1988 MERCURY SABLE Steering Problems

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. CURRENTLY IN THE VEHICLE RADIO LIGHT AND DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENLY COMES ON. HORN ALSO HONKS AS I DRIVE . STEERING WHEEL FEELS WOBBLY AND THERE ARE POPPING NOISES COME FROM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT LUMBAR BUTTON IS STUCK. TIRES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT. ELECTRIC WINDOWS FAILED THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL IS THAT THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING WHEN YOUR DRIVING AT55 MPH; THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. MR

POWER ASSIST HOSE IS TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. HEAT IS BURNING A HOLE THROUGH RUBBER HOSE, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGES AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. ALSO, CAN LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY HAVE A HEAT SERVICE SHIELD KIT AVAILABLE AT A COST TO THE CONSUMER. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK *SLC

POWER ASSIST HOSE IS TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. HEAT IS BURNING A HOLE THROUGH RUBBER HOSE, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGES AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. ALSO, CAN LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY HAVE A HEAT SERVICE SHIELD KIT AVAILABLE AT A COST TO THE CONSUMER. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK *SLC

POWER STEERING LEAKS STARTED IN 1995 AFTER THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND THE AUTOMOBILE WAS TAKEN IN MANY TIMES TO REPAIR THE LEAKS TO NO AVAIL. HOSES AND LINES WERE REPLACED TWICE, SEALS WERE REPLACED ON PS PUMP, AND FINALLY IN 1998 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NON FORD DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION. THE MONEY SPENT WAS WELL OVER $2100.00 TO FINALLY REPAIR THE LEAKS. THIS INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH WERE A RECALL ITEM AND I PAID FOR THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY OR RECALL PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE LED TO THE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES FOR REPAIRS. THE LATEST PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND THE ESTIMATE IS FOR $1000.00. THE HEADGASKET SECRET WARRANTY ONLY COVERS THROUGH DEC. 1998. I HAVE YET TO TALLY ALL REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT I AM SURE IT IS WELL OVER $5000.00 OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION REPLACED, ALTERNATOR, TWO POWER STEERING PUMPS, RACK AND PINION, RADIATOR, TWO HEAD GASKET FAILURES, EXCESSIVE BRAKE JOBS EVER SINCE THE RECALL OF THE ROTORS, ALMOST YEARLY AFTER THIS RECALL. NUMEROUS VACUUM LEAKS UNDER THE DASH AND ONE AGAIN LAST WEEK. TWO SETS OF POWER STEERING LINES. THE CAR NEVER STAYS RUNNING WHEN IT IS HOT. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE THROTTLE CABLE STUCK WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THEN BROKE AFTER DRIVING IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. THE REAR ALIGNMENT BOLTS ARE FROZEN. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALWAYS LEAKED EXCESSIVELY. FROZEN CALIPERS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

11/8/98 RETURNED HOME AFTER TAKING HUSBAND TO WORK 4 MILE ROUND TRIP. PARKED 2 DOORS DOWN, 20 TO 25 MINUTES, HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE , FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND SAID MY BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. MY CAR WAS RULED AS TOTALED. I DO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE MASHALL'S OFFICE. 2ND COMPLAINT, RELPACED 2 PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE AND 1 RETURN HOSE AND STILL HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. ALSO 3 BATTERIES AND 2 TENSIONERS.

11/8/98 RETURNED HOME AFTER TAKING HUSBAND TO WORK 4 MILE ROUND TRIP. PARKED 2 DOORS DOWN, 20 TO 25 MINUTES, HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE , FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND SAID MY BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. MY CAR WAS RULED AS TOTALED. I DO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE MASHALL'S OFFICE. 2ND COMPLAINT, RELPACED 2 PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE AND 1 RETURN HOSE AND STILL HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. ALSO 3 BATTERIES AND 2 TENSIONERS.

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS FROM FAULTY CONNECTIONS, CAUSING FLUID TO IGNITE ON EXHAUST

WHEN DRIVING AT 35MPH OR OVER THE VEHILCE IS STALLING, VIBRATING AND THE CONSUMER CAN'T PICK UP SPEED AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH STEERING WENT OUT WHICH LOCKED STEERING WHEEL IN A STRAIGHT POSITION. STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKING AND VIBRATING, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE WITHOUT CAUSING ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. *AK

WORN TIE ROD ENDS CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR/SEPARATION OF TIRES.

POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED RESULTING IN FIRE.

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE.

CV JOINTS FAILED. ALSO, TIE RODS/WHEEL BEARINGS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING LINE RUPTURED SPRAYING OIL DOWN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING FIRE.

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN, STEERING LOCKED UP . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

POWER STEERING HOSES LEAK. *DH

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. *DH

POWER STEERING RACK FAILED. *DH

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STEERING WHEEL FAILED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STEERING WHEEL FAILED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

STEERING COLUMN BROKE. *SD

POWER STEERING FAILURE DUE TO FLUID LEAKING FROM HOSE. *SD

POWER STEERING LINKAGE BROKE/COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL. *AK

POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKED, RESULTING IN A TOTAL FIRE. *AK

POWER STEERING HOSES WERE STRETXHED/STRAINED, CAUSINGMPOWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DENSE SMOKE. TT

LEFT OUTER TIE ROD LOOSENED FROM INNER TIE ROD, ALSO RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD DETERIORATED. *SKD

THE RIGHT INNER TIE ROD IS BROKEN, THE TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE OVERHAUL # AXO6. TT

POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK CAUSED FIRE/LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *DH