2000 MERCURY SABLE Power Train Problems

THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN THE STREET. I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AT THE TIME AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED 4 TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS IN THE ST. CHARLES, MO AREA FOR PRICING. THEY WERE ALL AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT FORD DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL AND WILL NOT OFFER ANY TYPE OF SATISFACTION FOR THE REPAIR. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY, AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I THINK THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT A SURVEY OF TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS WOULD SURELY REVEAL THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 76,204

EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO REFUEL. UPON FUELING WE INTENDED TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP AS PLANNED. CAR STOPPED AT LIGHT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FOR 5-10 FEET. ENGINE MADE A REVVING SOUND AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. ALL FUELS LOOK GOOD AND THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES TOTAL BECAUSE IT WAS USED SPARINGLY BY PREVIOUS OWNER. NO LIGHTS OR INDICATION GAVE WARNING THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD LOSE POWER. WE ARE NOW SEEING ONLINE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED DEALER BUT KEPT GETTING HUNG UP ON. I AM A WIDOW WITH CHILDREN AND DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO JUST TOW THE CAR TO BE FIXED AS THIS WAS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED ON ACTUALLY TRAVELING TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN CHECK RECALL INFORMATION FOR US. *TR

Mileage: 18,963

DRIVING DOWN ROAD IN MY 2000 MERCURY SABLE ,STOPPED AT REDLIGHT,TRIED TO PULL OUT,CAR WOULD ONLY REV UP AND NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD JUST UP AND QUIT PULLING. WE WERE.STUCK IN MIDDLE OF ROAD ,WITH CARS PASSING AROUND US. WE.WAS IN DANGER OF GETTING HIT. WE HAD 100 MILES TO DRIVE ON FREEWAY TO GET HOME. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED THEN, WE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A PASSING CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS A LOT AND HAVE FOUND THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. *TT

Mileage: 89,000

MY 2000 MERCURY SABLE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. IT GAVE NO WARNING OR SLIPPAGE OR ANYTHING. THE CAR WAS MOVING FINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED PULLING. IT WILL GO IN PARK AND NEUTRAL BUT WON'T PULL. THE FLUID DOESN'T LEAK OUT AND IS STILL FULL. AFTER READING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE FORD NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MERCURY SABLES AND FORD TAURUS. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS MATTER. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND $2000 FOR A REBUILD WHEN FORD IS RESPONSIBLE. *TR

Mileage: 143,321

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE PROPER GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED THE CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION FLUID, BOLTS, AND JOINTS. ONE YEAR LATER, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC MADE IDENTICAL REPAIRS AND STATED THAT BECAUSE THE CONVERTER WAS MANUFACTURED OUT OF PLASTIC, IT WOULD CONTINUALLY FAIL. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

Mileage: 75,000

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. IN APRIL 2006, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR A BOOT TO BE PUT ON THE COIL SPRINGS. THE FORD DEALER REFUSED TO PUT THE BOOT ON BECAUSE THE CONTACT HAD PUT AFTERMARKET STRUTS ON THE VEHICLE. IN OCTOBER 2006, THE CONTACT STARTED HEARING A THUMPING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATED. THE CONTACT HAD REPAIRS DONE AT A FORD DEALER, REPLACED THE BACK SPRINGS, TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS. ON 11/24/2006, THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND PULLED OVER BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE DRIVER FRONT SPRING BROKE. THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SPRING, BUT NOT FOR THE TIRE AND THE TIE ROD. *AK THE SWAY BAR LINK, STRUTS, BALL JOINTS AND CV BOOT WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB

Mileage: 70,000

DT: MERCURY SABLE 2000. THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD HER THAT IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS PULLING A TRAILER WITH HER VEHICLE. BUT SHE STATED THAT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED SHE WAS NOT PULLING THE TRAILER, IT DID NOT EVEN HAVE THE TRAILER HITCH ON IT. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS AROUND JUNE, 2003. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS JUNE 1ST,2005. THE THIRD TIME WAS JUNE 15, 2005. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT FULL THROTTLE, EVEN WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AGAIN, AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. VEHICLE ACCELERATED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN THE FRONT AXLE BROKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY COULDN'T INDICATED WHY THE ACCELERATION FAILURE OCCURRED, EVEN WHEN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED.*AK CAR KEPT LUNGING AND HOPPING FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKES WERE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE D THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *BF *NM

Mileage: 14,000

IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK TO THE DRIVE POSITION. CONSUMER HAD TO START THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 36,000

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WITH ENGINE RUNNING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF TO BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK. VEHICLE IS THEN PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT, "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLE", AND PROVIDED A TEMPORARY REMEDY. *AK THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS COVERED IN GREASE AND CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO WORK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SWITCH WAS IN A BAD LOCATION AND THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY FAIL AGAIN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR AND THAT THEY SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 25,300

WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTER LEVER WAS PUT INTO DRIVE FROM REVERSE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS REVERSING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR BECAUSE OF THE WEAK TRANSMISSION BEING USED. ALSO, INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK

Mileage: 48,350

NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH FAILS AND CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE, BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE SHIFTED INTO GEAR.

Mileage: 40,000

INTERMITTENTLY THE STICK SHIFT GEAR INDICATOR STUCK FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE. DEALER INSPECTED, CHARGED $400.OO FOR REPAIRS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

LOUD EXPLOSION WHICH WAS RESULT OF BACK FIRE BLOWING OUT UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS CONDITION IS ADRESSED IN FORD OWNER NOTIFICATION 00B38 (AFFECTING 2000 SABLE AND TAURUS WITH 3.0L DURATEC ENGINE) IN WHICH FORD AGREED TO REPROGRAM THE PCM TO PREVENT THIS BACKFIRE AND RUPTURED INAKE CONDITION. PROGRAM WAS ONLY OPEN FROM APRIL 2000 TO APRIL 2001. OBVIOUSLY THIS CAR WAS NEVER REPROGRAMMED DUE TO LACK MAILING ISSUE OR CHANGE OF VEHICLE OWNERSHIP. THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE UNREPAIRED PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PERSONEL WORKING IN THE AREA WHEN THE HOOD IS OPEN. THE BLAST OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE PIECES IS OF SUCH A VIOLENT NATURE THAT EVEN THE UNDERHOOD INSULATION IS DAMAGED. BELIEVE THAT THESE VEHICLES SHOULD ALL BE REPRGRAMMED REGARDLESS OF DATE. *AK

Mileage: 11,242

CONSUMER IS ABLE TO START VEHICLE BUT WONT ENGAGE FROM PARK TO DRIVE, GEAR SHIFT WON'T MOVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ON 06/26/03 2000 SABLE PARKED IN FRIENDS DRIVEWAY IN PARK RUNNING WITH A/C ON AND DRIVER LEFT VEHICLE. DRIVER WENT TO FRONT DOOR AND THEN HEARD A BOOM. CAR WENT UP A SLIGHT GRADE AND CONTINUED FOR 15 FEET AND STRUCK FRIENDS NEW MOTOR HOME. OWNER OF MOTOR HOME OPENED CAR DOOR TO MOVE VEHICLE AND FOUND CAR STILL IN PARK. OWNER SELECTED REVERSE AND BACKED CAR AWAY FROM MOTOR HOME. METLIFE AUTO & HOME NOTIFIED. ON 06/27/03 THIS SABLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF. WHEN DRIVER AND 2 PASSENGERS RETURNED TO CAR AND STARTED CAR AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAR PROCEEDED FORWARD. CAR WAS SHIFTED BACK TO PARK, DRIVER SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SHIFTED AGAIN BACK INTO REVERSE AND CAR AGAIN WENT FORWARD. CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND DRIVER RESTARTED CAR A FEW MINUTES LATER AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND CAR WENT BACKWARDS. CAR WAS TAKEN TO MORRIS FORD IN BURNT HILLS, NY. THE FORD DEALERSHIP CONTACTED FORD'S FACTORY HOTLINE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO REPORTS PERTAINING TO SUCH. FACTORY HOTLINE SAID THEY WOULD PASS INFO UP TO ENGINEERING. THEIR ADVISE WAS FOR THE DRIVER TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE. THAT'S REAL COMFORTING!!! THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE SHIFTER CABLE AND FOUND OKAY! THE CAR IS STILL AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THE FACTORY HAS NOT RESPONDED BACK (07/05/03). THE CAR HAS ALSO HAD THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE COME ON WITH NO ONE IN THE CAR. THE CAR SHIFTER HAS LOCKED IN PARK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE TO ANOTHER POSITION. THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED WHILE DRIVING WITH NO INCREASE OF PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL. FORD MOTORS NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT THEY SAY DOES NOT EXIST WHEN IT DOES EXIST AS EVIDENT BY THE NUMBER OF REPORTS FOR BOTH THE 2000 SABLE AND THE 2000 TAURUS. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS 2000 SABLE USED, FORD CREDIT OFFERED ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 6 YEARS OR 75,000 MILES WHICH I ACCEPTED. I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THEY DON'T WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY.*AK

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. *JB

THE VEHICLES GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR COULD NOT BE PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED A COMPONENT BUT THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. *NLM

THE TRANSMISSION BLEW WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

ON THE MORNING OF 12/19/02, I ENTERED MY VEHICLE AND STARTED IT UP. AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR I OBSERVED IN THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR THAT IT APPEARED MY GARAGE DOOR WAS NOT FULLU OPENED. I THEN OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND EXITED IT WITHOUT CLOSING IT. WITH MY BACK TO THE VEHICLE I VERIFIED THAT THE GARAGE DOOR WAS FULLY OPENED. BEFORE I COULD TURN AROUND THE VEHICLE HAD PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF THE GARAGE WITH THE CAR DOOR OPENED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE WITH THE HOPES OF STOPPING IT AS THE DOOR MADE CONTACT WITH SOME PLASTIC CONTAINERS. THE CONTAINERS DID CREATE A VOID FOR ME AS ONCE THE CONTAINERS GAVE WAY UNDER THE FORCE OF THE DOOR I WAS THEN THROWN CLEAR OF THE OPENED CAR DOOR AND THE GARAGE DOOR DOOR JAM. AFTER I WAS ABLE TO PICK MYSELF UP FROM THE FLOOR I WAS ABLE TO RUN AND STOP THE CAR WHEN IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK GEAR. CONSUMER HAS TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN NEUTURAL GEAR, ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND LEAVE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, TO PARK VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED BRAKE WIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON AND CRUISE CONTROL WON'T WORK, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

THERE IS SLIPPAGE ON DRIVE SHAFT AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHICH CAN CAUSE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL PROBLEMS WITH MY SABLE FROM TRANSMISSION TO AIR CONDITIONER IS ONLY TYPICAL FOR SABLES. TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT CORRECTLY,BRAKES PULSATE, CLIMATE CONTROL CAN'TBE USED BECAUSE OF SMELL INSIDE CAR. PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS ONLY THE WAY I DRIVE, THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR. AM NOW ATTEMPTONG TO HAVE FORD BUY BACK VEHICLE.

VEHICLE WENT BACKWARD, WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE, THE DRIVER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT HIS CONTROL THE GEAR JUMPED OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO REVERSE, CONSUMER RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE INSPECTED AND WAS ADVISED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, CONSUMER REFUSED TO ACCEPT VEHICLE DUE TO THE UNSAFE ACTION SO CONSUMER PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB

CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP 9 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION LEAKS AND RECALLS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. IN DECEMBER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. TODAY 4/21/00, WHILE CROSSING A MAJOR HIGHWAY CAR STOPPED! I HAD MYSELF AND TWO PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. WE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THE CARS TRAVELING IN EITHER DIRECTION HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER THEN THEY WERE. THE WHOLE INCIDENT WAS TERRIFYING. I WANT TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION BEFORE SOME IS KILLED.*AK

THE CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE MANUFACTURERS RECALL 00B55, AFTER COMPLETION OF THE RECALL THE OWNER RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTIFICATION TO RETURN THE VEHICLE DUE TO POSSIBLE PROBLEMS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE REPAIR OF THE PCM CALIBRATION. *MJS

SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS; 1ST OCCURRED AT 593 MILES AT A SERVICE STATION AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO GEAR, AND 2ND OCCURRED AT 894 MILES WHEN VEHICLE WAS GOING 15-20 MPH AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO BRING VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE COMPUTER SENSOR NEEDED READJUSTING. *AK THE DEALER REPROGRAMMMED THE PCM AS THE SOLUTION FOR ENGINE SURGING. THE BRAKES FAILURE WAS DUE TO BEING OVER POWERED BY THE ENGINE SURGE. *YH

WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE TO BACK UP VEHICLE WILL GO FORWARD. THIS INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK THE DEALER STATES THAT THE CAUSE IS TRANMISSION MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT AGREE. *YH