NHTSA Complaint #749802 — 1993 MERCURY SABLE

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED FROM A MERCURY DEALERSHIP AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS OVER 30 TIMES. THE ENGINE HAS ALWAYS RAN HOT WITH THE TEMPERATURE NEAR OR AT THE RED LINE. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS NORMAL AND NOT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE EXCESSIVE HEAT CONSTANTLY BOILS OUT THE ENGINE COOLANT AND HAS CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR INSIDE THE COOLANT LINES WITH FAILIURES ABOVE THE THERMOSTAT, AND ABOVE THE ENGINE AT THE FIREWALL, AND OF THE UPPER AND LOWER HOSES, AS WELL AS TWO THERMOSTATS. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT HAS ALSO PREVENTED PROPER COOLING OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SHIFTING PROBLEMS AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 8 TIMES (WE HAVE AN INTERNAL LETTER FROM FORD THAT INDICATES THEY KNOW THE MOUNTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND WILL REPLACE THEM FOR FREE IF THE OWNER HAS THIS LETTER). THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT IS NOW BEGINNING TO FLICKER AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY, AGAIN. THE VALVE COVER AND TIMING COVER GASKETS WERE REPLACED 5,000 MILES AGO BECAUSE THEY WERE LEAKING OIL ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED CONSTANT BURNING ODOR AND SMOKE. I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE, AND ALL MODELS OF IT WITH THE SAME ENGINE, POSES A SERIOUS FIRE AND ACCIDENT HAZARD DUE TO THE CONSTANT HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURES WHICH ARE NOT NORMAL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MANUFACTURER SAYS. THE HIGH TEMPS ARE CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURES, GASKET FAILURES, COOLANT LINE FAILURES, AND SENSOR FAILURES (SEVERAL HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON OUR CAR). YOUR DATABASE SHOWS HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THE SABLE/TAURUS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR ALL VERSIONS WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE, NOT JUST A FEW SELECT YEARS, AND FORD NEEDS TO REIMBURSE ALL EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE OWNERS FOR ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPONENT REPAIRS. WE HAVE ALSO HAD WATER PUMP FAILURES, COMPUTER FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE, STRUT FAILURE, REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL LOCKUP WHICH PLACED THE ENGINE IN HIGH SPEED.