2008 MERCURY SABLE Electrical System Problems

On April 12 I exited my drive onto the 55 mph highway in front of my house when suddenly the car began to shudder. I jammed the gas to get up to speed to prevent oncoming cars from hitting me which made the problem much worse. It was violently shuddering and wouldn’t accelerate. I took my foot off the gas which stopped the shaking. I gassed it slowly and I could accelerate to speed much slower than I would have liked. It wasn’t smooth. One half mile later it suddenly and violently began again. Taking my foot off the gas it smoothed out and I could accelerate again. I changed plans and went to the service garage to see what the problem was. It seems the problem is a known issue that hasn’t been addressed. I’m glad there were no cars coming from the opposite direction which could have impacted the drivers side while I was floundering out of my drive. I will enclose the garages assessment.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE, THROTTLE, WRENCH, AND AIR BAG INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, AND THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

WE WERE STOPPED BEHIND TRAFFIC, AND AS WE SLOWLY STARTED TO PROCEED, THE CAR SURGED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY EITHER WERE NOT WORKING OR ELSE IT WAS THE ABS COMING ON. THIS WAS A DRY, SUNNY DAY-NO MOISTURE ON THE ROAD-OF COURSE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A BEARING ON WHY THE CAR SURGED/ACCELERATED. THEN THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF COMPLETELY. WE THEN GOT IT STARTED AGAIN, AND NOTHING HAPPENED GETTING IT BACK THE APROXX. 4 MILES BACK TO HOME-ALL WAS NORMAL AFTER THE INCIDENT ALL THE WAY TO HOME, THOUGH IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO FORD HQ'S AND TO THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED FROM. *TR

Mileage: 108,483

THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT DIED SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. THIS WAS ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS FOR ME, I HAD IT REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE WINTER OF THAT YEAR. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS A PROBLEM COMMON WITH THE SABLE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN. IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD. I AM ALSO HAVING A TERRIBLE PEELING AND CHIPPING PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

THE INFORMATION CENTER AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. NO INFORMATION SHOWS. CHECKED WEBSITE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON FOR A LOT OF OWNERS. FORD SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

ON THURSDAY AROUND 11:30 PM, ON SEPT.12, 2013, WHILE MY 77 YEAR OLD MOTHER SLEPT HER 2008, MERCURY SABLE PREMIER MYSTERIOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED WHILE PARKED UNDER HER CAR PORCH ATTACHED TO HER HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND DAMAGE OCCURRED TO HER HOME. WERE IT NOT FOR HER LITTLE DOG BARKING AND RUNNING BACK AND FORTH FROM HER BEDROOM TO THE CAR PORCH DOOR, SHE LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE AWAKEN. SHE LOOKED OUT THE PEEP HOLE OF HER DOOR TO THE CAR PORCH AND SAY SMOKE AND FIRE EMITTING IT IS VERY LIKELY HER HOME AND SHE COULD HAVE BEEN LOST IN THE FIRE. ALTHOUGH SHOOK UP EMOTIONALLY, WE ARE THANKFUL ONLY HER CAR WAS LOST. FORTUNATELY, MY MOTHER REMAINED CALM ENOUGH TO CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES (POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT) THAT ARRIVED IN VERY SHORT TIME TO PUT THE FIRE ENGULFED VEHICLE OUT. ACCORDING TO FEEDBACK FROM THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARSON INVESTIGATOR AND INVESTIGATORS REPRESENTING OUR AUTO AND HOME INSURANCE COMPANIES, IT APPEARS THE FIRE LIKELY STARTED IN THE TRUNK OF THE SABLE IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM OR REVERSE SENSING MODULE AS I BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE REFERRED TO FOR MY MOTHER'S VEHICLE. THE INCIDENT HAD A CONSIDERABLE DEGREE OF EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON MY MOTHER GIVEN AS A SENIOR CITIZEN THIS VEHICLE REPRESENTED A LAST VESTIGE OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE. . *TR

Mileage: 39,000

MY 2008 MERCURY SABLE, WHEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED, SPEEDOMETER HAS MOVED HIGHER AND LOWER ON ITS OWN. WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ERRONEOUS LOW SPEED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH INTO CAR AHEAD OF ME IF I WERE NOT ALERT. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SPEEDING TICKET. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

TL*THE CONTACT LEASED A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH UP A HILL, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT IT AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE RELATED TO THE ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOUR TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT DUPLICATED. THE ODOR SEEMED BE INSIDE OF THE VENTS WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 231. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

Mileage: 231

2008 MERCURY SABLE AWD HAD AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE[MELT DOWN] THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE MAIN ELECTRICAL HARNESS. THEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008 A SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM CAUSED IT TO JUMP A CONCRETE PARKING LOT BARRIER AND TRAVEL DOWN INTO A DRAINAGE BASIN--40 FEET. $9000+ DAMAGE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO FORD HAS FALLEN IN DEAF EARS. UPDATED 05/12/10 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 05/17/10.*JB

Mileage: 31,998

HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE IS DEFECTIVE IN SUNLIGHT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS COMPOSED OF GRAY BACKGROUND WITH SILVER NUMERALS ON TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER AND GREEN LED READOUT OF ODOMETER, DIRECTION, AND MILES TO EMPTY. SUNLIGHT WASHES OUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKING IT UNREADABLE. DRIVER MUST SHADE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LEAN CLOSE TO DETERMINE DATA THUS TAKING ATTENTION FROM ROADWAY, AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PRACTICE ON HIGH-SPEED, MULTIPLE-LANE HIGHWAYS. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, EVEN THIS EFFORT IS FRUITLESS. MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM BUT STATES IT IS NOT THEIR POLICY TO REENGINEERING SUCH DEFECTS. *TR

Mileage: 3,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. HE STATED THAT IN THE MORNINGS HE CANNOT SEE HOW FAST HE IS DRIVING, BUT IN THE EVENINGS, WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, HE CAN SEE THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN UPDATED 05/19/08. *JB UPDATED 07/30/08. *JB

Mileage: 15