NHTSA Complaint #10303390 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE HAS BROKEN ALL FOUR COIL SPRINGS, BOTH SETS IN MULTIPLE FRACTURES IN EACH SPRING. ALTHOUGH THEY ADMIT THIS IS FREQUENT (THE LOCAL DEALER SERVICE GARAGE SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN HUNDREDS OF 02S WITH THIS PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THAT THE 450 OR SO SHOWN ON THIS SITE ON THIS SITE IS VERY FAR OFF) THE FRONT PAIR BROKE AROUND THE 50,000 MARK, IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE VISITS TO THE DEALER TO GET EVEN LIMITED CREDIT TOWARD REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE WAS PROGRESSIVE, SAG WAS ONLY NOTICED WHEN IT GOT EXTREME. INTERESTINGLY THEY DID BREAK IN PAIRS. TIRE DAMAGE OCCURRED WHEN ONE EDGE OF THE SPRING PROTRUDED INTO THE TIRE. THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO KEEP THE SPRING/STRUT COMBO(THE STRUTS WERE LEAKING FROM THE ADDED ABUSE AND TRAVEL) THE SPRING LOOKED TO HAVE BROKEN THROUGH INCLUSIONS IN THE STEEL, FROM MY AUTO INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS, I FOUND THESE HAD BEEN SOURCED IN CHINA, AND WERE HOLD-OVERS FROM THE 2001 MODEL. AT ABOUT THE 80,000 MILE MARK, THE REAR SPRINGS WERE OBVIOUSLY FAILED, AGAIN MULTIPLE CRACK POINTS, ONE TIRE WAS GOUGED OUT BY THE PROTRUDING SPRING. DEALER SERVICE AGAIN INDICATED THAT NO HELP WAS BEING ISSUED, DESPITE AGAIN IN THEIR WORDS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS I STILL HAVE BOTH THE DAMAGED TIRE AND SPRING/STRUT COMBOS. AGAIN, THE FRACTURE SURFACE WAS MARKED WITH INCLUSIONS, AND VOIDS, CORROSION LOOKED TO BE SECONDARY. I HAVE RUN INTO AT LEAST FIVE ADDITIONAL OWNERS WHO HAVE A FRACTURE AND WERE DENIED ANY SATISFACTION FROM FORD. FORD ZONE AND REGIONAL PEOPLE UNDERPLAY THE PROBLEM AS IF TRYING TO CONVINCE IT IS RARE, YET BOTH TIMES THE SERVICE PEOPLE INDICATE IT TO BE COMMON. THIS HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING. THERE ARE ALSO UNSCRUPULOUS REPAIR FACILITIES, ONE OF WHICH INITIALLY REFUSED TO TAKE MY CAR DOWN FROM THE LIFT SAYING IT WAS DEADLY, WHILE TRYING TO EXTORT OVER $1,200 TO REPAIR SAME. I HAD TO THREATEN TO CALL THE LOCAL POLICE BEFORE THEY WOULD LET ME HAVE MY OWN CAR. *TR