NHTSA Complaint #747223 — 1992 MERCURY SABLE

HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN REPAIR BILL OF $1336.18, PLUS $399.51 FOR RENTAL CAR FOR EIGHT DAYS (CAR WAS AT MECHANIC'S FROM 5/20/01 THROUGH 6/13/01, BUT I WAS ABLE TO BORROW A CAR FOR TWO WEEKS), PLUS $45 FOR TOW TO MECHANICS SHOP. MY MECHANIC HAD WARNED THAT CAR MIGHT HAVE TO STAY IN HIS SHOP FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BECAUSE OF SCARCITY OF PARTS DUE TO HIGH DEMAND. AFTER HEARING THAT PARTS WERE SCARCE, I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT HEAD-GASKET FAILURE/VULNERABILITY ON ALL 1988-95 TAURUS/SABLES (AS WELL AS OTHER FORD MODELS) SINCE 1998 (TSB 98-4-9). FORD ISSUED A LIMITED RECALL, THE COVERAGE OF WHICH INCLUDED SABLES, BUT ONLY 1994-95 MODEL YEARS, EVEN THOUGH HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AFFECTS ALL 1988-95 FORD CARS WITH 3.8L V6 ENGINES. MY CAR HAD ONLY 51,244 MILES ON IT AT TIME THAT HEAD GASKET BLEW; FURTHERMORE, MY CAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED, AND I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON VEHICLE FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. MY MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED ME THAT ALTHOUGH THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, MY CAR IS NOT GUARANTEED AGAINST FUTURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A FULL RECALL, ONE THAT COVERS ALL 1988-95 FORD CARS WITH 3.8L V6 ENGINES  IVE LEARNED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A NONMAINTENANCE ITEM AND ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR (OR AT LEAST 120,000 MILES). *AK