1994 Mercury Sable

MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HONOR RECALL: SEVERE CORROSION OF THE REAR LOWER RETAINING PLATES FOR THE SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY SUPPORTING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. RISK IS DETACHMENT OF BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME. EXISTING RECALL 98V-323 ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM IN CERTAIN VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE WAS OF THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND HAS THIS PROBLEM, BUT FORD IS CLAIMING THAT MY VIN# DOES NOT MAKE ME ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. *TR

ON MAY 10, 2005, I WAS DRIVING TO AN APPT. AFTER I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY, I WAS DRIVING DOWN TARKILN HILL ROAD AND MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AND THE STEERING WAS OFF. I APPLIED MY BRAKE AT THE RED LIGHT AND MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. I WENT TO THE APPT. WHICH WAS TWO BLOCKS AWAY VERY SLOWLY. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE APPT. TO COME HOME, THE CAR STARTED AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. I DROVE SLOWLY HOME AND WHEN I GOT HOME, I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I CAME ACROSS A COMPLAINT PAGE WHERE SOMEONE IS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE AND STATED THAT HIS STEERING WENT. HE SAID IT WAS DUE TO A SAFETY RECALL. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL AND CAME ACROSS A PAGE THAT HAD THE RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE WHICH IS A 1994 MERCURY SABLE. THE CAMPAIGN ID # IS 98V323000. IT GOES ON TO SAY: SUMMARY: DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP. IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER ON CHURCH STREET IN NEW BEDFORD, SENTURY LINCOLN/MERCURY. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE A $75.00 CHARGE TO SEE IF THAT IS THE PROBLEM, AND IF IT IS, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY, BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS NOT ON THEIR COMPUTER. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY'S 800 NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. I THEN CALLED A MERCURY NUMBER, THAT I GOT OFF THE INTERNET AND WAS TOLD BY THAT GENTLEMAN THAT THE ID # OF THE RECALL IS FROM A VENDOR AND THE FORD COMPANY HAS A RIGHT TO NOT CONSIDER IT A RECALL AND IF THEY DO NOT SUPPORT IT, WHICH THEY DO NOT, I WOULD HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOU, WHICH IS WHAT I AM DOING.

THE KEY INSERT DOES NOT ALIGN, HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN 5 YEARS. (I KNOW TO CHECK MY FLUIDS) NEW ENGINE, & THE PAINT IS AWFUL. ENGINE, MOTOR, GAS, GASPS AND JERKS WITH ME. HAVE HAD MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, NOTHING HELPS. HEATER COIL(?) WENT OUT, I HAVE NO HEAT NOW. WE HAD TO BYPASS. THE REST I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO REPAIR. I HATE THIS CAR. I AM WORRIED EVERYTIME I GET IN IT THAT MY MOTHER AND I ARE NOT GOING TO GET HOME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED SO MANY TIMES, THE MAN WHO DOES THE TOWING KNOWS ME AND MY CAR ON SIGHT. I WILL NOT GO MORE THAN 30 MILES FROMT HE HOUSE. MY MECHANIC EVEN HATES THE CAR. I CALL HIM AN ANGEL, BECAUSE HE HAS KEPT IT RUNNING.

HATCH GLASS CAME LOOSE STARTED LEAKING(56000) FUEL PUMP STARTED ACTING UP GET HOT AND HANG UP(75000) NO RECALL. STATE FARM SHOWED THEY PAID FOR TOWING ON MANY, FORD PRODUCTS THAT USED THE SAME PUMP STILL NO RECALL. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN, OR SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING SMITH FORD CONWAY WAS SUPPOSED TO CHECK THE HEADS FOR LEAKS SIX MONTHS LATER THE HEAD GASKET BLEW,AND THE AIR WENT OUT AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THE THE DATE THIS CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN SEVICE MADE IT OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS CAR IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE WITH MOTOR OUT OF IT BECAUSE FORD DIDN'T DO ITS JOB. PAINT PEELED OFF THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR POST.

PRIOR TO PURCHASE THE DEALER NEVER DISCLOSED TO THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE INSTALLED IN IT, WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED ABOUT TOW QUARTS OF OIL EVERY SEVERAL DAYS AND THE OIL LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATING WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS IS. NLM

BOUGHT CAR USED, AS IS. INQUIRED ABOUT RECALLS, ETC. TOLD THERE WERE NONE. SALESMAN SAID HE RAN CARFAX & NOTHING SHOWED UP. ASKED IF ENGINE WAS ORIGINAL ENGINE, ANY MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, ETC. WAS TOLD "NO". PURCHASED CAR @ BILL PENNEY TOYOTA. FIRST DAY DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF, UNDERSIDE DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK COVER CAME OFF & SUNROOF CAME OPEN & WOULDN'T SHUT. PANELING FELL OFF. 1ST WEEK THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON - CAR BEGAN USING 2 QTS OF OIL EVERY 2-3 DAYS. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP. TOLD IT HAD A NEW ENGINE & SHOULDN'T BE HAVING PROBLEMS. OIL CONSUMPTION TEST RUN. BEGAN CHECKING CAR'S HISTORY. FOUND PREVIOUS OWNER BOUGHT THE CAR 4-2000 & THE DEALERSHIP BOUGHT IT BACK 6-2000. HEAD GASKET CHANGED 3X. THE DEALERSHIP SENT CAR TO WOODY ANDERSON FORD. HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT IN IT (THEY SAY). BILL PENNEY KEPT CAR 1 WEEK. SAID PROBLEM WAS UNDER A MFG. WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE ALTHOUGH THEY SOLD ME A WARRANTY FOR $1,000 FOR WHAT WAS ALREADY UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SENT CAR TO WOODY ANDERSON FORD; FORD KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. THEN CALLED & TOLD ME TO PICK IT UP; THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG W/IT. HAD TO RENT A CAR. WARRANTY STS THEY PROVIDE ONE. CAR IS NOT FIXED. IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. ENGINE PUT IN CAR NEVER PUT ON RECORD. 4 VIN #'S HAVE BEEN USED ON PAPERWORK. MET WITH PREVIOUS OWNER. ALL FAULTS I HAD W/CAR SHE HAD AS WELL. DEALERSHIP SAYS MY TOUGH LUCK; MAYBE I LEARNED A LESSON. MFG. WON'T FIX. DENIES PROBLEM. *AK