NHTSA Complaint #740400 — 1994 MERCURY SABLE

BOUGHT CAR USED, AS IS. INQUIRED ABOUT RECALLS, ETC. TOLD THERE WERE NONE. SALESMAN SAID HE RAN CARFAX & NOTHING SHOWED UP. ASKED IF ENGINE WAS ORIGINAL ENGINE, ANY MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, ETC. WAS TOLD "NO". PURCHASED CAR @ BILL PENNEY TOYOTA. FIRST DAY DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF, UNDERSIDE DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK COVER CAME OFF & SUNROOF CAME OPEN & WOULDN'T SHUT. PANELING FELL OFF. 1ST WEEK THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON - CAR BEGAN USING 2 QTS OF OIL EVERY 2-3 DAYS. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP. TOLD IT HAD A NEW ENGINE & SHOULDN'T BE HAVING PROBLEMS. OIL CONSUMPTION TEST RUN. BEGAN CHECKING CAR'S HISTORY. FOUND PREVIOUS OWNER BOUGHT THE CAR 4-2000 & THE DEALERSHIP BOUGHT IT BACK 6-2000. HEAD GASKET CHANGED 3X. THE DEALERSHIP SENT CAR TO WOODY ANDERSON FORD. HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT IN IT (THEY SAY). BILL PENNEY KEPT CAR 1 WEEK. SAID PROBLEM WAS UNDER A MFG. WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE ALTHOUGH THEY SOLD ME A WARRANTY FOR $1,000 FOR WHAT WAS ALREADY UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SENT CAR TO WOODY ANDERSON FORD; FORD KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. THEN CALLED & TOLD ME TO PICK IT UP; THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG W/IT. HAD TO RENT A CAR. WARRANTY STS THEY PROVIDE ONE. CAR IS NOT FIXED. IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. ENGINE PUT IN CAR NEVER PUT ON RECORD. 4 VIN #'S HAVE BEEN USED ON PAPERWORK. MET WITH PREVIOUS OWNER. ALL FAULTS I HAD W/CAR SHE HAD AS WELL. DEALERSHIP SAYS MY TOUGH LUCK; MAYBE I LEARNED A LESSON. MFG. WON'T FIX. DENIES PROBLEM. *AK