1994 MERCURY SABLE Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 1994 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED A VEHICLE ON THE AFTERNOON OF 03/16/2007, AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING 03/17/2007 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT WORK, AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS POURING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD POUR IT IN THE TOP AND WATCH IT COME OUT OF THE BOTTOM. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WOULD COME AND GET THE VEHICLE REPAIR IT AND CHARGE HIM FOR IT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 131,368 MILES.

CONTACT STATED: WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE ENGINE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGS BROKE WHILE DRIVING.*AK

PURCHASED 1994 MERCURY SABLE 60,000 ORIGINAL MILES, THE VEHICLE WOULD BE OK COLD WITHIN 5 MILES OF DRIVING THE CAR WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT STOPS OR IF YOU COASTED, CAN'T PUT IN REVERSE AT AFTER WARM. CONSULTED THE INTERNET AND FOUND HORROR STORIES OF OTHER OWNERS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY NO NOTHING OF THESE PROBLEMS. *LA

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, THEN BEGINNING TO TAKE OFF, TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE. LATER, IT WOULD KICK IN. IT WAS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. CONSUMER THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE HAD IT REPAIRED BY HAVING THE ALUMINUM PISTOLS REPLACED WITH STEEL PISTOLS. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $2200.00 TO HAVE TREPAIRS DONE, AND NEEDED HELP. *AK

1994 MERCURY SABLE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED AT 79000 MILES. ALUMINUM CLUTCH PISTON REPLACED WITH STEEL ONE AT MY COST OF 1800.00. FORD REPLACED THESE FOR FREE IN CANADA ON A PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION MADE IN THE SAME YEAR WHY NOT MINE? WHY CAN'T I FEEL GOOD ABOUT BUYING AMERICAN MADE CARS? FORD!*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER. PROBLEM CAUSED BY A SHUT TRANSMISSION.*AK

DROVE VEHICLE AT 65 MPH FOR ABOUT 70 MILES. AT STOP LIGHT ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND A MODERATE AMOUNT OF ENGINE OIL WAS COMING FROM THE OIL PAN SEAL. HAD CARD TOWED BACK TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. DEALER CLAIMS TRANSMISSION HAD NO FLUID IN IT. VECHICLE WAS JUST SERVICED TWO DAYS BEFORE THIS TRIP AND WORKED FINE. WHEN PULLED OFF CHECKED OIL AND TRANSMISSION. OIL WAS DOWN SOME, BUT NOT ALL. TRANMISSION HAD FLUID INDICATING ABOVE THE OK TO DRIVE MARK. WAS ABLE TO MOVE CAR BACK AND FORWARD FOR TOW TRUCK TO ATTACH. TRANSMISISON REBUILT BY FORD AT 88000 IN 1998 TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. OIL PAN GASKET REPLACE JUNE 0F 2001 AT 117,000 MILES.*AK

I WAS DRIVING CAR FOR EST. 60 MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEED THEN FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 10 MILES AT 30-40 MPH. I CAME TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHERE THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE FOR A MOMENT THEN STOPPED. I DROVE TO THE NEXT STOP SIGN WHERE THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AGAIN. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. SOON AFTERWARDS VEHICLE DECELERATED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FRONT PISTON IN TRANSMISSION CRACKED. THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO LOSE PRESSURE AT SLOW SPEEDS AS IF IT WENT INTO NUETRAL. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN STOPPED TO TURN LEFT. WHILE WAITING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO PASS THE TRANS WOULD LOSE PRESSURE RESULTING IN THE NUETRAL CONDITION. WHEN THE TRAFFIC PASSED AND THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THEN AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, AND SINCE THE ENGINE SPEED HAD NOW INCREASED, THE TRANS PRESSURE WOULD INCREASE AND THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY GO INTO GEAR AND LURCH INTO THE LEFT TURN. HOWEVER A FEW SECONDS OF TURNING OPPORTUNITY HAD NOW BEEN LOST AND THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN I AM COMFORTABLE WITH. I WOULD NOT LET MY FAMILY DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND HE IMMEDIATLY...

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AT STOP; LUNGES INTO GEAR AT 1/3 THROTTLE, LIKE POPPING A CLUTCH. *AK

WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. IN ORDER TO DRIVE FORWARD CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT TO REVERSE AND DRIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT SHE NEEDESD A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.*AK

THE HEAD GASKETS ON MY CAR WHICH IS A 94 MERCURY SABLE W/ A 3.8 LITER V6 ENGINE. THE HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED ON MY CAR AND I WAS NOT INFORMED OF A EXTENDED WARRANTY NOT EVEN WHEN I CALLED MY DEALER AND ASKED FOR A QUOTE ON THE 94 SABLE WHICH I WAS QUOTED1350.00 , IF THE ENGINE IS GONE TO THEN 3000.00. I FEEL IT IS UNFAIR I AM BEING PENALIZED FOR A FAULTY PART I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF AND ONLY 300 MILES AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE COPY OF THE WARRANTY STATES TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET CHANGED EVEN IF THERE IS NO PROBLEMS.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED TEMPORARILY WHILE DRIVING. *YH

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT ONLY 28500 MILES, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REFUND. *SLC

VEHICLE IS BUCKING WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION IS ALSO NOT STAYING IN GEAR. *SLC

MY TRANSMISSION MAKES A LOUD THUMP NOISE WHEN THE CAR IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE. ALSO WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PRESS THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR SEEMS TO BE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS GOES INTO GEAR AND LAUNCHES FORWARD. WHILE DRIVING, MY SPEEDOMETER WILL BE ACCURATE, AND THEN JUST READ ZERO FOR A WHILE AND THEN WILL START WORKING AGAIN. MY AIR CONDITIONING WAS NOT WORKING FOR A WHILE AND IT JUST RECENTLY STARTED WORKING AGAIN, BUT OFTEN MAKES A LOUD HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING NOISE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ONE OR MORE OF MY MOTOR MOUNTS IS LOOSE OR BROKEN BECAUSE WHEN I SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR, THE ENTIRE ENGINE SEEMS TO JUMP UP AND THEN COME DOWN AND JERK THE WHOLE CAR.*AK

TRANSMISSION: AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING AWHILE AND THE CAR GEARS DOWN FOR WHAT EVER REASON, THE AR WON'T RESPOND TO ACCELERATION FROM GEAR DOWN. WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO CONTINUE FORWARD OR REVERSE MOTION THE CAR WON'T RESPOND. FINALLY AFTER EITHER HAVING SAT FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES OR AFTER HAVING REVED THE ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE TRANSMISSION WILL ENGAGE. AIR CONDITIONING: THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS ALREADY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE AC ONCE AND IT DID WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTERWARDS. THE AC DOESN'T BLOW COLD AIR. ALL OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION SERVICED AT 31,000 MILES. 9 MONTHS LATER, CONSUMER WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF GARAGE AND COULDN'T SHIFT GEARS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND SHE WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK A/C MAIN LINE FAILED. RADIATOR FAILED. RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED. *YH

A PART INSIDE TRANSMISSION BOX IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING DAMAGE. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 50,000 MILES. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY AT 62000 MILES. DEALER STATED IT COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE ALL TRANSMISSION KEPT BLOWING UP POSSIBLY DUE TO A DEFECT IN VALVE. *AK

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WANT TO ENGAGE AFTER VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. PROBLEM IS KNOW IN THE REPAIR INDUSTRY AS A FAULTY FORD TRANSMISSION PISTON. I UNDERSTAND FORD HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM AND REDESIGNED THIS PART FOR TRANSMISSIONS STARTING WITH THE 1995 MODEL. *AK

WE STARTED NOTICING AFTER DRIVING OUR VEHICLE FOR A SHORT WHILE AND STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AFTER ACCELERATING IT WILL KICK INTO GEAR. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A O-RING OUT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL NEED TO BE PULLED OUT OF THE CAR. THERE HAS BEEN A BULLETIN PUT OUT ON THE PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS AS GOOD AS OUT. THEY TELL ME THE REPAIRES WILL BE AROUND $800. I THINK THAT IS VERY UNFAIR TO THEIR (FORD/MERCURY) CONSUMERS IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT BAD ENOUGH TO PUT OUT A BULLETIN TO THEIR MECHANICS THAT IT SHOULD BE FIXED AT THEIR COST! CAN YOU HELP?*AK

WE STARTED NOTICING AFTER DRIVING OUR VEHICLE FOR A SHORT WHILE AND STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AFTER ACCELERATING IT WILL KICK INTO GEAR. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A O-RING OUT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL NEED TO BE PULLED OUT OF THE CAR. THERE HAS BEEN A BULLETIN PUT OUT ON THE PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS AS GOOD AS OUT. THEY TELL ME THE REPAIRES WILL BE AROUND $800. I THINK THAT IS VERY UNFAIR TO THEIR (FORD/MERCURY) CONSUMERS IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT BAD ENOUGH TO PUT OUT A BULLETIN TO THEIR MECHANICS THAT IT SHOULD BE FIXED AT THEIR COST! CAN YOU HELP?*AK

WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL OFF FROM A STOP POSITION TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE AND JUMP INTO 2ND GEAR BEFORE TAKING OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS WERE BEING MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST, BELIEVED CONDITION WAS DUE TO FAULTY PARTS IN TRANSMISSION. *AK *ML

TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY REFUSED TO SHIFT - WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE OR FIRST GEAR - REQUIRED FULL REBUILT OF TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER - ALTHOUGH MAINTAINED ON SCHEDULE BY MERCURY DEALER. ENGINE MOUNTS DISCOVERED FAILED AT THIS TIME - A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE VEHICLE THAT PREVIOUSLY FORD WOULD PAY TO REPAIR BUT NOT NOW. POOR QUALITY VEHICLE.

AFTER THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED IN 01-98, THE CRANKSHAFT AND RADIATOR NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET BEING REPLACED.IN 02-98 THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TIMING COVER BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR. IN 12-98 THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. THE TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED AT THE FOLLOWING MILEAGES-44832,45520,67205. ACCORDING TO THE RECEIPTS GIVEN TO ME AT THE TIME, THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN GASKET WAS REPLACED TWICE UNDER THE SAME DAY. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT BY DOING THAT, THEY COMBINED THREE DIFFERENT WORK ORDERS INTO ONE. THE NEXT TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS AT 71387. THE CRANK WAS REPLACED AT 45520 MILES, THE SEALS WERE REPLACED AT 46942 , 67205, 68523 AND 67205. FORD MOTOR COMPANY , THROUGH PROGRAM #00M09 , IS ADMITTING A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 L ENGINE WITH REGARD TO THE HEAD GASKET. THIS PROGRAM IS ALLOWING FOR A...

TRANSMISSION FAILED IN 1998 AT 42000 MILES, ALSO HAVE REAR BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK

THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND I ALSO HAVE HAD TO REBUILD THE ENGINE. I ONLY HAD THE LAST TRANSMISSION REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO. SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG TO HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION SO MANY TIMES.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY A SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A PROBLEM BY FORD. IT IS A BIG SAFTEY ISSUE TO ME WHEN A CAR CAN CRASH OR INJURE/KILL A PEDESTRIAN

TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, STICKS PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT INTO GEAR AND WILL NOT MOVE/PAUSES. MJS

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, SUCH AS A REDLIGHT, AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM IT, THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP INTO NEUTRAL, AND OWNER HAS TO APPLY GAS UNTIL THE VEHICLE KICKS BACK INTO GEAR AND JERKS SUDDENLY FORWARD. DEALER CLAIMS THAT MANUFACTURER INSTALLED WRONG PISTONS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS STALLED /JERKED AND LOST POWER. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. THIS WAS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION PUT INTO VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD STAY IN NEUTRAL FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN JERK INTO GEAR. BOTH FORWARD OR REVERSE. ONCE IN GEAR, IT WOULD BE OKAY UNTIL COMING TO A STOP, THEN IT WOULD SLIP FOR A FEW SECONDS. QUIT USING OVERDRIVE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE SHOP COULD WORK ON IT. SHOP FOUND BROKEN SPRAGS AND OTHER PROBLEMS. REBUILT AND INSTALLED ALL UPDATES.

TRANSMISSION FAILED. MJS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

POOR DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION , EXPERIENCED FAILURE. *YC

TRANSMISSION PISTON IS MADE OF ALUMINUM INSTEAD OF HARD METAL, AND IS SPLITTING. VEHICLE GETS HOT & FLIUID GETS THIN. VEHICLE ALSO GETS STUCK IN NEUTRAL. *AK

FORWARD PISTON CRACKED IN THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO IDLE REALLY ROUGH. IN ADDITION, REPLACED DEFECTIVE MOTOR MOUNTS/ REBUILT TRANSMISSION, AND REPLACED DEFECTIVE STARTER. *AK

DURING VEHICLE OPERATION TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND DROP BACK INTO GEAR WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. UPON INSPECTION SEALS AND PINS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO USE OF ALUMINUM. REPLACEMENT OF BOTH PARTS NECESSARY TO ALLOW SAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

TRANSMISSION FAILED RESULTING IN VEHCILE NOT ENGAGING INTO GEAR / STICKS. *YC

TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE FROM STOP.

WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO NEUTRAL A COUPLE OF TIMES, VEHICLE FINALLY MOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHERE THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTION WAS REPLACED WITH A STEEL PISTON INSTEAD OF AN ALUMINUM PISTON. THE FORD IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

WHEN STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION IT TAKES TIME TO BUILT UP POWER PRESSURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM IS COMING FROM THE CLUTCH PISTONS. VEHICLE IS IN SHOP TO GET ANOTHER TRANSMISSION PUT IN. *AK

MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THE ORIGINAL PARTS USED WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT WERE MADE OF ALUMINUM RATHER THAN A STRONGER METAL AND THAT FORD IS NO LONGER USING THESE ALUMINUM PARTS. IT WAS THE ALUMINUM PISTON THAT CRACKED IN MY TRANSMISSION, CAUSING SOME $2,600 OF REPAIR. I HEARD AND SAW A REPORT ON NBC TODAY IN DECEMBER THAT SOME TAURUS AND SABLE CARS WERE BEING RECALLED BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. BUT WHEN I CONTACTED FORD THAT TELL ME IT ISN'T SO. I HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED ONE RECALL WITH REGARD TO THE HEAD GASKET ON THIS CAR. ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SUCH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AS I DECRIBED? IS THERE A RECALL? PLEASE REGISTER MY COMPLAINT. THANK YOU.

FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON INSIDE TRANSMISSION BREAKS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.FORD IS AWARE OF DEFECT.