1997 Mercury Sable

THE MOST RECENT PROBLEMS ARE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. FIRST, ALL OF THE PASSENGER POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED. THEY CAN ONLY BE CONTROLLED BY THE DRIVER SIDE PANEL. SECOND, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE DOORS ARE SECURELY CLOSED, THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WILL REMAIN ON BETWEEN 20 SECONDS AND SEVERAL HOURS. THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON BY ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO WORK. AN AUDIBLE CLICKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD FROM UNDER THE DASH. THE CLICK IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND MADE WHEN MANUALLY OPERATING THE SWITCH. THIRD, THIS STARTED ON SUNDAY, 01/19/03, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS OFF. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND THE DAYTIME LIGHTS ONLY, THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR CAME ON. WHEN I TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS ON, THE INDICATOR WENT OFF. WHEN I TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS OFF, THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR CAME BACK ON. THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN WITHIN 5 OR 10 MINUTES. PREVIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE INCLUDED FRONT END SUSPENSION RELATED FAILURES AND AN OIL PAN THAT SPRUNG A LEAK IN DECEMBER 2001 AT AROUND 78K MILES. THE OIL PAN SPRUNG ANOTHER LEAK IN DECEMBER 2002. THE SERVICE DEALER ATTRIBUTED THE LEAK TO THE SAME PROBLEM AND ANOTHER FAILURE WITH THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. I AGREED TO THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH REPAIR AND TOLD THEM THAT IF THE OIL PAN GASKET FAILED A 2ND TIME (ORIGINAL CAUSE OF LEAK IN 2001), THAT IT WAS DUE TO POOR REPAIR WORK. THEY TIGHTENED THE BOLTS TO THE OIL PAN. THE WINTER WEATHER HAS HAMPERED MY EFFORTS TO CHECK FOR THE LEAK. ALTHOUGH I NO LONGER SMELL BURNING OIL.

DOME LIGHT ALWAYS ON DUE TO DOOR SWITCH STUCK. VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. DEALER SAID REOCCURING PROBLEM IN MODEL AND SAID I CAN FIX IT MYSELF BY REMOVING DOOR PANEL. ASKED IF I HAD OTHER "ELECTRICAL" PROBLEMS. I SAID EMERGENCY (HAZARD) LIGHTS DON'T WORK. HE SAID MODEL HAS AWFUL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I USE THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS EQUIPPED ON THE CAR. SAID I TRIED BUT IT WAS FAULTY. NEVER BOTHERED USING IT SINCE. HE GAVE ME AN ESTIMATION ON REPAIRS STATING IT IS MANUFACTURE DEFECT BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.*AK

WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOPPED POSITION, POWER STEERING IS LOST AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. ALSO, DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE. THIS LOSS OF POWER AND STEERING WHILE ENTERING TRAFFIC IS ALARMING! IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE BELT IS SLIPPLING DUE TO THE MOISTURE BEING SPRAYED UP FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL. I HAVE INSPECTED THE BELT AND IT IS IN FINE CONDITION. THERE IS NO MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR THE BELT TENSIONER (SPRING LOADED). THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT 24,000 MILES. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE SEEN ANOTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINT. I BELIVE THAT THIS PROBLEM MUST BE REVIEWED BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES STEERING WHILE ENTERING TRAFFIC AND IS KILLED! I REALIZE THAT REPLACING THE BELT MAY MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY, HOWEVER, THIS IS AN OBVIOU. *AK