1995 MERCURY SABLE Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED SEVERELY WITH EXTREME HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO STATED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 93V106000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,219.

CONSUMER STATES SPEEDOMETER BROKE TWICE. *TT

THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AT ABOUT 45MPH OR MORE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IT WILL COST OVER $700 TO FIX IT. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THEN FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, HOWEVER THE REPLACEMENT HAS ALSO MALFUNCTIONED.*JB

THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FAULTY AND THE CONNECTING CABLES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, THE SPEEDOMETER MAKES A VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING OVER THIRTY MPH, ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AROUND THE DIAL, GOING FROM TEN TO EIGHTY MILES IN SECONDS.*YH

THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FAULTY AND THE CONNECTING CABLES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, THE SPEEDOMETER MAKES A VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING OVER THIRTY MPH, ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AROUND THE DIAL, GOING FROM TEN TO EIGHTY MILES IN SECONDS.*YH

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF THE SPEEDOMETER, TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP IN MARCH OF 1997, THEY REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD, IN OCTOBER OF 2000 THE REPLACEMENT FAILED, ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCING ERRATIC MOVEMENT WITH NO PARTICULAR PATTERN, THIS TIME IT WAS RELATIVELY BRIEF, IN NOVEMBER OF 2000, PERIODS OF ERRATIC PERFORMANCE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LASTED LONGER, FORD ADVISED UNLESS THEY COULD OBSERVE THE FLUCTUATIONS AS THEY WERE HAPPENING, THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. *JG

CONSUMER STATED THE ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, HOWEVER THE REPLACEMENT HAS ALSO MALFUNCTIONED.*JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGHER SPEED. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAS ERRATIC. CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHENE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ABOVE 60 MPH SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER THE CORRECT SPEED. OPERATON IS VERY ERRATIC, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF THE SPEEDOMETER, TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP IN MARCH OF 1997, THEY REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD, IN OCTOBER OF 2000 THE REPLACEMENT FAILED, ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCING ERRATIC MOVEMENT WITH NO PARTICULAR PATTERN, THIS TIME IT WAS RELATIVELY BRIEF, IN NOVEMBER OF 2000, PERIODS OF ERRATIC PERFORMANCE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LASTED LONGER, FORD ADVISED UNLESS THEY COULD OBSERVE THE FLUCTUATIONS AS THEY WERE HAPPENING, THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. *JG

SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ON VEHICLE. NEEDLE IS BOUNCING, DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST VEHICLE IS GOING. HAS TECHINICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 99-7-9 ON THIS PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FAULTY AND THE CONNECTING CABLES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, THE SPEEDOMETER MAKES A VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING OVER THIRTY MPH, ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AROUND THE DIAL, GOING FROM TEN TO EIGHTY MILES IN SECONDS.*YH

THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FAULTY AND THE CONNECTING CABLES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN, THE SPEEDOMETER MAKES A VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING OVER THIRTY MPH, ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AROUND THE DIAL, GOING FROM TEN TO EIGHTY MILES IN SECONDS.*YH

THE SPEEDOMETER IS INOPERATIVE. NLM

SPEEDOMETER HEAD REPLACED. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE TO DROP. *AK LOWER REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT HAS BEEN REPLACED. FLUCTUATING SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED. STARTER AND WIRE HARNESS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE HAVE BEEN REPLACED. 2 FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND STRUT BEARING PLATES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *SLC

ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER STARTED "BOUNCING" AFTER 19100 MILES, I.E. THE SPEED INDICATOR WOULD SWING WILDLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 40 AND 80 OR SO, ACCOMPANIED BY A BUZZING SOUND. THIS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS OVER 45-50 MPH. SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE BY DEALER. THE REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY UNTIL THE WARRANTY-PERIOD ENDED, THEN WITH APPX. 25000 MILES ON THE REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER, IT STARTED ACTING THE SAME WAY. A LETTER OF COMPLAINT DIRECTED TO FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY RESULTED IN A CALL SAYING THE DEALER WOULD CONTACT US. THEY NEVER DID. THE SPEEDOMETER IS STILL "BOUNCING" BEING UNRELIABLE AND NOISY WHEN DRIVING OVER 45-50 MPH. *AK

SPEEDOMETER WILL STOP WORKING. NEEDLE WAS SHAKING . IF VEHICLE WOULD HIT A BUMP NEEDLE WOULD GO TO MAXIMUM SPEED AND NOT MOVE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS. *AK THE SPEEDOMETER HAD FAILED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. IT WAS REPLACED ONCE AND REPAIRED ONCE. *YH

WHEN SPEEDOMETER GETS UP TO 45 MPH NEEDLE FLOPS TO 50/60/ 70, AND GOES UP AND DOWN. DRIVER CAN'T TELL HOW FAST SHE IS GOING.*AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED AT 67500, NEEDLE FLUCTUATES WILDLY AND UNUSABLE AS AN INDICATOR. RESEARCH OF YOUR DATABASE INDICATES UNUSALLY LARGE NUMBER OF IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS. FORD ISSUED AN ADVISORY TO DEALERS (ARTICLE 97-12-5) ON 6/9/97 REGARDING THE DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER. REQUEST NHTSA INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION AND SEEK A RECALL DUE TO THE DEFECT OF THE SAME ITEM AFFECTING A LARGE GROUP OF VEHICLES RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. YOUR DATABASE INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF OWNERS HAVE HAD MULTIPLE SPEEDOMETER FAILURES AND FORD IS UNWILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSTALLING WHAT MAY BE INFERIOR COMPONENTS AND THEREBY CREATING ADDITIONAL UNREASONABLE SAFETY RISKS. THERE APPEARS TO BE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT AFFECTING A LARGE NUMBER OF SABLE/TAURUS VEHICLES AND FORD IS AWARE OF IT. PERHAPS FORD MAY BE RECEPTIVE TO ENTERTAIN A REQUEST FOR A RECALL BEFORE THIS DEFECT THE BECOMES MAGNITUDE OF AN EXPLORER ROLL-OVER TYPE ISSUE. PLEASE HELP!*AK

CONSUMER SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T GIVE CORRECT READING. READING INDICATES VEHICLE IS GOING MUCH FASTER. DEALER'S SAFETY INSPECTION OF VEHICLE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AFTER WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS DONE WIRING HARNESS WAS MOVED TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUST SYSTEM. VEHICLE ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE & STARTEDD SMOKING SEVERELY. WIRES ON EXHAUST WALL MELTED. DEALER SAID WIRES WERE MOVED BACKED TO WHERE THEY BELONGED & IT WOULD BE FINE.*AK

SPEEDOMETER STARTED SWINGING WILDLY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 35 MPH. REPLACED AT 30000 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN WITH REPLACED PART AND PERSISTS.

PLASTIC SPEEDOMETER GEAR BROKE. NLM

SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BOUNCES AT HIGH SPEEDS 45 OR HIGHER. WILL GO UP TO 85 AND BACK DOWN TO 45. AT LOWER SPEEDS READING IS NOT ACCURATE. YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF YOUR ACTUAL SPEED. SPEEDO HEAD WAS REPLACED 07/98 AT 49,760 MILES SPEEDOMETER FAILED AGAIN 06/2000 AT 70,165 FIRST REPLACMENT AT MY EXPENSE WAS $382.88. SECOND REPLACEMENT IS $600 AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID NOT WARRENTY EITHER REPAIR. THIS IS A REAL SAFTEY HAZARD IN NOT KNOWING WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING IN SCHOOL ZONES, WORK ZONES ETC.. PROBLEMS OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED.

MY FIRST SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTED SWING BETWEEN 45 AND 85 AT CONSTANT REAL SPEED, WHENEVER I DROVE AROUND 60 MPH REAL SPEED. AT THAT TIME MY CAR HAD 29,000 MILES IN AUG 1997. I CHANGED MY SPEEDOMETER FROM FORD DEALER UNDER FORD WARRANTY. I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS AT 46,000 MILES IN NOV 1998 WITH MY SECOND SPEEDOMETER. I CHANGED SPEEDOMETER AGAIN FROM FORD DEALER. I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AT 61,000 MILES IN JUN 2000 WITH MY THIRD SPEEDOMETER. I THINK 95 SABLE HAS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR SPEEDOMETER. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS, SINCE I CANNOT FIGURE OUT MY SPEED, IF I RUN FASTER THAN 50 MILES. I'M HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME SPEEDOMETER PROBLEMS APPROX EVERY ONE AND HALF YEARS (ABOUT 16,000 MILES) AFTER THE FIRST SPEEDOMETER. FORD DEALER ASKED $ 600 TO INSTALL ANOTHER NEW SPEEDOMETER, SINCE THE PART WARRANTY IS ONE YEAR. I REALLY DON'T...

SPEEDOMETER DEFECTIVE, TWO TIMES IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE WIDOW POPS OUT WHILE CLOSING THE DOOR. ALSO THE DEALER INSTALLED A SPEEDOMETER TWO YEARS AGO IN MAY OF 1998 FOR $400.00 COST TO US WHICH WAS'NT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFTY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO US. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AGAIN IN DECEMBER OF 1999. NOW THE DEALER IS ASKING FOR ANOTHER $500.00 (PRE-PAID) TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE EXCESSIVE. WHAT CAN WE DO NOW? *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER UNIT REQUIRED TWO REPLACEMENTS, HOWEVER STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, FLUCTUATES OVER 55 MPH. *MJS

WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 45MPH SPEEDOMETER OSCILATES. DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO TELL HOW FAST THE VEHICLE IS GOING. THE DEALER, NORTH GATE LINCOLN IN TAMPA, FL, REFUSES TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK

I BOUGHT MY 1995 SABLE IN JULY 97 WITH 30,000 MILES AND A FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY. AT 31,667 MILES THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL WOULD BUZZ AND THE NEEDLE SWING BACK AND FORTH, NOT READING PROPER SPEED. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALER, COLUMBIA FORD IN COLUMBIA, CT AND THEY REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD IN DASH, STATING THAT FORD KNOWS THAT THE SPEEDOMETER HEADS LAST ABOUT 30,000 MILES THEN THEY DEFECT. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD SENT OUT A TSB ON THE SPEEDO HEADS AND THAT NHTSA ALSO HAD REPORTS ON THE DEFECT. NOW AT 64,000 MILES THE SPEEDO HEAD AGAIN DEFECTED, BUZZING AND READING IMPROPER SPEED, VERY FRIGHTNING. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THE ISSUE AND AFTER A WEEK OF TRYING TO GET THEM ON THE PHONE I FINALLY DID. THE SERVICE REP AT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE I TALKED TO, DORTHIA AT EXTENSION 2703, SAID IN SO MANY WORDS THAT I AM...

THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS ERRACTICALLY WHENEVER THE SPEED EXCEEDS 40MPH OR A BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED ON THE ROAD. BASED ON THE DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT THIS FAILURE CAUSES I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN INSTITUTED TO ADDRESS THIS VERY SERIOUS DEFECT. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGISTERED ON THIS SITE ALONE IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD/MERCURY PEOPLE TO NO AVAIL, I TRUST THAT THIS AGENCY CAN RECTIFY THIS MATTER BEFORE THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURES RESULT IN UNNECESSARY INJURIES OR DEATHS. *AK

I REALIZE THAT FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE HEAD GASKET. I ALSO BELIEVE THEY SHOULD EXTEND THEIR WARRANTY TO COVER THE TIMING COVER GASKET AS WELL. I CALLED A NUMBER OF DEALERS. THE OVERALL IMPRESSION I GOT WAS THAT THEY ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE 3.8 LITER ENGINES WITH LEAKING TIMING COVER GASKETS. WHICH COMES FIRST? THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR THE FAILED TIMING COVER GASKET. ALSO THE SPEEDOMETER SEEMS TO LAST 12000-15000 MILES. IT TOOK THE DEALER 6 MONTHS TO GET THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE LAST ONE THAT WENT BAD. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 45 MPH OR ABOVE SPEEDOMETER STARTS TO FLUCTUATE, BOUNCING BACK AND FORWARD, NOT READING THE CORRECT MILEAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. *AK *ML

SPEEDOMETER REPLACED @ 68,000 MILES, FAILED AGAIN @ 82,220. AT 30 MPH SPEEDO JUMPS TO 85 MPH, FORD CLAIMS THEY DO NOT HAVE A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM, BUT YOUR COMPLAINT DATA BASE SHOWS OTHERWISE. FORD REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS UNLESS I INCUR THE TOTAL EXPENSE AROUND $500. - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU HAVE NO WAY TO GAUGE YOUR SPEED. I ALSO HAVE A 92 TAURUS WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER HEAD, AND THAT ONE HAS FAILED TWICE TOO.

APRIL '96 SPEEDOMETER FAILED, WARRANTY REPLACED. JAN'00 FAILED AGAIN ON 5 YR OLD CAR W/42,000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER/DETROIT MANY TIMES. DEALER HAS TO KEEP CAR 2 DAYS WILL NOT PROVIDE LOANER. CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. NEEDLE FLUCTUATES, DO NOT KNOW SPEED I AM DRIVING. A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE & ONLY 5 YRS OLD SHOULD NOT NEED 3 SPEEDOMETERS. *AK

CONSUMERS SPEEDOMETER HEAD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARREANTY, FAILED AGAIN AND DEALER REFUSE TO REPLACE BECAUSE SPEEDOMETER HEAD WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. NLM

SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY UPON ACCELERATION AND WHILE CRUISING. *AK

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FIRST OCCURRED IN 1998 AT 20,000 MILES. PART WAS REPLACED, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AT 30,000 MILES AND DEALER STATES THAT COSTUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FULL COST OF REPAIR. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65MPH ODOMETER JUMPS UP AND DOWN SO THAT DRIVER IS UNABLE TO TELL WHAT SPEED HE IS DRIVING. DEALER HAS REPLACED SPEEDOMETER, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS,, FUEL LINE FAILURE AT 13,000 MILES CAUSING GAS FUMES. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE EXCEEDS 35 MPH SPEEDOMETER JUMPS UP TO 80 MPH. SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. *AK *ML

WHEN VEHICLE REACHES SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. *MJS

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. *YC

THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC SINCE THE PURCHASE DATE. THE ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER HEAD WAS REPLACED IN DECEMBER 1997,AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALERSHIP. LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED,IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO NEEDLE FLUCTUATION. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS. WE CONTACTED YOUR AGENCY BY PHONE ON DECEMBER 9TH,1999 BUT HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THE COMPLAINT FORMS. PLEASE SEND THESE SO WE CAN GO FORWARD IN CORRECTING THIS MATTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE IN AUG 1997 WITH 20,000 MILE OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. ALSO VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION, DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION/ THERMOSTAT/MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH/ MAP SENSOR/SPEED CONTROL SENSOR, AND REAR SUB-FRAME MOUNTS. *AK

SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. MJS

DUE TO THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD GOING OUT WHEN TRAVELING CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED. THIS CAUSES INCREASED SPEED. ALSO SPEEDOMETER HEAD HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED THREE TIMES.

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AROUND AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH AND ABOVE. WAS REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT FAILED AGAIN AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. BOTH THE DEALER AND FORD REFUSE TO DISCUSS REPLACING IT AGAIN UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. *AK