NHTSA Complaint #762738 — 1993 MERCURY SABLE

HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN MY MERCURY 3.8LITER V6 ENGINE AT ABOUT 84,600 MILES. MY 1993 MERCURY SABLE GS WAGON (VIN = [XXX]) HAD A SUDDEN HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON MAY 23, 2002 AT ABOUT 84,600 MILES. THE REPAIR COSTS CAME TO OVER $2200. THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON 1988-1995 FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLE VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINE (FORD TSB # 98-4-9 AND FORD SERVICE CAMPAIGN 98M01). I TALKED TO FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS (800-392-3673) TWICE ABOUT MY CASE  BOTH TIMES TO FORD ASSOCIATES IN THEIR SAN DIEGO CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON MAY 30, 2002 (SPOKE TO A LADY WHO GAVE HER NAME AS [XXX]) AND THE SECOND TIME WAS ON JUNE 6, 2002 (SPOKE TO A LADY WHO GAVE HER NAME AS [XXX]). THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL UP MY CASE ON THEIR COMPUTER VIA MY HOME PHONE NUMBER ([XXX]). I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD A 7YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THIS HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS UNDER THE 100,000 MILE REQUIREMENT (MY CAR HAS ONLY ABOUT 84,600 MILES), MY CAR DID NOT MEET THE 7 YEAR REQUIREMENT (MY CAR IS 9 YEARS OLD). DUE TO THESE REASONS I WAS TOLD THAT FORD WILL NOT COVER MY REPAIR EITHER FULLY OR PARTIALLY. THIS IS THE FIRST FORD-MANUFACTURED VEHICLE THAT I HAVE BOUGHT IN MY LIFE. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1993 AND MAINTAINED IT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. I HAVE ALL THE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS RIGHT FROM DAY ONE IN 1993. I EXPECTED IT TO LAST ME TILL AT LEAST 100,000 MILES WITHOUT MAJOR PROBLEMS. THE HEAD GASKET IS A NON-MAINTENANCE ITEM AND IT IS QUITE REASONABLE TO EXPECT IT TO LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. THIS MAJOR PROBLEM AND FORDS UNCOOPERATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS ME HAVE LEFT A VERY BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO NEVER BUY A FORD-MANUFACTURED VEHICLE AGAIN AND TO TELL MY FRIENDS ABOUT MY BAD EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH FORD. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR