NHTSA Complaint #745623 — 1997 MERCURY SABLE

I PURCHASED MERCURY SABLE IN JULY 1999 AS A NEW VEHICLE (DEALER DEMO). I EXPERIENCED FIRST PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO DURING TWO SEPARATE WEEKS AND THOUGHT NO MORE ABOUT IT UNTIL THIS MONTH. I LEFT CHURCH AND WENT UP A SLIGHT INCLINE TO A STOP SIGN; WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND TRIED TO PULL OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS. I BRAKED AND LOOKED TO BE SURE I HAD NOT SOMEHOW PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL; IT WAS IN DRIVE. I AGAIN TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR CONTINUED BACKWARD, HALF WAY DOWN THE BLOCK. I PUSHED HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED FORWARD. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, I SAT AT A RED LIGHT ON FLAT LAND AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL, IT REVVED UP BUT DID NOT MOVE. I BRAKED, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THEN BACK IN DRIVE AND IT JERKED FORWARD. WHEN I TOOK IT TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD ON TARA BOULEVARD IN JONESBORO, GEORGIA, THE SERVICE MANAGER QUOTED A PRICE OF MORE THAN $2,500. TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. ON A CAR ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES!!!! I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING TROUBLE WITH FORD TRANSMISSIONS. MY SON IN LAW, JOSEPH KAIGLER, HAS A 2001 TAURUS WHICH HE RETURNED AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED. PLEASE HELP! SHORT OF PAYING $2,500, IS THERE ANOTHER REMEDY I MAY GAIN.*AK