NHTSA Complaint #10010607 — 1995 MERCURY SABLE

I CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY COMPLAINING ABOUT A FAULTY TRANSMISSION IN MY 1995 MERCURY SABLE THAT SUDDENLY WENT OUT ON ME WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY HOME IN DECEMBER OF 2002. THE CAR HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS SINCE THE FIRST DAY I GOT IT AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OKAY, THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. MY CAR HAD BEEN SKIPPING FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WOULD STOP, SO I THOUGHT NO MORE OF IT. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FROM A CAR DEALER (NOT A FORD DEALERSHIP) AND PRINTED A CARFAX JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK FOR ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. I FOUND NONE. AFTER REPLACING THE RADIATOR, FIXING THE ALTERNATOR, AND REPLACING THE BRAKE SYSTEM IN THE THREE YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD MY CAR, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT ONLY HAS 123,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED YOUR WEB SITE AND DISCOVERED 19 OTHER COMPLAINTS BESIDES MINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL CAR. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE MAN REPLACED HIS SIX TIMES!!! THEN, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THEY CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO GO LOOK AT ANOTHER CAR AT FAIRWAY. WELL, THERE'S A FAIRWAY FORD HERE IN ANDERSON, SC. I GO UP THERE AT 10 LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I CALL THE BRANCH BACK AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY DON'T OWN ANY FORD PLACES IN SC, THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO ALBANY, GA. THAT IS A GRAND TOTAL OF 600+ MILES AND 10 HRS AWAY ROUND TRIP. I GO ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE FOR THE MANAGER TO TELL ME BASICALLY THAT I WENT DOWN THERE TO TRADE IN A CAR. I HAD TOLD THEM THAT MY CAR IS NOT RUNNING, BUT APPARENTLY, THEY DON'T LISTEN VERY WELL. SO, I'M STILL OUT OF A CAR AND THE ONE I HAVE IS NOT TRADABLE IN THE CONDITION ITS IN. I STILL OWE $1700 AND ITS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST THAT MUCH IF NOT MORE TO FIX IT. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO FIX THIS PART THAT THEY KNOW IS FAULTY, BECAUSE OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS PART QUITS ON THEM BEFORE FORD WILL RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THEM. *NLM