY AN ENGINE SOFTWARE UPDATE.TO ENSURE THAT ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES RECEIVE THIS UPDATE, FORD INITIATED A NOTIFICATION CAMPAIGN TO OFFER FREE ENGINE COMPUTER RECALIBRATION.BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, THIS DEFECT PETITION IS DENIED. THIS DENIAL SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A FINDING THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RECONSIDER THIS ISSUE IF FUTURE DATA WARRANT.ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE POSTED IN THE DP06-005 PUBLIC FILE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. FRED BEANS FORD OF DOYLESTOWN (876 N EASTON RD, DOYLESTOWN, PA 18902), (215) 348-2901) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STOP LAMP SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16E026000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE RECALL WAS FOR THE YEAR 2003 VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,800.

NHTSA ID

11320752

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

99,800 mi

WHILE PARKED, TRIED TO PUT CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY BUT CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ONLY WAY TO GET CAR TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK IS TO APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKES THEN SHIFT CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE KEY TURNED TO OFF POSITION. BREAK LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED. I CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND REPLACED THE BREAK LAMP BULBS TO TROUBLESHOOT ISSUE ACCORDING TO OWNERS MANUAL HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. WHEN RESEARCHING ONLINE I READ ABOUT THE SAME EXACT ISSUES OCCURRING IN SAME MODEL AND MAKE THAT WERE RECALLED. I WENT TO MY NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND GET SOME ASSISTANCE IN FIXING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT HELP IN THE MATTER, AND STATED THAT MY PARTICULAR VIN # AND YEAR MODEL 2004 HAD NO RECALLS. THE RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR FAULTY BREAK LIGHT SWITCHES IN 2003 AND PREVIOUS YEAR MODELS OF MERCURY SABLES. I'VE READ ABOUT NUMEROUS ISSUES OCCURRING WITH OTHER 2004 MERCURY SABLE OWNERS THAT ALSO CANNOT GET HELP WITH THIS MATTER. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATES TO FIND OUT WHY 2004 MODELS ARE ALSO EXHIBITING SAME RECALL SAFETY ISSUES. THE PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY LIES WITH THE PART (SAME BREAK LIGHT SWITCH) FORD INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES AND NOT NECESSARILY THE YEAR THE VEHICLE WAS MADE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRIMARY MISSION AND ROLE OF THE NHTSA IS TO HELP KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE AND INFORMED ABOUT POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES. THEREFORE, I HOPE THEY NOT ONLY INVESTIGATE WHY FORD USED THE SAME FAULTY PART ON OTHER YEAR MODEL VEHICLES BUT ALSO ISSUE THE NECESSARY RECALL FOR SAID VEHICLES WITH THOSE PARTS. IF, WHILE TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY, A CAR SLAMS INTO US BECAUSE NO BREAK LIGHTS WILL ENGAGE, WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? I'VE BROUGHT THIS SAFERY ISSUE CONCERN TO THE ATTENTION OF FORD AND NOW THE NHTSA. FAILURE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PUTS THE PUBLIC IN DANGER!

NHTSA ID

11119888

Incident

Aug 13, 2018

Mileage

172,000 mi

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING ON A CITY STREET. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT IT APPEARS TO BE A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES , VERY LOW FOR A 2004 VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL OF ANY KIND ON THIS CAR. I AM A RETIRED SENIOR CITIZEN AND THIS IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ID

11101862

Incident

Jun 14, 2018

Mileage

78,000 mi

CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF TO ABOVE 55 MPH AT LOCAL ROAD, WHEN PUT TO PARKING, THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING AT MORE THAN 3500 RPM, IT WAS CRAZY, NEARLY KILLED SOME KIDS.

NHTSA ID

11043314

Incident

Nov 4, 2017

Mileage

2 mi

THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED CAUSING INABILITY TO GET SHIFT LEVER OUT OF PARK MODE. BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME OR NOT COME ON AT ALL. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTED AFTER PARKING IN OUR GARAGE AND NOTICING THE BRAKE LIGHTS BEING ON ALL THE TIME. I DISCOVERED THAT TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO FIRST INDENT THAT THE SHIFT LEVER CAN BE PLACED IN THE NEUTRAL MODE SO ENGINE CAN BE STARTED. IN DRIVING THE CAR, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. WHEN STOPPING THE CAR AND SHIFTING TO THE PARK MODE, THE SHIFT LEVER CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE PARK MODE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE SEQUENCE DESCRIBED ABOVE. THERE WAS A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS ON THE 2000-2004 SABLES (REFERENCE 04V106000), BUT FORD TELLS ME THE 2004 SABLES ARE NOT UNDER RECALL ALTHOUGH THE 2004 MODELS USE THE SAME DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAUSING THE EXACT PROBLEMS AS THE 2000-2003 MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10918494

Incident

Oct 18, 2016

Mileage

28,100 mi

I CONTACTED KEN GRODY FORD IN BUENA PARK,CA 2-3 MONTHS AGO TO ASK IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON MY CAR? THE MANAGER I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME "NO!" HE ALSO MAILED ME A COPY OF HIS "OASIS" SEARCH WHICH SHOWED NO RECALLS! HELP! [XXX] PLEASE MAIL ME RECALL ALERTS ON MY CAR! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10874695

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECURITY LIGHT RANDOMLY FLASHED AND THE ALARM RANDOMLY SOUNDED WITHIN LESS THAN THAN TWO DAYS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10850737

Incident

Mar 11, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE RPMS INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND EXHIBITED RAPID ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10820421

Incident

Jun 9, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended.

Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition

Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition

EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR VEHICLES WITH HARD START WHEN OPERATING ON E85 FUEL, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) CALIBRATION. WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES WHICH EVER COMES FIRST. SAMPLE CONSUMER LETTER ATTACHED. *KB

CAMSHAFT TICK NOISE - 3.0L 4V ENGINE ONLY. *TT

SPARK KNOCK, HESITATION ABOVE 3000 RPM, LOSS OF POWER, MISFIRE, AND POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO DETONATION AND PRE-IGNITION - 3.0L-2V VULCAN GAS/FFV. *TT