1997 Mercury Sable

BALL JOINT AND TIE-ROD REPLACEMENTS NEEDED VERY FREQUENTLY (1-2 TIMES A YEAR). ON BOTH A 1997 SABLE WAGON AND 1999 SABLE SEDAN. EACH VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL BALL JOINTS AND TIE-RODS REPLACED, SOME COVERED BY MFG AS THE FREQUENCY WAS SO OFTEN. EACH TIME WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BALL-JOINT AND/OR TIE-ROD, ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO "SAFETY" REQUIREMENTS. IF THIS IS THE CASE THAN THE FREQUENCY HAS ME CONCERNED THAT IF THE 'ISSUE" WAS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME THERE COULD BE AN INJURY OR DEATH. THE 1997 SABLE WAGON WENT IN FOR A STARTER REPLACEMENT TODAY 3/16/06 AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE LOWER OUTER TIE-ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIE-ROD WAS REPLACED 11K MILES AGO ON 12/3/04 AND THE CAR WAS INSPECTED ON 12/5/05. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINED BOTH BRAKE LINES BELOW THE FRONT DRIVER DOOR WERE RUSTED CAUSING THE LINES TO BREAK OPEN. THE RUST WAS CAUSED FROM TWO PLASTIC STRIPS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

DT: FORD MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON 1997. FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND WENT PASS THE BASE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS SHREDDED. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING A VERY SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. FORD WAS RECALLING THE 1999 - 2001 MODELS UNDER RECALL 04S17, THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO THE 1997. MODEL. *AK *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. IT DIDN'T TURN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DROVE IT. THE DEALER REPLACED 2 PARTS IN THE STEERING, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A BINDING NOISE AND GETS REALLY TIGHT. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP THE WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. *JB *TT *NM

WE OWN A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. IN JUNE OF 2004 OUR HEATER CORE WENT OUT AND, AS THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WAS REPLACED BY A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP, HENRY DAY FORD. THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR WAS THEN 60,468. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEATER CORE REPLACED AN ADDITIONAL 4 TIMES, THE LAST TIME WAS MAY 11, 2005 (MILEAGE 64,995). ON JUNE 7, 2005, ONCE AGAIN, THE HEATER CORE SEEMED TO GO OUT. WE TOOK IT TO HENRY DAY AND THEY INFORMED US THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. EACH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED, A STEAM HAS FILLED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND CLOUDED THE WINDOWS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHERE I AM GOING. IT IS A VERY MALODOROUS STEAM, FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLE VEHICLES, AND MOST SEEM TO HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE HEATER CORE PROBLEMS. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A FLAW IN THE VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR ME, AND I WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT MY HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF MY SPOUSE (WHO HAS HEART PROBLEMS). WE HAVE BEEN NAUSEATED AND HAVE HAD CONGESTION AND EVEN SOME MEMORY PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO OCCUR AFTER INHALING THE STEAM. WE WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTS OF INHALING THIS MIXTURE OF WATER AND ANTIFREEZE.

I OWN A 1997 MECURY SABLE. ON 06/07/05 I WAS TRAVELING IN MI ON HIGHWAY 96 EAST BETWEEN GRAND RAPIDS AND LANSING. WHILE CRUISING ALONG AT 70 MPH, THE HOOD ON MY CAR RELEASED, AND SMASHED INTO MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD, HOOD, AND ROOF OF THE CAR. APPARENTLY THE SAFETY CATCH FAILED, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I SPOKE WITH FORD MOTOR, WHO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE FORD TO BE LIABLE BECASUE THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. THE SAFETY CATCH BY DESIGN IS INTENDED TO PREVENT THESE TYPES OF ACCIDENTS, AND IT SHOULD NEVER FAIL.