NHTSA Complaint #10333941 — 2003 MERCURY SABLE

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PLEASE SEE YOUR REPORT PE09033. MY MERCURY SABLE USES THE SAME TRANSMISSION. AND THIS WEEK END ME AND MY FAMILY ALMOST GOT KILLED WHEN ON I-75 IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH CONCRETE BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES MY TRANSMISSION DIED WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 40000 MILES ON IT AND I CHANGED THE FLUID AS RECOMMENDED AT 30000 MILES. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 40000 MILES! THE MECHANIC SAID TO ME YOU HAD NO WARNING DID YOU! I AGREED. HE SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD PROBABLY FAILED! THE HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT $2200 FOR PARTS AND ABOUT $1100 FOR LABOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $3300. I AM AN ENGINEER SO I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT ENGINES AND MECHANICAL APPLICATIONS. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. I BELIEVE AFTER SOME RESEARCH THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FAULT IN THEM PARTLY FROM TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE AND PARTLY FROM OVER HEATING BECAUSE OF POOR CIRCULATION AND HEAT DISSIPATION DESIGN. I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA ABOUT THE ABOVE AND JOIN OR START A CAMPAIGN FOR A RECALL ABOUT THE ABOVE STATED PROBLEM. I HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT I WILL HAVE SOME RECOURSE WITH FORD. SO WITH SOME ANTICIPATION I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SOME HELP OR A RESPONSE WITH TO MY REQUEST. [XXX] *TR