10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 10,094 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
(1) car shifts hard during acceleration and deceleration. Speedometer does not work or bounces up, then down. Check engine light comes on. (2) while driving at normal road speeds the transmission will switch to low gear causing sudden throw of driver inside car and at times when trying to accelerate there is a long delay in power to engine then sudden acceleration. (3) replaced cam sensor and other sensor three times and always fails again.
- Elberton, GA, USA
Power train slipping and failure. Transmission will slip after first stop. Let set for a few minutes and restart, will drive until next stop.
- Athens, TN, USA
While driving about 55 mph on the highway and without warning the overdrive light appeared on the dashboard for transmission. The vehicle shut down, and was towed to the dealer for analysis. The vehicle had been at dealer more than once.
- Bivalve, MD, USA
The vehicle was parked and with no warning rolled forward. The dealer was notified. The vehicle was stopped and the gear shift was in park. The consumer exited the vehicle, and when he returned to the vehicle, it started to roll down the slope of the roadway. The consumer ran after the vehicle and was able to get it under control.
- Kinnelon, NJ, USA
Problem started when shifting from park to drive, car would lurch forward unless you had brake pedal pushed down as hard as you could. Then while leaving a stop light car would hesitate then pick up speed very slowly, finally the car will not go into reverse. Transmission shop said that transmission had to be replaced. $1800 !!
- Southgate, MI, USA
I have a Mercury Sable 1996, manufactured in 9/95. VIN number [xxx]. my car has 58,000 miles and the transmission is almost gone. I was informed that there is a recall on the transmissions for this car and I am looking for the necessary information to take with me to dealer for replacement. I have also noticed that my car jerks forward when am taking off from a stopped position. I have done all that I can to take care of this car but nothing I do has worked. There are so many complaints and recalls on this car and I really need help with my research to present to the dealer when I take this car in for repairs again. A website if there is one to help find my VIN #. any recall information. Help! information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Tampa, FL, USA
Car is a 1996 Mercury Sable, VIN [xxx], with a defective transmission. Car would lunge and jerk as car would slow and then re-accelerate (such as going into and out of a curve in town, or approaching a red light that changed to green before the car completely stopped.) car was first worked on 9/9/1999, at which time the car had 28,156 miles on it. The dealer replaced a sensor under warranty. The symptoms again started occurring about a year later. When serviced on 5/15/2001, the dealer could not find the source of the problem. Finally, the transmission failed in April 2002. The transmission was replaced 4/24/2002 with less than 47,000 miles on the car. The car had an extended warranty from Ford. At the time of the failure, the warranty had expired for time (greater than 5 years) but not mileage. However, the car was covered by the warranty (time and mileage) during both the September 1999 and May 2001 services. Had the fault been properly diagnosed at either time while still under warranty, my contention is that the transmission would not have failed. I currently have the transmission. The gearing system has notches in the teeth. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- N. Attleborough, MA, USA
After putting vehicle in park it rolled forward. Had to apply brakes for vehicle to stop. Vehichle was not on a hill.
- Hinesville, GA, USA
Transmission has not worked properly since consumer purchased automobile. He had taken automobile back to the dealer for transmission repairs five times. Transmission shifts improperly and bangs in to gear in certain down shift circumstance. The transmission dealer replaced a switch and adjusted two bands.
- Rutland, MA, USA
When reverse is engaged it takes several minutes before it will engage. Most transmissions when put in gear work imediately. I have always had a problem with this car. I have paid every time to have this problem fixed and it constantly reverts to the same problem.
- Toronto, OH, USA
Coolant turned to a rusty sluggy mixture. Freeze out plugs had to be replaced and system flushed. New coolant was added and it is already turning brown again. Ford did do the work for free, but told me I was on my own if it occured again. Have learned through various people that the same thing is happening to their Sable and Taurus cars. Transmission has also had to repaired at a cost to me of $1750. When you come to a stop the car will then not go forward. You have to press in on the gas and make it lunge forward, sometimes causing the tires to "burn rubber" ! we brought this problem to the service department three years ago and each time we took the car in the service staff informed us that there was no problem. On last visit is when the coolant problem was discoverd. Was told that our car had "cancer" and should get rid of it, but not at their dealership. The problem with the transmission was a forward engagement piston. The company that made the repair had three other Sable in the shop with the exact same problem - each with no support from Ford. Each were paying $1750. Help!!!
- Louisville, KY, USA
I have a number of worries with my vehicle. The following are: When playing the radio/tape deck, you hear a loud buzzing noise coming through the speakers even if the radio is turned down; when steering from left to right you'll hear a cranking noise coming from the front end of car; car does not absorb bumps at all, it rocks, makes knocking noise coming from somewhere near wheels; when driving on highway at a speed of about 50-70 mph, car will sway, like a wind is blowing it away; feul sensor will float, you can not count on it to tell you how much gas you have; trunk hood flips up in the air so fast and hard, I have stunted my fingers before on it; the doors on the car have a sharp edge to it, if you don't stand back when opening the door, it can gash your leg; wind shield are a blind spot, to long, wipers are so strong they vibrate the car, unusually strong; back window on left side (passenger) will not roll up, or roll down sometimes; assembly of light moldings/fixtures in back of car are off(not evenly lined up), so is the leveling of trunk lid; car jumps when starting it up, like it's ready to pull off, even when your foot is on the brake; when moving the gears the car makes a knocking noise, and jumps also; brake light comes on and goes off at times; car loses power at times, even after the transmission was replaced in February, 2001; keyless alarm system is sensitive, sometimes a inconvience, if you pick keys up and touch the panic, or trunk release button it can be set off in the house, behind a brick wall.
- Baltimore, MD, USA
While driving 45 mph vehicle shuddered, then stopped, engine still running. Also, transmission had failed.
- Farmington Hills, MI, USA
The transmission gave out, original transmission replaced at 50,000 miles.
- Yonkers, NY, USA
While driving transmission slips out of gear and goes into neutral. This problem becomes more pronounced when making a turn or slowing down.
- Edison, NJ, USA
Cracked tranmission case, pin came out of gear.
- Topeka, KS, USA
Vehicle neutrals out at a stop/ a tsb has been issued.
- Voorhees, NJ, USA
When pulling onto a ramp transmission does not pick up when accelerator is applied. This is an intermittent problem. Dealer has been contacted.
- Skokie, IL, USA
Transmission required to be rebuilt.
- Long Beach, CA, USA
- Northfield, NJ, USA