NHTSA Complaint #10418835 — 2005 MERCURY SABLE

I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A BUSY STREET AT ABOUT 2:50PM AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 SABLE FAILED. I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR, DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE LOCKED INTO NEUTRAL. I BECAME STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITH THE HELP OF TWO YOUNG MEN PUSHED THE VEHICLE INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO PAT MILLIKEN FORD, REDFORD, MICH. THEY INDICATED IT WOULD TAKE TWO DAYS AT LEAST BEFORE THEY COULD ADVISE ME ON THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND ADVISED ME THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST $3400.00. BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE POWERTRAIN SYSTEM IN CARS THIS ESTIMATE WAS EXCESSIVE. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE ADVISERS IN PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED THEY ONLY HAVE TWO TRANSMISSION TECHNICIANS. IN MY OPINION IT WAS EASIER FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION THAT TO REPAIR IT. ITS ALSO MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE DEALER. IT IS LIKELY THIS SITUATION EXIST ALL ACROSS THE USA. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO USA TRANSMISSION IN LIVONIA, MICH. AND I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THAT DAY. THEY IMMEDIATE TOLD ME THAT BASED ON THEIR REPAIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLE, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS MOST LIKELY THE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATED THEIR SHOP REPAIRS A LOT OF TAURUS'S AND SABLES FOR THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED. AFTER TESTING, THEY ADVISED THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS THE PROBLEM. THE ACTUAL REPAIR COST WAS $295.00 FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER PLUS $50.00 FOR TRANS FLUID AND $695.00 FOR LABOR, TOTAL REPAIR COST INCLUDING SALES TAX WAS $1060.00. BEFORE LEAVING THE SHOP I LOOKED AT MY TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY INDICATED THE INNER SPLINE ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS WEARING OUT. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE CAUSED BY THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR