Drove 10 hours from louisville Kentucky to carlisle Pennsylvania. Stopped at a holiday inn for the night. No problems noted with the car during the drive. When attempting to back up 2001 Mercury Sable in hotel parking lot, a grinding noise was heard coming from the right rear side of the vehicle. Tire was removed by aaa and the right rear suspension spring coil was found to be failed with a portion missing. The remaining end of the coil had embedded itself into the inner wall of the right rear tire creating a gouge. The tire did not rupture. The car was towed to L.B. smith Ford Lincoln Mercury located at 1100 market St. Lemoyne, pa 17043 (717) 697-2273 by aaa. The right rear coil spring was found to be broken. One (1) part no. 4F1Z*5560 was removed and replaced. One ast* shock absorber assembly was removed and replaced. One rear tire was removed and replaced with a 9007*1004552* P215/60R6 tire. The tire was mounted and balanced. All four wheels were aligned. Total charge for the repair by the dealership was $504.47.

- Louisville , KY, USA

The rear springs on my 2001 Mercury Sable have both fractured. The car is in the shop right now being repaired and no one in the shop can believe that both of the springs have fractured. They are amazed!! this is a very big job to fix and is very dangerous. The repair tech could not believe that the car was even drivable. I would like Ford Motor Company to contact me with a response. I see on the internet that many 2000-2001 Sable are effected by this problem and yet Ford did nothing, allowing people to drive unsafe cars. This should have been recalled and corrected. If I do not hear back, this will be my very last Ford car. I would like a reply from Ford Motor Co. I am just glad no one was hurt. Thank god!! please see : EA06002 and PE05-054.

- Peabody, MA, USA

Rear coil springs on 2001 Mercury Sable were both broken and positioned such that the spring was about to puncture the tire.

- Fergus Falls, MN, USA

While backing car from lawn onto driveway (not a significant incline), I heard a loud noise. Later when I drove the car I heard a continuous noise from the rear (thought something broke in the brake assembly but discovered spring rubbing on tire). The repair shop inspected and found a broken rear spring. They replaced both springs (unclear if 1 or both were broken).

- Cold Spring, MN, USA

Noticed a few years ago a rattle in the rear passenger side, thought it might be a sheet metal brace inside a covered panel or something like that. My son made an observation this year of how low the rear of the car was. Took it in for service and found that both rear coil springs were destroyed, one having ground a groove on the inner sidewall down to the cord. Total cost of repair - $1395.14, $243.90 of which was for replacing 2 good tires damaged by the springs. Incident date is just an educated guess, as the failure was not readily noticed by me. Repair was done 7-12-08. This is an obvious defect that has not been addressed yet. Ford should be made to reimburse those owners who have had to pay for repairs. I have owned many Ford products over the years and have never had an issue like this occur. A catastrophic tire failure at highway speed could have caused injury or even death that could have been avoided had this issue been properly dealt with.

- Bradley Beach, NJ, USA

Broken rear springs (both sides), only consequence so far is sagging rear end and cost to replace rear springs replaced, consider it lucky no other damage was done.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

Both rear springs on my car are broken. One of the front springs also broke (and has been repaired) and my mechanic has told me the other is about to go. I have found out that Ford recalled the front springs due to a substandard material used in construction, which is prone to road salt corrosion. Since I live in the northeast, road salt is a common occurrence during the winter months. The rear springs are made of the same material and are also corroding. It'll cost me around $1,600 to compensate for a design flaw that Ford is washing it's hands of (at 100,000 miles, my front springs aren't even covered under the recall, even though the problem was there from day-1). One would think Ford would do the right thing and replace the defective rear springs as well. I guess the number of potential deaths caused by a rear blow-out is below their threshold, so they'll take their chances in court. This is why we need NHTSA oversite. However, NHTSA has only required Ford to recall the front springs to date. Ford expects people to buy their cars, but they don't stand behind them (even when it is a known manufacturing defect). That is why many people are buying Japanese cars. I, for one, will never buy Ford again.

- Medford, MA, USA

I had been hearing a rubbing sound coming from rear of car for a few days and after experiencing a flat tire on the same side, further inspection revealed that the rear coil springs were broken. Driver side rear spring (sharp edge)was scraping the inside of the tire, which caused the flat tire. Both rear springs and struts plus new tires were replaced costing $1,200.

- Belton, MO, USA

Discovered a rubbing sound coming from rear of car and further inspection reviled that the rear coils springs were broken. Right rear spring (sharp edge)was scraping the inside of the tire, but not enough to puncture. Both rear springs, struts and stabilizers links were replaced costing $1023 I still have the old broken springs.

- Bridgewater, NJ, USA

Right rear coil spring broke and caused tire to blow out.

- Somerset, WI, USA

Rear coil spring broke, possible rear tire puncture.

- Norwich, CT, USA

July 30th 2008, I took my car in for routine maintenance of oil change, tire rotation, etc. Repair shop discovered the left and right rear coil springs were broken. Broken in such a way that they were surprised that the jagged end of the coil springs was not rubbing into my tire. I have no ideal when this might have happened, there was no indication that they had failed. Although the casing around the coil spring easily tore by hand and the broken part of the coil spring is rusted. It scares me to think of how long I might have been driving around with my car on the edge like this. My car has 62,896 miles on it, but exactly when these coil springs failed is unknown. They want upwards of $800 to replace coil spring and struts. $500 just for coil springs. I had no choice other than to get coil springs replaced. It seemed odd to me that both sides would fail and both side are broken in pretty much the same place. So I gave myself July 31, 2008 for researching the rear coil springs on my 2001 Mercury Sable, hence my complaint to NHTSA. On Aug 1, 2008 I will take my car back to repair shop for repair. I will keep my old coil springs in the hope that someone finally realizes that this is a issue that needs to be addressed in the manner of a recall. I have read some of the other complaints and failure of these rear coil springs can come at any time with or without the owners knowledge. Please don't wait until something more fatal happens before Ford and NHTSA acknowledges that there is a serious problem with these rear coil springs.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

Flat tire due to broken coil spring scrapping away tire sidewall rubber and eventually puncturing the tire.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

Rear springs broke on my 2001 Sable. Cost me several hundred dollars to replace. This is wrong -- Ford has know this was an ongoing problem for a long time on specific years.

- Big Rapids, MI, USA

Rear coil spring broke.

- Dunkirk, NY, USA

Left rear tire blew out while driving on highway. Service station replaced tire. During test drive, new tire was damaged to almost blow out. Replaced tire again and discovered broken rear spring. Replaced both rear springs and struts, in addition to the 2nd new tire. (also had rear brakes replaced one month earlier. The original issue was that the car shook. Altogether, I spent $2,400. On springs, struts, tires, and brakes.)

- Oak Ridge, NJ, USA

Just found out I have two broken rear springs on my 2001 Mercury Sable. Researched this and discovered this is not uncommon due to poor design by Ford. A prior recall covered the front springs, but not the rear. Not fair to consumer, springs should not break from normal driving. I have had this vehicle for almost 7 years, only 65,000 miles. This could cause accidents, if it hasn't already. Ford should issue recall to fix this like they did on the front springs.

- Columbus, OH, USA

I went in to the local dealer to have a coolant leak checked and was told that my rear springs, struts and brakes were all bad, the springs were broken and were hazardous to drive with. Total cost of these repairs is well over $1,500. I asked about the recall on the springs and was told it was only for the front of the vehicle. The recall should include the rear also because the same springs were used in the rear as in the front. I should not have to pay to have all these things repaired because of faulty springs. I was also told the other items, struts and brakes were likely cause from the bad springs. Ford needs to be accountable, many other people have had this problem.

- Oregon, WI, USA

Rear of my 2001 Mercury Sable had been sagging for some time, to the point I was afraid that the top of the wheel well would hit the top of the tire, (on several occasions the rear end did bottom out on slightly steep inclines). I finally took it to a mechanic, who said that both rear springs had failed (broke), and from the rust accumulated on the brake areas, it had been broken for sometime. I called the local Ford dealer in quincy who said that this wasn't an issue. I had another mechanic, (my brother due to the high cost), replace the rear springs and shocks. I know that there has been a recall on the front springs (road salt corrosion), but I would be curious to find out how many other Sable/Taurus's have had the same problem.

- Quincy, IL, USA

Separation of rear coil part of rear suspension system strut assembly. This vehilce had a recall for the sheild to prevent this situation on the front suspension. Now I have the rear give way. Vehicle only has 16,000 miles on it as well.

- Roslindlae, MA, USA