NHTSA Complaint #10367291 — 2009 MERCURY SABLE

AUTOMOBILE ENGINE INADVERTENTLY STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. ONLY INDICATION WAS ILLUMINATION OF ALTERNATOR SYSTEM FAILURE WARNING LIGHT AND TACHOMETER INDICATION OF ZERO. THERE WAS NO ASSOCIATED SHUDDER, LURCHING, OR OTHER PHYSICAL INDICATION THAT ENGINE HAD FAILED. NO ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT OR OTHER INDICATION WAS DISPLAYED. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO NEUTRAL, RESTART ATTEMPTED, AND ENGINE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 120 DAYS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED - SENTRY FORD IN MEDFORD MA., AND THE SERVICE REP ON THE PHONE FOUND NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE MALFUNCTION OR TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC DEALER SERVICE APPOINTMENT, SINCE NO ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON, BASED ON MY TESTIMONIAL. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON, NO FAILURE CODES ARE STORED IN THE ON BOARD VEHICLE OPERATION HISTORY DATABASE AND THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED AND THE DEALER CAN NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE FOR REPAIR. *TR