1993 Mercury SABLE: complaints, problems and recalls

I HAVE A 1993 MERCURY SABLE AND I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS DONE TO IT. MY SON AND I WERE DRIVING HOME LAST SUNDAY FROM THE MALL AT NIGHT AND THE HEADGASKET BLEW OUT. WE WERE DRIVING IN THE DARK WITH CARS BEHIND US AND A HUGE CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE BLOWING OUT THE BACK END CAUSING ME TO DRIVE VERY SLOWLY ON THE 45 AND 55 MILE AN HOUR HIGHWAY . PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO DRIVE AROUND ME AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING AS I AM NOT A MECHANIC. I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE AND WAS PANICKING. I FINALLY FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OVER IN THE 30 DEGREE TEMPS…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,394 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003355 at NHTSA ↗

OWN A 1993 MERCURY SABLE LS WHICH HAS HAD THE HEAD GASKET GONE BAD 3 TIMES. FORD MOTOR CO. HAS FIXED 1991 & 1992 WITH SAME ENGINE BUT WILL NOT FIX 1993 WITH SAME ENGINE.

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005168 at NHTSA ↗

ENTIRE VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. DEALER DENIED PROBLEM. AK SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****751026

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006453 at NHTSA ↗

THE SEAT BELTS ARE NOT BE ABLE TO LOCK WHEN I PULL IT REALLY FAST. I TRIED ALL OF THE SEAT BELTS IN MY CAR NONE OF THEM WERE BE ABLE TO LOCK WHEN I PULLED THEM VERY FAST. I ASKED A CAR SHOP GUY TO CHECK THEM FOR ME HE SAID ALL OF THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010722 at NHTSA ↗

THE HEAD GASKET CRACKED, AND COOLANT LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015461 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL#98V009000 HEADLIGHT, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB THE BURNED PLUGS AND MELTED CONTACT SOCKETS WERE REPLACED. THE HEAD LAMP WOULD GO OF AND ON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017856 at NHTSA ↗

NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V323/FORD RECALL NO. 98S36]. RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED 3/29/1999. AS OF THIS DATE THE REAR SUB FRAME MOUNTING BOLTS HAVE FAILED AGAIN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019047 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024171 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1993-01-04 (January 4, 1993)

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROLLERS DESIGNED FOR REAR WHEEL DRIVE CARS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THESE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS..

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY AND POSSIBLEVEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL DRIVE ABS CONTROLLER WITH A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ABS CONTROLLER.

Reported: 1997-02-25 (February 25, 1997)

THESE VEHICLES ARE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. THE VEHICLES INVOLVED ARE 1992-1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES WITH 3.0L ENGINES; 1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ WITH 2.3L ENGINES; 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.8L ENGINES; 1994-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.0L ENGINES AND 1992-1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL VEHICLES WITH 3.8L ENGINES. DURING HIGH WINDS, HEAVY, BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW, AND LOW TEMPERATURES, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN CAN BECOME BLOCKED OR FROZEN WITH SNOW. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT ROTATE AND COULD OVERHEAT.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.

Reported: 1997-02-26 (February 26, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.

Consequence: DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.

Reported: 1998-01-21 (January 21, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS CAN FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING. THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS.

Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.

Reported: 1998-05-06 (May 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF NEW YORK, MICHIGAN, OHIO, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA, MASSACHUSETTS, INDIANA, NEW JERSEY, MAINE, CONNECTICUT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, MINNESOTA, IOWA, MISSOURI, KENTUCKY, MARYLAND, DELAWARE, AND WEST VIRGINIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS CAN FRACTURE AS A RESULT OF CORROSION IN COMBINATION WITH SMALL CRACKS IN THE SPRINGS.

Consequence: THE FRONT TIRE COULD DEFLATE DUE TO A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING CONTACTING THE TIRE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING CATCHER BRACKET WHICH WILL PREVENT A FRACTURED SPRING FROM CONTACTING A TIRE.

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.