2009 MERCURY SABLE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO. I USE THE HEATED DRIVER SEAT REGULARLY. SOMETIME BACK I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT IT SEEMED TO GET HOTTER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT AND ON THE RIGHT, AND THE LAST FEW WEEKS IT INTENSIFIED, WITH THE LEFT SIDE GETTING TOO HOT VERY QUICKLY SO I WOULD SIMPLY TURN THE SEAT OFF. THEN SEVERAL DAYS AGO I WAS DRIVING WITH THE SEAT ON AND WITHIN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT FELT SO HOT THAT I IMMEDIATELY TURNED IT OFF BECAUSE I FELT LIKE IT WAS BURNING ME. IT STILL WAS SO HOT THAT I HAD TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND GET OUT JUST TO GET OFF THE SEAT. THAT IS WHEN I SAW THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT ON THE LEFT SIDE HAD BURNED RIGHT THROUGH THE LEATHER. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD, BOTH FOR BODILY INJURY AND FOR A CAR FIRE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.

I NOW HAVE 75,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT AT AROUND THE 15,000 MILE POINT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT WENT OUT FOLLOWED BY THE PASSENGER FRONT STRUT 4,000 MILES LATER. IN TOTAL BOTH FRONT STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES (THE ORIGINAL AND TWO REPLACEMENT SETS) AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT IS AGAIN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND, SAME AS BEFORE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST REPLACEMENT SET AT THEIR COST BUT THE LAST SET WAS AT MY COST. WITH THE STRUTS SHOWING SIGNS OF NEEDING REPLACEMENT AGAIN I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR THE COST, THERE IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE STRUTS IF THAT MANY BECAME DEFECTIVE IN THAT SHORT OF A TIME PERIOD. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON GOOD ROADS AND NOT ABUSED. SINCE THIS IS PART OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IT CAN/WILL AFFECT DRIVING SAFETY AND TIRE WEAR.

WHILE CRUISING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE HAS QUIT RUNNING. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED OCTOBER 12, 2012 WITH ABOUT 18,000 MILES ON ODOMETER.THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING MAY, 2014 WITH ABOUT 34,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON APRIL 20, 2016 WITH 40,665 MILES ON ODOMETER. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT WHILE THIS VEHICLE IS USED PRIMARILY FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL, ALL 3 INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM OUT OF STATE TRIPS AND WITHIN ABOUT A 70 MILE RADIUS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE ENGINE WILL READILY RESTART AFTER A SHUTDOWN. THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY BOTH BEFORE AND FOLLOWING EACH SHUTDOWN, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER TIMES DURING THE LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALER CHECKED THE ENGINE THIS WEEK AND FOUND NO CAUSE FOR ENGINE SHUTDOWN NOR VEHICLE RECALLS. I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS ENGINE SHUTDOWN ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED TO THIS ONE VEHICLE. I FEAR THAT SUCH ENGINE SHUTDOWNS WILL LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC CRASH PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED ON CROWDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IN LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. WE TRAVEL ON THESE HIGHWAYS AROUND INDIANAPOLIS, CINCINNATI AND ST. LOUIS. (WE HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN ON ANOTHER OF OUR VEHICLES WHILE TRAVELING ON A VERY CROWDED INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR.)

THE TRUNK DOOR HYDRAULICS FAILED. THIS OCCURRED 1 WEEK AFTER THE CAR WAS A YEAR OLD IN 2010. WHEN OPENING TRUNK IT COMES DOWN ON YOUR HEAD. MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPLACE NOR WOULD DEALER THE HYDRAULIC LIFTS ON THE TRUNK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY SABLE. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WOULD STALL AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.