1996 Mercury Sable

THE SUB FRAME ON MY SON'S 96 MERCURY SABLE SUDDENLY BROKE LOOSE AND NEARLY CAUSED HIM A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE STEERINMG OF THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY ERATIC AND AS SUCH LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT.THE AREA WHERE THE FRAME ATTACHES TO THE BODY HAD LITERALY RUSTED AWAY AND THE SUBFRAM HAD SHIFTED. I CHECKED THE COMPLAINT DATABASES AND FOUND FORD HAD A RECALL ON SABLES AND TAURUSES FOR SUBFRAME FAILURES FROM 89 TO THE 95 MODEL IN SALTBELT STATES. THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURES LISTED IN THE RECALL INFORMATIOIN ARE ALSO ENDEMIC TO THE 96 MODEL. OTHER THAN THE SUBFRAME FAILURE THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND WELL MAINTAINED. THE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS HOW MANY OTHER 96' SABLE AND TAURUSES ARE STILL ON THE ROADS IN THE SALTBELT STATES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A VERY SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT TO OCCUR DUE TO THIS DEFECT. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT FORD OR SOME GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY SHOULD REQUIRE WARNINGS TO BE ISSUED TO OWNERS OF THESE CARS TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED BEFORE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THESE CARS FIND THEMSELVES IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 1996 MERCURY SABLE WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 60000 MILES; THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED. THE CONTACT HEARD A CRACKING NOISE WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS. WHEN THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE CAR HE FOUND THAT THE SUBFRAME RUSTED OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE IS ADDRESSED UNDER RECALL 98V323000 FRAME AND MEMBERS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO TAKE ANY ACTION. THE CONTACT SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE PICTURES AND A REPAIR ORDER. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LINES FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE RUSTED CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO POUR FROM THE TUBES. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED PIT HOLES IN THE TUBES LOCATED IN THE FUEL LINES WHERE THE RUST APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPAIRED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL STABILIZER ARM WOBBLED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DETERMINED, THE FRONT UNDERCARRIAGE AND ENGINE MOUNTS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPOSED TO EXTREME WINTER WEATHER AND CORROSIVE ROAD SALTS. THE REPAIR SHOP CONCLUDED THAT DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE CORROSION, THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE MOUNT AND CARRIAGE FRAME RUSTED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SLIP FROM THE MOUNT. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPOSED TO EXTREME WINTER WEATHER AND ROAD SALTS. THE REPAIR SHOP CONCLUDED THAT A PIECE OF STEEL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO EACH SIDE OF THE ENGINE MOUNT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

(1) CAR SHIFTS HARD DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK OR BOUNCES UP, THEN DOWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. (2) WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL ROAD SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION WILL SWITCH TO LOW GEAR CAUSING SUDDEN THROW OF DRIVER INSIDE CAR AND AT TIMES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE THERE IS A LONG DELAY IN POWER TO ENGINE THEN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. (3) REPLACED CAM SENSOR AND OTHER SENSOR THREE TIMES AND ALWAYS FAILS AGAIN.*JB

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT MY ENGINE "REVS" AS I TRY TO STOP.THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITENT BUT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT OUT-THE 1ST TIME I BELIEVE THEY JUST DID A TEST DRIVE AND SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I BUMPED INTO A SECURITY GATE AT WORK. AS I APPROACHED THE CLOSED GATE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS I "EASED" UP TO THE CARD READER TO OPEN THE GATE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND CAR INCHED FORWARD AS I TRIED TO APPLY MORE BRAKE EFFORT. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE IDLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER 2 DAYS LATER AND PAID FOR A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC-AGAIN NOTHING WAS FOUND AND I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE ALMOST ANYTHING, AND THEY HAD NO SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD REPLACE "RANDOM" PARTS BUT IT WOULD COST ALOT OF MONEY TO DO SO. I AM NOT POSITIVE BUT THIS HAPPENED TO ME AT LEAST 4 TIMES. THE CAR REVS FOR A FEW SECONDS AS I BRAKE TO STOP AND THEN RETURNS TO NORMAL IDLE.