NHTSA Complaint #10454443 — 2004 MERCURY SABLE

WITHOUT WARNING I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WITH MY 2004 MERCURY SABLE. AFTER DRIVING MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 46 MILES (I LIVE 47 MILES FROM JOB) I CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I WENT TO PROCEED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN, I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. I HAD LOST FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS. NO SLIPPING, NO BANGING, NO GRINDING OR ANY OTHER NOISES THAT ALMOST ALWAYS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP (AAMCO OF MINEOLA, NY) AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. I NEVER IN ALL MY 32 YEARS OF DRIVING HAD A TRANSMISSION FAIL IN THE MANNER THAT THIS TRANSMISSION DID. I ALSO TRULY FELT IT WAS A TORQUE CONVERTER OR INPUT SHAFT FAILURE BUT I AM NOT A MECHANIC (I DO HAVE A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF HOW A CAR AND IT'S COMPONENTS WORK) AND JUST DECIDED TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED. I DID NOT THINK MUCH ABOUT THIS UNTIL I RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT MY FORD FREESTAR IS INVOLVED IN A RECALL (11S25/NHTSA RECALL 12V-006) WHICH DESCRIBED THE SAME FAILURE. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT IT IS ALSO A MODEL YEAR 2004 AND IS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME MODEL TRANSMISSION (AX4S). I AM NOW VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE TRANSMISSION'S TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED JUST AS IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR MY FORD FREESTAR. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE SPLINES IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER WHEN IT IS MANUFACTURED AND A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE INPUT SHAFT (WHICH THE TORQUE CONVERTER SPINS ON). *TR