NHTSA Complaint #10086870 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

AFTER 18 MONTHS OF PROPER OPERATION, THE AUTOMATIC HEATER/AC TEMPERATURE CONTROL STARTED TO MALFUNCTION ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN STARTED FROM A COLD START, THE INTERIOR TEMPERATURE IS MAINTAINED AT A COMFORTABLE 77 TO 78 DEGREES. AS TIME PASSES, IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE UNTIL AFTER AN HOUR HAS PASSED, THE SETTING IS AT 85 DEGREES AND IT IS STILL TOO COLD. THE NEXT SETTING IS 90 DEGREES WHICH IS FULL HEAT TO CAR. IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE HEAT TO RUN YOU OUT. THEN IT HAS TO BE SET BACK TO 85 DEGREES. THIS IS NOT ONLY ANNOYING AND UNCOMFORTABLE, IT IS UNSAFE, BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE TO CONTINUALLY MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS. THE PROBLEM IS A PERMANENT ONE; IT DOES NOT COME AND GO. HAD IT BACK TO DEALER 4 TIMES, MOST OF THE TIME THEY RAN THE CAN IN THE HEATED AND AIR CONDITIONED SHOP AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AT MY LAST TIME TO THE DEALER, THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SPENT ALL THE TIME AND MONEY THEY WERE GOING TO ON MY VEHICLE UNLESS THEY COULD COME UP WITH AN ERROR CODE. THEY SHOWED ME HOW TO READ THE ERROR CODE BUT THERE IS NO ERROR CODE. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE CABIN MODULE IS HEATING UP WITH OPERATION, OR CHANGING FOR SOME OTHER REASON. THE SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE LIKE THIS FOR THE FIRST 18 MONTHS LIFE OF THE CAR AND SHOULD NOT NOW. FORD APPARENTLY CANNOT SOLVE A PROBLEM WITHOUT AN ERROR CODE. AGAIN, IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM TO ME AS WELL A COMFORT PROBLEM. THE ACTUAL DATE THAT IT STARTED IS APPROXIMATE. THE VERY POOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL ACCOUNTS FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE CAR. MY LITTLE MERCURY TRACER IS ABLE TO KEEP US VERY COMFORTABLE AND WARM AND COST A WHOLE LOT LESS. *AK