Mercury/ford told me 4-19-00 that only '93 & '94 3.8 liter engines with headgasket failures would be fixed if less than 100,000 miles. I had planned to keep the car for 2-3 more years based on low usage as I commute to downtown st. Louis via bus--but now the car doesn't appear worth fixing.
1991 Mercury Sable engine complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 56, newest first, as owners wrote them.
My engine failed, and had to be replaced, as a result of faulty head gaskets. My ford dealer told me when I brought my car in that ford had installed defective head gaskets in certain models, including mine, in the early 1990s, and that these gaskets failed, causing antifreeze to leak into the oil, which in turn damaged the bearings and destroyed the engine. My ford dealer also told me that ford had a program to help those with 1994 and 1995 cars. I wrote ford to ask it to reimburse me, but ford was rude and entirely unhelpful. Why should it recompense only the owners of the 1994 and 1995 cars, if the older models (1991-1993) also had these defective gaskets? My dealer told me I was amazingly lucky that the engine hadn't failed earlier, and that no accident had occurred. Please help me get ford to reimburse me for buying a new engine as a result of its product defect. Thank you.
While driving at any speed steering wheel locks up, and the vehicle is hard to turn. Vehicle will go any other way besides the way consumer is turning the steering wheel. Also, and there is a leakage within the engine head gasket and transmission, and smoke is coming from the engine compartment.
My children and I were almost killed recently when we were doing 70 MPH on I-85 and the car just shut off. I had talked with mechanics in germany when it did it to my husband on the autobahn once coming from frankfurt. We were told the car reaches a certain temperature and has an automatic shutoff. The temperature gauge reads normal so why would the car shut down at normal temperature. This is very dangerous especially when it can happen at interstate speeds. I was lucky I was able to control the car to the side with no power steering or brakes and coast to a stop. After 30 minutes of sitting the car will start and go. It will then get to that temperature and shutoff again. After this happened the first time in germany my husband and I never drove the car of the military post because we were afraid of an accident. We recently have come back to the states and have to do a lot of traveling on the interstate, this is when it happened again. I recently saw segment on dateline or one of those shows where this had happened to a ford taurus and evidently the people were killed or injured seriously. What had happened to my sable was the same thing this ford taurus was experiencing. I would appreciate all the help in the matter, as I can't drive far from home because of the seriousness.
Three of the four motor mounts were found to have broken/cracked.
When driving at any speed there is a knocking sound coming from under the vehicle. Consumer took vehicle into dealer for repair service, and dealer noticed that front right motor mount and right rear motor mount were broken.
Engine mounts broke, causing the engine to fall out of the engine well. Dealer was of no assistance
Was driving approximately 10mph when a burning odor was noticed. Stopped the vehicle & lifted the hood. Flames shot out from near the engine area where fan was located. The plastic covering fan and radiator was burning, will be taking vehicle to dealership.
Engine mounts replaced prior to recall due to being loose, however recall does not include motor mounts, only subframe mounts. (98v‑323)
Transmission failed. (mjs)
While driving the front body mounts broke, causing upon acceleration the engine to rise. Please give any further details.
While driving at any speed there is a noise coming from front of vehicll. Consumer had to get rear motor mounts fixed. Previously had front motor mounts fixed three times. Also, tranmission has been replaced and the vehicle jerks and cuts off at times.
Ford is aware of this problem which seems to be inherent to this engine. The ford dealer where I had it repaired for 1300 change sez ford paid for this repair on 94/95 or 95/96 engines which are basically the same,but have not extended this recall to 1991 models. He said to save my receipt incase they do. If there is a design flaw in this engine. Why dont they fix all of them?
Vehicle was bought new by owner's mother, when air conditioner failed, and mercury did not feel problem was due to engine mounts, even though owner's mechanic confirmed.
Consumer states that the recall remedy did not correct the problem.the body mounts are loose which could cause the engine to drop. Recall number 93v106002. Please give any further details.
Head gasket failed.
The radiator fan seized, causing the wires to the fan melt together and resulted in a fire. Cause unknown. Please provide details.
Engine/transmission failed.
Motor mounts under carriage broke, causing loss of control.
Front end noise due to defective engine motor mounts.
Vehicle stalls continuously.
Automatic transmission failed. In addition, replaced head gasket/power steering line/engine/thermostat.
Lighting system bulbs have all failed, consumer replaces bulbs every few months.
Premature failure of head gaskets due to opposing metals, iron andaluminum in engine causing excess heat.
All engine mounts have been replaced approximately once a year.
When making a left hand turn noticed the steering wheel became difficult to turn. Took vehicle to dealer, dealer noticed the carriage and motor mounts broke. The dealer replaced both motor mounts and carriage.
Engine mounts failed twice.
Premature failure of head gaskets caused by opposing metals in engine which result in excess heat.
While driving rack and pinion steering failed completely, snapping w/wheels facing outward. Owner has returned some parts back to ford mfg, lso replaced engine mounts.
Motor mounts replaced.
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