1998 Mercury Sable

I ROTATE TIRES EVERY 6000 MI. DURING ROTATION I INSPECT BRAKE PADS FOR WEAR. AT 18000 MI I FOUND EXCESSIVE WEAR ON REAR PADS, TO THE POINT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FAIRLY SOON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ADVISED THAT THOS WEAR WAS "NORMAL" AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THAT'S NONSENSE. I'VE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT NEEDED REAR PAD REPLACEMENT AT LESSS THAN 50000 MI. NO PROFESSIONLS I SPOKE WITH THOUGHT THIS WAS "NORMAL" WEAR. THIS IS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT, WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW, I HAD BROUGHT IT IN FOR CORRECTION OF BRAKE VIBRATION. THE DEALER MACHINED THE ROTORS AND THE TECH SAID HE "DIDN'T LIKE THE LOOKS OF THE REAR PADS SO HE REPLACED THEM." THAT'S AT 1500 MI. WHICH MEANS THE REPLACMENT SET ONLY LASTED 16500 MI. THE OWNER SERVICE GUIDE ONLY SAYS TO INSPECT FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AT 30000 MI. IF I HAD WAITED TO 30000 MI I WOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST ROTOR FAILURE AND MIGHT HAVE HAD BRAKE SEIZURE, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY. DEALER CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO REP WHO SAID IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I PERSONALLY REPLACED REAR PADS WITH AFTER-MARKET LIFE-OF-THE-CAR-WARRANTY PREMIUM-GRADE PADS BECAUSE I WON'T PAY FORD FOR ANOTHER SET OF FAST-WEARING PADS. I KEPT THE ORIGINAL PADS FOR NHTSA INSPECTION, IF DESIRED. *AK

WHILE EXITING RAMP FROM A HIGHWAY ONTO A MAIN STREET, THE EXPLORER IN FRONT OF US STOPPED BEFORE ENTERING THE MAIN STREET. WE WERE DRIVING SLOWLY WHEN WE TRIED TO STOP BEHIND THE OTHER VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. HE CONTINUED A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT COULD NOT STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN. WE KNEW WE WOULD HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US, WHICH PREVENTED OUR CAR FROM GOING ONTO THE MAIN STREET OF TRAFFIC. FROM TRYING TO STOP MANY TIMES, MY HUSBAND SUFFERED A SIATICA INJURY, WHICH HE CURRENTLY BEING TREATED BY AN ORTHOPEDIST, CHIROPRACTER, PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD GRINDING SOUND FROM THE REAR & TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. ROTORS, AND BRAKE SHOES AND PADS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN ON 10-AUG-1999. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER, AND HE REPLACED ALOT OF PARTS. AS OF 10-APR-2000, VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER'S AGAIN. DEALER COULDN'T FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. BRAKES ARE STILL LOCKING UP. *AK