NHTSA Complaint #10104369 — 1998 MERCURY SABLE

IN 1998 I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY SABLE. STOPPING DISTANCE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE SINCE NEW. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CHECKED AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IN PANIC STOPS IT FEELS AS IF ONLY THE REAR WHEELS ARE BRAKING. NOW, AFTER 95,000 MILES I HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND REAR ROTORS ONCE, BUT THE ORIGINAL FRONT PADS ARE STILL ON THE CAR - JUST NOW NEEDING REPLACEMENT. FRONT ROTORS EXCELLENT - NO OUTER RIDGE. OBVIOUSLY, FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING EFFECTIVELY - NORMALLY FRONT BRAKES PROVIDE ABOUT 60& OF BRAKING POWER. ON NOVEMBER 19 I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR IN A CHAIN-REACTION PANIC STOP. BODY DAMAGE IS NOW REPAIRED, BUT I HESITATE TO PUT IT BACK IN SERVICE WITHOUT DETERMINING AND REPAIRING THE BRAKE PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I WROTE FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM YEARS AGO BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO RECORD THAT I EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT INADEQUATE BRAKING. CAR WAS CHECKED AT BRAKEMASTERS, BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WITH MILLIONS OF SABLES AND TAURUSES BUILT BY FORD, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE THE ONLY CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REAR-END COLLISIONS WITH THE OWNERS NEVER REALIZING THAT THEY HAD A BRAKING PROBLEM? *AK