1992 MERCURY SABLE Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS DOWN A HILL AND TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE STALLING. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE PARKING BRAKE MUST BE USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK UPDATED 1/25/2006 - THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THERE WERE NOT RECALLS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. *NM

MY HEAD GASKETS KEEP BLOWING .. I REALIZE THIS IS A OLDER MODEL CAR HOWEVER JUST B/C IM A SINGLE FEMALE WHO DIDNT EVEN KNOW WHAT A RECALL WAS/IS DOESNT MEAN THAT I SHOULDNT BE ENTITLED TO PERHAPS A REEMBURSMENT OR TO HAVE MY CAR FIXED PROPERLY I HAVE BEEN OUT SO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR AND THE MOTOR AND I ALWAYS ALWAYS DO AS DIRECTED WITH OIL CHANGES AND WATER CHECKINGS I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY I WASNT EVER NOTIFIED OF THE DANGERS OF MY COOLING SYSTEMS AND MY MOTOR. I AM A WIDOW WITH 3 CHILDREN AND I CANT AFFORD TO KEEP HAVING MY HEADS DONE OR MY MOTOR WORKED ON PLEASE GUIDE ME IN THE DIRECTION OF SOMEONE THAT COULD PERHAPS FIX THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. *AK

THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED IN 1999 WHICH HAS FAILED AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE OWNER HEARD SOMETHING DROP/BREAK. *MR

VEHICLE WAS LOSING COOLANT AND OVE HEATING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED DEALER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CAR WAS RUNNING FINE ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD NO HEAT THOUGHT NEEDED A THERMOSTAT BUT DEALER SAID I NEEDED A HEAD GASKET THAT THIS HAS BEEN A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM ON FORD 3.8 V6 CARS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY ME AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO IS MY FATHER A RETIRED FORD EMPLOYEE. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF AT A DEALER. I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD SORRY CAN'T HELP SO NOW I HAVE A$1600.00 BILL TO PAY. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING A LETTER TOFORD. THANK YOU. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR YEARS. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, PROBLEM COULD NOT BE REMEDIED. WHILE DRIVNG 40 MPH THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE, AND ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, A BLOWN HEADGASKET WAS DIAGNOSED.*AK

ON A TRIP TO NC THE ENGINE TEMP ROSE AND STALLED MANY TIMES. LOCAL DEALERS CAN'T DUPLICATE OR VERIFY WITH DIAGNOSTIC TEST. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS AND MOTOR MOUNTS NEW FUELFILTER. FORD DEALER REFUSED ADDITIONAL WORK FOR IGNITION PROBLEM THAT HE CANNOT SEE ON THIS CAR.CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE STALLING COULD TAKE PLACE.

FAILURE OF ENGINE HEAD GASKET CAUSED FAILURE OF ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM. *AK

SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING.AFTER PUMP REPLACED HOSES BLEW.2000 MILES LATER,HEAD GASKET BLEW.

ENGINE MOUNTS WERE REPLACED IN RECALL 10/27/94 BUT CONTINUE TO BREAK; WHY DOESN'T FORD WANT TO FIX?*AK

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...

HEAD GASKET FAILED. CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. THE MORNING OF 5/15/2001 CAR DID NOT START. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC, UPON HIS CHECK HE CONCLUDED THAT HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE INTO ENGINE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO OXYGEN SENSOR AND RADIATOR. CONSUMER HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT PRIVATE GARAGE.*AK

HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT WHICH CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS REPAIRING THIS DEFECT, AND WAS GOING TO COST APPROXIMATELY $800-1200.00. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

I AM NOT A MECHANIC SO HERE GOES. I FIRST WAS DRIVING AND WHITE SMOKE BEGAN BLOWING OUT OF THE MUFFLER. I STOPPPRED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP.HE SAID I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHICH IS QUIT COMMON IN THE MERCURY SABLE.I CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO ALL SAID THE SAME THING,IT MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE SABLE. I HAD THAT FIXED AND BECAUSE OF THIS MY TRANSMISSION LET GO AND BLEW A ROD.*AK

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH FORDS 3.8 LITER V6 HEAD GASKETS. MINE PERSONNELLY FAILED AT 91,000 MILE MARK AND EVERYONE ELSE I KNOW THAT OWNS ONE HAS FAILED AROUND 90,000 MILES IT SEEM TO ME THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO ALL OF THE 3.8 LITERS CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM SO WE CAN STOP THIS TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE FROM ACCOURING ANY MORE. THANK YOU. *AK

NO WARNING, CAR HESITATED, THE A WHITE PLUME OF SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST.*AK

VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE IN FRONT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN WHERE HE TOLD CONSUMER THAT NOISE WAS COMING FROM MOTOR MOUNTS THAT WERE BROKEN. MANUFACTURER HAD TAKEN CARE OFF A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. *AK THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *YH

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED AND THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. *SLC

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR A HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT ON 94 & 95 TARUS & SABLES WITH 3.8 L ENGINES, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 92 3.8L SABLE, THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC THIS PAST SUMMER. FORD REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND OR SERVICE PROBLEM WHEN NOTIFY. WHAT RECOURSE AS A CONSUMER DO I HAVE ? *AK

I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD 3.4 L EARLY HEAD GASKET FAILURE, NOW THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAD TO SPEND OVER $900 TO GET THE REPAIR DONE. THIS HAS IN TURN PUT ME AND MY FAMILY INTO A SERIOUS FINANCIAL SITUATION. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MANY OF THESE ENGINES, BUT IT WAS FOR 7 YEARS, LEAVING MY CAR OUT OF THAT. HOWEVER, SINCE IT HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT, I THINK FORD SHOULD RETHINK THEIR POLICY. I ALSO HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW AGAIN. HOW CAN FORD BE ALLOWED TO LET THIS GO ON AND ON AND ON FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES? SURE, YOU CAN GET IT FIXED IF IT IS UNDER THE WARRANTY, EXTENDED OR REGULAR, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE FAILURE...

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *MJS

HEAD GASKETS FAILED AT APPROX 93000 MILES. THERE HAVE BEEN EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON MANY FORD MODELS WITH 3.8L ENGINES BUT NOT 1992 (YET). I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WERE WILLING TO DO TO HELP DEFRAY THE EXPENSE ($1300) OF REPLACING THE HEAD GASKETS EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE MOUNTS REPLACED UNDER RECALL 92M77 IN 1/96. I WAS ADVISED BY FORD THAT ONE REPAIR IS ALL THAT IS PERFORMED. I DON'T SEE WHY THEY SHOULDN'T REPAIR AGAIN AS OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS FOR ENGINE MOUNTS TO FAIL EVERY 4 YEARS.

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT 100,000 MILES. IS NOT AWARE OF EXTENEDED WARRANTY FOR HEAD GASKET.*AK

THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN CAUSING LEAKAGE.*ET

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNT BROKE, CAUSING ENGINE TO VIBRATE AND RUIN AIR CONDITIONING LINES. NLM

HEAD GASKET FAILED IN 1999 AND NOT CONVERED BY WARRANTY, WE CHANGED THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND THE NEW ENGINE FAILED AFTER 35,000 AND STILL NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT'S A DISGRACE THAT A MAJOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY IS ALLOWED TO SELL SUCH INFERIOR PRODUCTS. I WOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO PASS THIS TYPE OF JUNK OFF AS ACCEPTABLE IN MY JOB! NOW WE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AGAIN AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET HOME AFTER BEING STRANDED OVER 1000 MILES AWAY FROM HOME!!!!

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 86,000 MILES $1176.00 TO REPAIR.

THIS HEAD GASKET AND CYLINDER HEAD WERE REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO UNDER WARRANTY. NOW FORD ARE SAYING THAT IT IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY, AND SO THEY WILL NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR. *AK

2ND OWNER OF VEHICLE. CONFIRMED 65,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY COVERS 1994 MODELS. I FOUND THIS ABSOLUTELY UN-ACCEPTABLE. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW LONG BEFORE IT'S LIFE EXPECTANCY AND THE COVERAGE MILEAGE.*AK

CAR WENT FROM 55MPH TO 20 ON THE HIGHWAY, NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET.*AK HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED THE RADIATOR AND VALVE TO FAILE. *YH

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ONLY 66,000 MILES

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BACKFIRE WHEN STOPPING. NLM

VEHICLE STOPPED OPERATING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60 MPH. NOTICED OVERHEATING, AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE TOWED TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE - HAD TO CALL 911 CAR WAS SMOKING PROFUSELY EVEN WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF! CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO., SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL! *AK

1992 MERCURY SABLE WITH A 3.8L ENGINE HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THIS COST ME A $2000 LOSS WHEN I TRADED IT IN FOR A 1998 TAURUS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE, DEALERSHIP REPAIRED, I PAID $2218 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. EXHAST WAS EXTENSIVE, A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT, AND VEHICLE DIED. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY REPAIRED IT AT COST OF $1220.71. DEALER SAID IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT, AND THEY REPAIRED ALOT OF ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. *AK

IN TALKING TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORD MECHANICS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A FAILURE OF THE HEAD AND OR HEAD GASKET. EVERY MECHANIC I TALK TO NEW EXACTLY WHERE AND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. *AK

HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE OIL, DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, HAS CAUSED ENGINE BEARING PROBLEMS. *AK

I BOUGHT THE MENTIONED SABLE A MONTH AGO. THE CAR OVERHEATED SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET. I WAS INFORMED BY SEVERAL OTHER, INCLUDING MY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN BOTH TAURUSES AND SABLES, YET 1992 MODELS WERE NOT RECALLED. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE REPAIR BUSINESS, THE 3.8 ENGINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. IT IS APPARENTLY COMMON ENOUGH THAT WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR PRICE QUOTES, THE PERSON ANSWERING THE PHONE WAS ABLE TO CORRECTLY GUESS MY EXACT CAR BY MY DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM, AND VICE VERSA. THEREFORE, IT IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM, WHICH FORD DOESN'T CONSIDER. I WILL PROCEED WITH A CLASS-ACTION SUIT IF THIS IS NOT RECTIFIED BECAUSE FORD HASN'T RECALLED THIS TYPE ENGINE. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT ON ENGINE. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS ALL THE OTHER 3.8 LITRE ENGINES WITH THE EXACT SAME HEAD GASKET DEFECT AS ALL THE OTHER 3.8 LITRE ENGINES THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO REPAIR, DUE TO THE YEAR MODEL OF MY CAR THEY WILL NOT COVER THE EXACT SAME REPAIR THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO CORRECT FOR THE OTHER SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ENGINES IN THEIR VEHICLES. I FEEL THAT IF THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR PRODUCT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. *AK

CAR WOULD RUN HOT. A/C WOULD BLOW WARM AIR,HEATER DID NOT WARM ,ONLY AIR. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY,VEHICLE OVERHEATED, COOLANT PUORING OUT OF OVERFLOW BOTTLE. PART OF ENGINE COLD AND PART HOT. VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD REPAIR TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS COOLANT IN OIL PAN AND A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THERE WAS NO OIL IN WATERLIKE YOU MAY FIND,COOLANT WAS POURING INTO OIL PAN AND NOT GETTING IN THE ENGINE DUE TO THIS HEAD GASKET. *AK

INITIAL HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THUS LED TO ENGINE SEIZING. *AK

IN JAN, 1997 DEALERSHIP SAID HAD BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. IN DEC, 1999 HAD CAR CHECKED BECAUSE OF STRONG ANTIFREEZE AND BURNT OIL SMELL. WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR HEAD GASKETS ARE BOTH LEAKING.*AK

THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIN BY FORD TO FIX THE HEAD GASKETS IN THE 94 AND 95, BUT NOT THE SAME ENGINE IN OTHER YEARS

STARTED CAR AND BLEW 2 HEAD GASKETS- REPAIRS INCLUDED 2 HEAD GASKETS, 1 SET INTAKE GASKETS, 2 SETS HEAD BOLTS, THERMOSTAT AND GASKETS, INTAKE BOLT, ANTIFREEZE, CONVERTER, GASKET, EGR PRESSURE FEED, BACK SENSOR, REAR AND FRONT OXYGEN SENSOR. TOTAL COST $2,025.

STARTED CAR AND BLEW 2 HEAD GASKETS- REPAIRS INCLUDED 2 HEAD GASKETS, 1 SET INTAKE GASKETS, 2 SETS HEAD BOLTS, THERMOSTAT AND GASKETS, INTAKE BOLT, ANTIFREEZE, CONVERTER, GASKET, EGR PRESSURE FEED, BACK SENSOR, REAR AND FRONT OXYGEN SENSOR. TOTAL COST $2,025.