10 of the
302 complaints about the 1999 Mercury Sable are about the
body and structure — 3% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
115,000 miles.
REAR SUBFRAME CONNECTION PASSENGER SIDE RUSTED THROUGH DUE TO FACTORY PUT AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSATE LINE SO THAT IT CONSTANTLY DUMPS CONDENSATE ON THIS AREA INSTEAD OF DRAINING CONDENSATE BEYOND AND TO THE GROUND. THE RESULT IS A RUSTED OUT SEVERED CONNECTION THEREBY CAUSING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO BE HELD BY ONLY THREE OF THE FOUR CONNECTIONS NEEDED TO SAFELY HOLD ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AS DESIGNED FROM THE FACTORY.
NHTSA complaint #10940302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 65,988 milesDenver, CO
STRUCTURE
AFTER RAINS THE CAR GOT A WET FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ,NO WET SPOTS ON ROOF OR WINDOWS. IT WAS LEAKING WATER FROM THE DASH BOARD COMPARTMENT BOTTOM.WHILE DRIVING ,THE HEATER WAS ON AND IT STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD COMPARTMENT BY PASSENGER SIDE I TURNED EVERYTHING OFF . I TOOK IT FOR REPAIR AND NOW, ON MAY IT RAINED HEAVY AGAIN AND IT HAS A PUDDLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AGAIN ,SAME SITUATION AS BEFORE, WATER CAME FROM INSIDE.IS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD? I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON NOVEMBER 2013 ,AND I KNEW TOO LATE ABOUT THE HEATING SYSTEM RECALL ,I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS EVER REPAIRED ON THAT RECALL.FORD DEALER IN COLORADO SAYS THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK IT.ACCORDING TO SOME WEBSITES IT NEEDS SOMETHING TO HAVE A PROTECTION UNDER THE WIPERS VENTS(COWL) AND IT IS A FACTORY MISTAKE. I HAVE HAD THE HEATING SYSTEM REPAIRED 2 TIMES,TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME.I AM UNDER EMPLOYED. I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS THE ONLY WAY I COULD MAKE FORD TO FIX THIS RECALLED IF THE CAR WAS NEVER FIXED FOR THIS BEFORE.THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10587324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 151,000 milesBlaine, MN
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
SUB FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AROUND FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS CAUSING EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING AND POSSIBLE SEPARATION OF CONTROL ARM FROM SUB FRAME. FRONT MOUNT BOLT IS RECESSED 1/2 INCH IN TO THE SUB FRAME WHERE WATER/SALT CAN COLLECT AND HAS NO WHERE TO DRAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10397231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15,700 milesSouth Lyon, MI
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXCESSIVE RUST CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO SNAP WHILE HE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME HAD NOT BEEN COATED CORRECTLY AT PRODUCTION. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE FRAME AND STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,700. UPDATED 2/22/11 *CN UPDATED 12/06/2011
NHTSA complaint #10374107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 140,000 milesKingston, PA
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
SUBFRAME OF VEHICLE IS SEVERELY RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND. MOST OF THE BODY ROT IS COVERED BY THE PLASTIC MOLDING UNDER THE DOORS, AND IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE MOLDING IS REMOVED. IT SEEMS THAT WATER AND ROAD SALT MUST GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE MOLDING AND METAL LEADING TO THE EXTENSIVE RUST. THE FRAME BREAKING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHICH COULD CAUSE A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10373703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 135,030 milesManchester, NH
STRUCTURE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROCKER PANELS WERE RUSTED AND ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE VEHICLE TOGETHER WAS THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. SHE NOTICED THE ISSUE AFTER THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE CONTACT DID NOT PURCHASE AN EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,030.
NHTSA complaint #10254225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Voorhees, NJCrash3 injured
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
PROBLEMS WITH ABS. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, WHERE THE ABS DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIR 7 TIMES. THE FOLLOWING ARE REPAIRS AND OR PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED: TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED AFTER TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FOUND LOW, EXHAUST LEAK FIXED, WASHER FLUID WOULD SPRAY WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL AND LIGHTS WERE ON, SHAKING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED/RESURFACED ROTORS, TRUNK LEAKED WATER, REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH TO FIX WASHER FLUID PROBLEM, ABS NOT WORKING WHEN THERE WAS A PANIC STOP, LEFT AND RIGHT SPINDLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, FRONT END ROTORS WERE REPLACED AGAIN, WHEEL ALIGNMENT, THE ABS DID NOT ENGAGE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, AND REPLACED LEFT SIDE OUTER TIE ROD END. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10031939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 2,000 milesNorthport, NY
STRUCTURE
ORIGINALLY THE PROBLEM BEGAN AS A SMALL LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DURING RAINFALL. NOW IS A MAJOR LEAK DURING SMALLEST RAINFALL. COOLING/HEATING DUCTS BEGAN TO EMIT STRONG MUSTY ODOR. NOW AIR WILL NOT PASS THROUGH ANY DUCTS OTHER THAN FLOOR OR DEFROST (A/C ONLY PASSES THROUGH DEFROST OUTLET). LEAK DOES NOT OCCUR GOING THROUGH CAR WASH WHICH MAY BE REASON DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME "THERE IS NO LEAK, YOU MUST BE BRINGING THE WATER INTO THE CAR SOME OTHER WAY." THE AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERING IS SIGNIFICANT! *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10018974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newton, KSCrash1 injured
STRUCTURE:BODY
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40 MPH, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ASH TRY WOULD NOT STAY INPLACE DUE TO CENTER COSOLE FAILURE AND WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8013584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portsmouth, VA
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN THE DOOR CAME OPEN BY ITSELF. AFTER THE DOOR WAS SHUT THE LOCKS "LOCKED " AGAIN. THE DOOR AND OTHERS WERE ALREADY "LOCKED". THE SAME THING HAPPEND THIS MORNING EXCEPT THE DOOR WAS JUST AJAR IT DIDN'T COMPLETELY OPEN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED TODAY. WHEN I STOPPED AND SHUT THE DOOR, THE LOCKS DIDN'T RESET OR CLICK AS THEY DID LAST NIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #722153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.