Upon starting the vehicle, it accelerated at a high speed when the gear was placed in reverse. When this occurred, the vehicle lost steering power assist and brakes. The vehicle stopped when it hit an object. The driver then put vehicle into drive and turned the ignition off, but the vehicle accelerated forward. The vehicle then made several turns before stopping again. This failure occurred once before. The cause of the failure was undetermined.
1996 Mercury Sable: loss of power steering
6 of the 302 complaints about the 1996 Mercury Sable describe loss of power steering.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 12 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Loss of power steering by model year
What owners say
Power steering failed while driving. Consumer had to turn vehicle off and restart vehicle to regain power steering.*ak
Power steering assist is lost during deacceleration during cold weather (<320f) making it difficult to turn vehicle. Local dealer reviewed problem and could not determine cause during first two visits. Third visit they want to start swoping out components out at high $ cost. Ford customer assistance contacted with no results. Dealer requested to contact factory regional rep. For review for debugging and factory technical assistance. No results todate 2/17/00.
Consumer was driving on dry pavement then all of a sudden no steering, which almost resulted in an accident.
When it rains and water gets into the engine the battery light comes on and experiences loss of power steering. The dealer said that this was a common occurrence, and advised the owner not to drive the vehicle when it rains. Owner also notified the manufacturer by mail of this problem.
Power steering failure resulting in grinding noise.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Experiencing a squeaking and / or popping noise from the front outer tire rods
- Some vehicles may exhibit front outer tie rods squeak and / or pop noise over bumps and / or turning
- Diagnostic service tips on passive anti theft system ( pats )
- The front end accessory drive (FEAD) belt may slip momentarily in wet conditions causing a reduction in...
- Some vehicles may exhibit a steering groan noise
- Repeat power steering grunt/groan after completion of TSB 97-02-04
- Groan or moan noise from the power steering when returning from a right turn
- Groan or moan noise from the power steering when returning from a right turn
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1996 Mercury Sable power steering loss
Is loss of power steering a common problem on the 1996 Mercury Sable?
6 of 302 owner complaints about the 1996 Mercury Sable (2%) mention loss of power steering. The model year with the most reports is 1999.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1996 Mercury Sable?
There are 0 recalls and 12 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1996 Mercury Sable
Jerking 14Stalling 11Transmission failure 10Headlights 8Overheating 8Sudden acceleration 8Engine failure 7Slipping 7ABS 6Check engine light 6Fire or smoke 6Fuel pump 6Grinding brakes 5Door locks 5Seat belt 5Steering noise 5Won't shift 5Wipers 5
VIN decoder
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