NHTSA Complaint #10236507 — 2001 MERCURY SABLE

JULY 30TH 2008, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, ETC. REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. BROKEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT THE JAGGED END OF THE COIL SPRINGS WAS NOT RUBBING INTO MY TIRE. I HAVE NO IDEAL WHEN THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THEY HAD FAILED. ALTHOUGH THE CASING AROUND THE COIL SPRING EASILY TORE BY HAND AND THE BROKEN PART OF THE COIL SPRING IS RUSTED. IT SCARES ME TO THINK OF HOW LONG I MIGHT HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH MY CAR ON THE EDGE LIKE THIS. MY CAR HAS 62,896 MILES ON IT, BUT EXACTLY WHEN THESE COIL SPRINGS FAILED IS UNKNOWN. THEY WANT UPWARDS OF $800.00 TO REPLACE COIL SPRING AND STRUTS. $500.00 JUST FOR COIL SPRINGS. I HAD NO CHOICE OTHER THAN TO GET COIL SPRINGS REPLACED. IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THAT BOTH SIDES WOULD FAIL AND BOTH SIDE ARE BROKEN IN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PLACE. SO I GAVE MYSELF JULY 31, 2008 FOR RESEARCHING THE REAR COIL SPRINGS ON MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE, HENCE MY COMPLAINT TO NHTSA. ON AUG 1, 2008 I WILL TAKE MY CAR BACK TO REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR. I WILL KEEP MY OLD COIL SPRINGS IN THE HOPE THAT SOMEONE FINALLY REALIZES THAT THIS IS A ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE MANNER OF A RECALL. I HAVE READ SOME OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FAILURE OF THESE REAR COIL SPRINGS CAN COME AT ANY TIME WITH OR WITHOUT THE OWNERS KNOWLEDGE. PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING MORE FATAL HAPPENS BEFORE FORD AND NHTSA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE REAR COIL SPRINGS. *TR