NHTSA Complaint #10261124 — 2003 MERCURY SABLE

I OWN A 2003 MERCURY SABLE, IN 2007, I NOTICED THE PAINT ON THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL-WELL WAS STARTING TO BUBBLE RUST, MY HUSBAND AND I MADE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALERSHIP, AT THE TIME, THEY WERE UNDERGOING A BUYOUT AND WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING ANY ANSWERS FROM ANYONE, ONCE THE BUYOUT HAPPENED, WE WERE THEN TOLD ALL THE COMPUTER FILES WERE BEING UPDATED, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY RECORD OF THE ISSUES WE REPORTED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, SO WE STARTED OVER...IN JULY OF 2008, FINALLY GOT THE MANUFACTURER TO SHARE IN THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIRS AS THIS HAD NOW PASSED THE WARRANTY TIMEFRAME, HOWEVER, WHEN THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS REPORTED, WE WERE QUOTED A REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $250.00, BY THE TIME WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM FORD TO GO AHEAD WITH THE REPAIRS AND THEY STATED THE REPAIR ESTIMATE HAD INCREASED TO $ 550.00 BECAUSE THE RUST AREA HAD WORSEN. IT IS NOW 8 MONTHS LATER, AND THE BUBBLING AND RUST IS STARTING TO APPEAR AGAIN. I HAVE READ SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT FORD HAVING ISSUES WITH THE PAINT USED ON THEIR VEHICLES DURING THE 200 - 2005 PERIOD.. APPARENTLY - NOT TOO MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED TO WARRANT A RECALL, THIS IS THE BASIS FOR MY COMPLIANT NOW. MY CAR IS TAKEN CARE OF, GARAGED, ETC.... I HAVE NEVER HAD A RUSTING PROBLEM WITH AN VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED, AND THIS DOES NOT SEEM FAIR THAT THIS CAR SHOULD BE RUSTING, AND FOR A SECOND TIME WITHIN 8 MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS. *TR