Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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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 2005 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 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
AFTER LEAVING A STOP, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO MOVE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AND STAYED IN A NUETRAL POSITION. AFTER SAFELY PARKING THE CAR, IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. LOOKING ONLINE I SEE NUMEROUS CONSUMER WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND THE COST IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH, BUT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE THE BLAME ON.
I DRIVED IT ON HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS NOISE AND RMP PASSED 4000 BUT NO ACCELERATED. I MANAGED TO STOPPED ON SHOULDER, AND RESTARTED THE CAR, ENGINE RUN OK, AND CAR WASN'T MOVING, EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I COULD BE HIT BY OTHER CARS IF I DIDN'T MANAGE TO SHOULDER. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND I FOUND OUT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT MERCURY SABLE'S TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND PEOPLE MAY GET KILLED BECAUSE OF SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 88700 MILES ON IT.
WHEN ENTERING THE CAR AFTER A BASKETBALL GAME I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO GO INTO REVERSE BUT THE CAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AS IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. PRIOR TO THIS I HAD NEVER NOTICED ANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD BY OUR MECHANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD GIVEN OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER MERCURY SABLE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION. FORD RECALLED THE SAME PART ON OTHER SIMILAR MAKE AND MODELS VEHICLES. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED OF MERCURY SABLES AS WELL.
TRANSMISSION DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SUDDENLY DECREASE IN SPEED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
PURCHASE VEHICLE USED IN JUNE OF 2015, ONE REPAIR AFTER ANOTHER. OWNED 1YR AND HERE ARE REPAIRS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO: DRAIN PLUG REPLACED, TRANS FILTER, ADDITIVE & FLUID, RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION, FLUID, REPLACE REAR BRAKE SHOES, REPLACE VALVE COVER GASKET, OIL PAN GASKET, EGR SENSOR. COST INCURRED $3,275.20 WAY MORE THAN ANY CAR SHOULD HAVE IN ONE YEAR! ANYBODY GOING TO REIMBURSE THESE EXPENSES?
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE 90 HIGHWAY SOUTHBOUND ON 10 JUNE, 2016 THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST FORWARD MOTION POWER AND THE RPM LEVEL OF THE CAR SHOT UP SUDDENLY. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE STILL RUNNING, BUT THERE WAS NO VEHICLE MOVEMENT PROVIDED IN ANY OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEARS, INCLUDING REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP IN SPOONER, WI WHERE A REPAIR BILL ESTIMATE OF $3-$4K WAS PROVIDED.....REBUILD CURRENT OR REPLACE WITH REMANUFACTURED.
THIS 2005 MERCURY SABLE (LS PREMIUM) JUST FELL OUT OF GEAR AS I WAS ON THE ROAD. TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. I KNOW NOW THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED FOR UPWARDS OF $1800.00. THIS CAR HAS JUST 30,000 MILES ON IT. I FIND IT COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A MILDLY DRIVEN CAR, OWNED BY AN ELDERLY WOMAN, SHOULD FAIL SO BADLY AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION ALSO INVOLVING THE FORD TAURUS AND THE WINDSTAR...WHICH I UNDERSTAND WAS RECALLED. THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION IS KNOWN TO FAIL PREMATURELY AND WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND I HOPE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT IS WAY TOO COMMON IN THESE MODELS AND I WILL BE LOOKING INTO LEGAL RECOURSE AGAINST ANY AND ALL INVOLVED. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS UNFORTUNATE PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD. THANK-YOU. *TR
WHILE DRIVING RECENTLY, MY 2005 SABLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, FORCING ME TO BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE AT SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 OTHER TIMES.IN THE PAST. NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. *TR
APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES AFTER FACTORY DEALER TRANSMISSION SERVICE WE PULLED UP TO AN INTERSECTION TO TURN LEFT, AFTER SLOWING TO TURN THE CAR BECAME IMMOBILE AND WOULDN'T MOVE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER. THE TRANSMISSION JUST WHINED AND WOULDN'T ENGAGE. CALLED NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND DEALERSHIPS DESCRIBING WHAT HAPPENED AND EVERY ONE OF THEM KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG BEFORE I HAD FINISHED ASKING MY QUESTIONS. *TR
CAR STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUT BOTH BRAKES TO MAKE IT STOP. THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN IT IS STOPPED AT SIGNALS.DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT NHS HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING AND IS RELATED TO THE THROTTLE NOT CLOSING. HTTP://AUTOS.YAHOO.COM/MOTORAMIC/PROBE-1-9-MILLION-FORDS-SUDDEN-ACCELERATION. WHY NO RECALL YET? *TR
MERCURY SABLE TENDS TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AND LURGE FORWARD EVEN WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH , HE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION POWER WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER AND TRANSMISSION SHAFT OIL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,585 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,200.
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, ALL FORWARD POWER WAS LOST--AS IF MY CAR HAD BEEN PLACED IN NEUTRAL. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. TRANSMISSION SHOP REPORTED THAT WORN SPLINES IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSED THE DIFFICULTY. NHTSA RECALL 12V-006 COVERS THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM FOR MERCURY MONTEREY/FORD FREESTAR VEHICLES, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER SHAFT IS THE SAME AS IN MY CAR, YET FORD SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED FOR MERCURY SABLE. FORD REP ENCOURAGED ME TO FILE THIS NHTSA REPORT. REPAIR COST ME APPROXIMATELY $2000 OUT OF POCKET. *TR
I'LL ADD MY CAR TO THE LIST OF SABLE/TAURUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE CAR SUDDENLY CAME OUT OF GEAR AND THE RPMS SHOT WAY UP. IT'S AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP NOW BUT IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME FAILURE AS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS ONLINE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH BAD TORQUE CONVERTERS/INPUT SHAFTS. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL/INVESTIGATION GOING ON FOR THIS ISSUE. I PROBABLY WON'T KEEP THE CAR AFTER IT'S REPAIRED AS MANY HAVE REPORTED REPEAT FAILURES ON REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS EVEN THOUGH I'LL BE OUT AROUND $2000.00. I DON'T TRUST THE CAR ANYMORE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE STOPPED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE KICK DOWN CABLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,020.
IDLES, MAKES NOISES, VIBRATES, DRIVES BY ITSELF WITH OUT STOPPING DURING IDLING, DON'T SHIFT INTO GEARS PROPERLY. *TR
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 23, 2012 WHEN I TURNED THROUGH A STOP LIGHT PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR MADE A VROOM NOISE LIKE IT WANTED TO GO BUT THERE WAS NO POWER. THE CAR NEVER DIED. I COASTED DOWN THE HILL ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR COMPANY. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS IS UNUSUALLY FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND THERE IS NOT ONE FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL BUT THERE IS ONE FOR THE FORD FREESTAR. I AM JUST WONDERING SINCE THIS IS A FORD PRODUCT THAT THE SAME TORQUE CONVERTER COULD HAVE BEEN USED IN MY CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE ON AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,200.
I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A BUSY STREET AT ABOUT 2:50PM AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 SABLE FAILED. I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR, DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE LOCKED INTO NEUTRAL. I BECAME STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITH THE HELP OF TWO YOUNG MEN PUSHED THE VEHICLE INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO PAT MILLIKEN FORD, REDFORD, MICH. THEY INDICATED IT WOULD TAKE TWO DAYS AT LEAST BEFORE THEY COULD ADVISE ME ON THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND ADVISED ME THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST $3400.00. BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE POWERTRAIN SYSTEM IN CARS THIS ESTIMATE WAS EXCESSIVE. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE ADVISERS IN PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED THEY ONLY HAVE TWO TRANSMISSION TECHNICIANS. IN MY OPINION IT WAS EASIER FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION THAT TO REPAIR IT. ITS ALSO MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE DEALER. IT IS LIKELY THIS SITUATION EXIST ALL ACROSS THE USA. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO USA TRANSMISSION IN LIVONIA, MICH. AND I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THAT DAY. THEY IMMEDIATE TOLD ME THAT BASED ON THEIR REPAIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLE, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS MOST LIKELY THE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATED THEIR SHOP REPAIRS A LOT OF TAURUS'S AND SABLES FOR THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED. AFTER TESTING, THEY ADVISED THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS THE PROBLEM. THE ACTUAL REPAIR COST WAS $295.00 FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER PLUS $50.00 FOR TRANS FLUID AND $695.00 FOR LABOR, TOTAL REPAIR COST INCLUDING SALES TAX WAS $1060.00. BEFORE LEAVING THE SHOP I LOOKED AT MY TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY INDICATED THE INNER SPLINE ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS WEARING OUT. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE CAUSED BY THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
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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