1997 Mercury Sable

HIGH BRAKE LIGHT LENS ON 1997 MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON CAME OFF. WHILE ON MY WAY TO GET IT REPLACED AT A DEALER, I NOTICED ANOTHER 1997 MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON WITH THE SAME LENS MISSING! PRIOR COMPLIANT FILED HERE CLAIMS THAT REPLACEMENT OF THIS LENS WILL COST ME $150.00! WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS? IT IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT. I AM GLAD THAT IT IS NOT LIFE THREATENING, BUT STILL...... R.P.*AK

DURING RAINY WEATHER, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SPLASHES WATER INTO THE ENGINE FAN BELT ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE FAN BELT TO SLIP AND SQUEAL. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILS TO TURN RESULTING IN HARD STEERING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, THE GENERATOR FAILS TO TURN RESULTING IN BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEELWELL BAFFLE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED BY THE MFG DOES NOT ADEQUATELY SHIELD THE FAN BELT ASSEMBLY FROM RAIN WATER INTRUSION. A TEMPORARY, THOUGHT INADEQUATE FIX, IS TO APPLY "BELT DRESSING" TO THE FAN BELT. REF COMPLAINT #551260. *AK

I HAVE HAD 5 OCCURRENCES OF ENGINE SURGING WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE SURGE IS SO STRONG THAT THE BRAKES MUST BE REPEATEDLY PRESSED DOWN HARD TO STOP AND HELD DOWN TO THEIR MAXIMUM CAPABILITY. IN 3 OF THE 5 OCCURRENCES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, REAR END COLLISIONS WERE AVOIDED BY MERE INCHES. *AK

AT ABOUT 100,000 EASY HIGHWAY MILES, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER, THEN THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, PLUS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS MINOR ENGINE REPAIRS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $350 EVERY OTHER MONTH, THE WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN ANYMORE, AND NOW--4 MONTHS AFTER THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT--WE HAVE LOST OVERDRIVE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AGAIN! WE HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH THIS MANY PROBLEMS, AND WILL NEVER BUY A FORD/MERCURY ANYTHING AGAIN. OUR SUBURBAN WAS MORE RELIABLE. *NLM

ABOUT A YEAR BACK I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ON MY SABLE AT 70,000 MILES. IT WOULD MOVE IN REVERSE BUT NO FORWARD MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT COTTMAN TRANSMISSION AT THE COST OF OVER $2000 AND LOSS OF VEHICLE USE FOR A WEEK. A MONTH LATER, IT FAILED WITH EXACTLY SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. IT WAS TOWED TO THE SAME FACILITY AND REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY IN FOUR DAYS. SIX MONTHS LATER, AND EXACTLY A MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY ON REPAIR WORK EXPIRED (74,000 MILES), THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO VISIBLY DOWN SHIFT WHILE DRIVING (AT ALL SPEEDS). TOOK IT BACK TO REPAIR FACILITY - WAS TOLD IT'S INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS - ONCE AGAIN! I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE 4,000 ON TRANSMISSION JOBS ON THIS CAR WHEN IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH THAT MUCH. I SCANNED THROUGH THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND SOME OTHER INSTANCES WHEN THIS TRANSMISSION HAD GIVEN PROBLEMS TO OWNERS. JUST WONDERING HOW MANY DISSATISFIED OWNERS WOULD IT TAKE FOR FORD TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS A "REAL" PROBLEM WITH THEIR SABLE/MERCURY TRANSMISSIONS! I HAD TWO FORD TAURUS'S IN THE PAST, AND THIS IS THIRD FROM FORD FAMILY. I AM GOING TO STOP SPENDING MONEY ON FORD CARS IF THIS IS THE LEVEL OF QUALITY THAT I GET FOR MY MONEY.