NHTSA Complaint #703903 — 1988 MERCURY SABLE

AROUND JAN 20, 1999 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD PERTAINING TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SUB FRAME RETAINING BOLTS. WORK WAS DONE AT HERITAGE MOTORS IN SYRACUSE ON 1/29/99. HERITAGE NOTIFIED ME AT THE TIME THAT MY FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN AND RECOMMENDED THEY BE REPLACED. BECAUSE OF CONVENIENCE I TOOK THE CAR TO AZRIA REPAIR SERVICE. WHILE REPLACING THE MOTOR MOUNTS MR AZRIA OBSERVED THAT ONLY THE TWO REAR SUB FRAME BOLTS HAD BEEN REPLACED BY HERITAGE. HE SHOWED ME THAT ONE OF THE FRONT BOLTS WAS IN FACT ALREADY BROKEN AND THE OTHER FRONT BOLT WAS IN DANGEROUS CONDITION. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT DRILLING OR CUTTING ACCESS HOLES INTO THE FRAME IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE RUST-FROZEN NUTS AND BOLTS HOLDING THE SUB FRAME IN PLACE. HE SHOWED ME HOW REMOVAL OR AT LEAST LOOSENING OF THE SUB FRAME WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE MOUNTS. THE INACCESSIBLE AND FROZEN RETAINING BOLTS MADE HIS WORK UNNECESSARILY TIME CONSUMING AND COSTLY. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY AND I THEREFORE AUTHORIZED HIM TO REPLACE THE TWO REMAINING BOLTS AS WELL AS THE MOTOR MOUNTS. MY CONTENTION IS THAT HERITAGE SHOULD HAVE REPLACED ALL THE BOLTS (FRONT AND REAR) AS PART OF THE SAFETY RECALL SINCE ALL THE BOLTS WERE KNOWN TO BE IN DANGEROUS CONDITION AND POSED A HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR PERTAINING TO THOSE ITEMS WHICH WERE KNOWN BY FORD TO BE DEFECTIVE AND POSED A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I AM RETAINING THE ORIGINAL PARTS IN CASE ANYONE WISHES TO EXAMINE THEIR CONDITION. MY BILL FROM AZRIA SERVICE WAS $575.41