1990 Mercury SABLE: complaints, problems and recalls

ENGINE PROBLEMS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022034 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE PEDAL BEING APPLIED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS IMMEDIATELY APPLIED IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ACCELERATION, BUT FAILED TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND THE KEYS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED DECELERATING. *NM WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND CHANGED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WENT OFF WITHOUT APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN THE CONSUMER RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE WENT FASTER. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082085 at NHTSA ↗

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS BUCKING THE CAR OUT OF CONTROL WHEN IDLING ALONG WITH THE ALUMINUM PISTONS BEING DAMAGED. THE CAR JUMPS FORWARD WHICH CAUSES UNNECCESARY ACCIDENTS AND CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL ON BUSY STREETS. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED AND ALL NEW PISTONS DUE TO A BAD DESIGN. THERE IS A WEBSITE WWW.VISI.COM/~BRUNS/RESULTS2.HTML THAT CONTAINS ABOUT 50 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR. FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, IT WAS A BAD DESIGN AND THEY SHOULD TAKE THE HEAT FOR IT. THANK YOU.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114650 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON ENTERING A HIGHWAY AT 40 MPH, THE PASSENGER FRONT RIM FRACTURED CAUSING THE PARTIAL RIM AND TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND LATER TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175200 at NHTSA ↗

CAR CRUISED JUST FINE 25 MILES TO TOWN, GOT ALL MY STUFF DONE IN TOWN, PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN ON A HILL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, ENGINE RAN JUST FINE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR, CAR ONLY HAS 110K ON IT, HAD TO ROLL BACK OFF THE ROAD AND STOP, PARK GEAR WORKED, AFTER AN HOUR CAR STILL WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR, 4 DAYS LATER I WENT OUT TO TRY IT AGAIN AND THE THING WENT INTO ALL GEARS AND TOOK OFF. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 109,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10225219 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE -- 1990 MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON, 3.8 ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE OF ENGINE/TRANSMISSION LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT FAILING. SUBSEQUENT MOTION ALSO BREACHED BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES WITH MAJOR LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. WITH SIGNIFICANT EFFORT, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10235195 at NHTSA ↗

MY WIFE OWNS A 1990 MERCURY SABLE. SHE AS WELL HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT A STICKY GAS PEDAL. I MYSELF HAVE DROVE THE CAR WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING AND THE CAR ACCELERATED. SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE PUT OUR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE UNTIL WE PUSH ALITTLE HARDER THEN THE CAR TAKES OFF SO QUICKLY IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS SEVERAL OCCASIONS THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BRAKE TO A SAFE STOP. WE FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MAT WAS P…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10310885 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE FIRE. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) (3RD VEHICLE OF 481926) *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 479610 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1989-10-13 (October 13, 1989)

AN INCORRECT TRANSISTOR MAY CAUSE AUTOLAMP SYSTEM LIGHT SENSOR MODULE MALFUNCTION.

Consequence: HEADLAMPS COULD TURN OFF WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN ORREMAIN ON AFTER VEHICLE IS PARKED. LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHTCOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER TRAFIFIC.

Remedy: REPLACE LIGHT SENSOR MODULES.

Reported: 1991-08-06 (August 6, 1991)

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.

Consequence: SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

Reported: 1992-05-11 (May 11, 1992)

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE.

Consequence: THERE IS A DANGER OF AIR DEPRIVATION, HYPERTHERMIA,AND/OR PANIC RESPONSE TO A CHILD WHO HAS LOCKED HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO THECOMPARTMENT, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ASPHYXIATION.

Remedy: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

Reported: 1992-08-17 (August 17, 1992)

THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES ARE DEFECTIVE IN THREE WAYS. FIRST, A FASTENED SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH WHEN THE RELEASE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED. THIS RESULTS FROM INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE BUCKLE EJECTOR FINGER AND THE BUCKLE TONGUE WINDOW. THE SECOND DEFECT IS THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY NOT LATCH. THE THIRD POSSIBLE DEFECT IS THAT THE TONGUE MAY BE RETAINED BY THE BUCKLE, BUT IT MAY NOT BE LATCHED SUFFICIENTLY TO PROVIDE OCCUPANT PROTECTION.

Consequence: AN INSUFFICIENTLY LATCHED OR UNLATCHED SAFETY BELTINCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO SEAT OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT. IF THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH, IT WILL NOT ALLOW THEOCCUPANT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

Remedy: FORD WILL REPLACE THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES WITH END RELEASE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES DESIGNED TO PREVENT LATCH PROBLEMS.

Reported: 1998-12-16 (December 16, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

Consequence: IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.