NHTSA Complaint #720250 — 1991 MERCURY SABLE

MY ENGINE FAILED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AS A RESULT OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. MY FORD DEALER TOLD ME WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN THAT FORD HAD INSTALLED DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS IN CERTAIN MODELS, INCLUDING MINE, IN THE EARLY 1990S, AND THAT THESE GASKETS FAILED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE OIL, WHICH IN TURN DAMAGED THE BEARINGS AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. MY FORD DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD HAD A PROGRAM TO HELP THOSE WITH 1994 AND 1995 CARS. I WROTE FORD TO ASK IT TO REIMBURSE ME, BUT FORD WAS RUDE AND ENTIRELY UNHELPFUL. WHY SHOULD IT RECOMPENSE ONLY THE OWNERS OF THE 1994 AND 1995 CARS, IF THE OLDER MODELS (1991-1993) ALSO HAD THESE DEFECTIVE GASKETS? MY DEALER TOLD ME I WAS AMAZINGLY LUCKY THAT THE ENGINE HADN'T FAILED EARLIER, AND THAT NO ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED. PLEASE HELP ME GET FORD TO REIMBURSE ME FOR BUYING A NEW ENGINE AS A RESULT OF ITS PRODUCT DEFECT. THANK YOU. *AK