I was driving along the highway at approximately 45 MPH when suddenly accelerator sped up to a high rate of speed. Could not slow down when braking. Car continued to accelerate. Could not get car to slow down no matter what I tried. Had to turn car off to come to a stop. The local wichita falls ford company says there is recall for this problem, but I have read all over the net that it is a problem ford motor company said that it would fix. Called ford motor co. Headquarters and they said there is no recall issued for this problem and they will not fix it. I should not have to pay for this when ford knows it is an ongoing problem. I am 73 years old and do not have money for this kind of repair.
2001 Mercury Sable acceleration complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 61, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Going to work and going up a steep hill on a windy 2 lane highway and topped the hill at approximately 40 MPH and when I let off the throttle the throttle pedal returned but the speed stayed at 40 MPH and at 4000 RPM. I punched and released the throttle pedal and it went to 6000 RPM and didn't return. I stepped on the brakes and slowed the vehicle a little but not much. I was coming up on a turn at a high rate of speed and had to shift in to neutral and shut the car off. I coasted to the side of the road and raised the hood. I seen that where the throttle cable and the cruise control cable went in to the mounting bracket that the cruise control cable was hanging out the side of the grey plastic holder that holds it into the mounting bracket. The grey plastic guide holder had broke and the cable had slipped out of the holder and wasn't able to go back in when the throttle was open thus left the throttle half open. I was able to manually slide it back into the grey plastic guide holder and put wire on it to safely get it home. The holder needs to either be metal or a better grade of plastic. The grey plastic guide holder is also the same as the one on the throttle cable. I'm sure its going to break soon also. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH the vehicle accelerated on its own. The contact was forced to depress the brake pedal with both feet and place the vehicle in neutral gear in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle accelerated to approximately 70 MPH for a 16 mile stretch. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The tow truck driver inspected the vehicle and noticed the cruise control cable had disengaged causing the acceleration. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Accelerator cable broke off from gas pedal.
Accelerator cable broke in half as I entered I-295 from on ramp.
Within the last week my 2001 mercury sable reached the 60,000 mile mark. Once over that mark the accelerator pedal began to stick each time I would accelerate the vehicle too much. For example, merging onto the highway and needing to speed up the car would rev the engine as without my foot on the pedal. This would continue as if I was pressing the accelerator pedal to the floor even if my foot was firmly on the brake. The only resolution to this sudden extreme acceleration would be to stomp on the accelerator over and over again. In one instance the vehicle would not stop even after it was put into park, it wasn't until the vehicle was turned off when it stopped. This happened three times before I brought the vehicle into be repaired.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact was driving approximately 65 MPH and exhibited an unexpected increase in acceleration. The brake pedal was depressed several times before the vehicle would stop. The cruise control was not engaged when the failure occurred. The contact stated that the vehicle would be towed to an independent auto shop for inspection. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
After getting up to cruising speed on the highway my car would continue to accelerate even when I stopped giving it gas. I disconnected the cruise control cable and this fixed the problem, but now I can't use my cruise control.
Without applying pressure to accelerator, the car accelerated uncontrollably. Needed to apply brakes completely and put trans in neutral to stop car.
My 2001 mercury sable accelerated as I entered the highway. The car would not stop even when I applied the brake. I called 911. The 911 operator suggested that I apply the parking brake which I did. I went about 15 miles riding the shoulder going between 60-70 miles per hour. I eventually exited the highway but could not stop even at the end of the exit ramp. I made a right hand turn. At this point I had reduced my speed to approximately 30 miles per hour. The car eventually landed in a ditch. At that point, I ended my call with 911. I looked to my left and found four men yelling to me to get out of the car. I then learned that the car was on fire. I exited the car. The four men put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. The car was towed to a mercury dealership where it is documented that it was in fact the speed control cable that caused the car to accelerate. Again, between the 911 call, the information on file with the mercury dealer and the insurance claim, the cause of the incident is documented.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle continued accelerating independently up to 50 MPH. The contact had not engaged the accelerator pedal when the failure occurred. The contact then applied the brakes and shifted into neutral in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was completely shut off and then restarted however, the engine roared with an increase in rpms of over 4000. The contact had to maintain pressure on the brake pedal. The vehicle was not taken to a repair shop or the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 120,000. Updated 09/26/12*lj the dealer replaced the accelerator cable. Updated 09/27/12
Tl* the contact owns 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle began to accelerate independently. The contact tried to slow the vehicle but the brakes failed. The contact had to repeatedly apply abrupt force to the brake pedal before the vehicle would respond. The contact shut the vehicle off and noticed that there was a piece of plastic broken and sitting on the accelerator throttle. The vehicle was not repaired. The cause of the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 215,000.
2001 mercury sable. Consumer writes in regards to cruise control failure *tgw the consumer stated the vehicle rolled over twice. The consumer and his wife had to be extricated from the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled.
Driving on the hwy with my 3 yr old daughter @ approx 65 MPH the veh started accelerating on its own. Even with pressing the brake veh would slow down but kept accelerated on its own ( and it kept climbing until I pressed on the brake) and got upto approx 80 MPH. I was able to safely get veh off the hwy with depressing the brake extremely hard (and veh kept creeping forward, luckily the light turned green quickly) and a ford dlrshp was right next to the hwy. Dlrshp performed repairs. They replaced the accelerator cable assembly for the throttle control. I was adv by dlrshp that the plastic piece on the cruise control throttle broke and got stuck on my regular accelerator cable. I cant begin to say how frightened I was for my daughters safety as well as my own. I seen there is an investigation for 2005 & 2006 tauruses...you need to also look @ the 2001 sables for the same problem! Someone is going to get killed if they don't do something about it.
Whenever I turn on the air conditioner or heater my car accelerates suddenly in a randomly manner for no reason by itself, when heater or air conditioner is turned off the problem stops, there's no check engine light on and an inspection yielded no problems, I am not sure if the problem is electrical or anything else and a local ford dealer has refused to fix the issue.
I registered this complaint before via telephone. Now I see that the federal safety agency is looking into ford taurus with the same acceleration problem. The problem is the e-ring on the end of the cruise control cable. Even though you're not using the cruise control, if the e-ring fails the cable gets caught and the car accelerates. This happened a few times and when I brought it in, the dealer couldn't find the problem. There's a cover over the cruise control cable where the e-ring is. I ripped off the cover and worked the accelerator by hand and saw the problem. I never replaced the e-ring and just tied off the cruise control cable and not use the cruise control. I haven't had any problems since. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I was driving my 2001 sable (24v dohc) and the car began acting like the gas pedal was stuck. I could lift the pedal up with my toe and that did not stop the acceleration. I shifted into neutral and turned the car off and coasted into a parking lot. When I restarted the car the engine was racing. I opened the hood and found the problem to be "a broken (plastic) retainer ring at the end of the cruise control cable by the throttle body" as someone else described it better than I could in technical details. I could reset the cable and seemed to be fine unless I accelerated too quickly, because that seemed to what triggered it to get stuck. I could still go fast (interstate speed), but I could not go fast too quickly. I temporarily fixed the problem by taping the broken cable with duct tape or electrical tape which seemed to work for a couple months. I experienced the problem about 10 times in a four month period before trading the vehicle to a dealer. Due to the recent recall of the later models tauruses I thought I should report the issues I had. I never informed the manufacturer about this and I never took it to a professional for diagnosis.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While merging onto a highway, the accelerator pedal began to stick. The contact pushed the brake pedal and then proceeded to tap on the accelerator which stopped the pedal from sticking again. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but did not diagnose the failure. The failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was 71,989 and the current mileage was 72,000.
My wife was driving her 2001 mercury sable and when she took her foot off of the accelerator the car continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed. She didn't drive the car for a year. I took the car to the dealer and a couple of garages and nobody could find the problem. I finnaly tried to fix it myself and found the problem to be a broken retainer ring at the end of the cruise control cable by the trottle body. I never replaced the retainer due to fear it would break again and maybe cause an accident. I tied the cable back with a tie wrap. I did call and report this incident, but never heard anything. Now with all the new recalls I wanted to report it again. Thank you.
My wife purchased a 2001 mercury sable ls on 1/31/01,I drove the auto for 2 days, when I put the auto in gear the gas pedal reacted as though the pedal was pushed to the floor board. I called port motors and told them about the situation and told them I refused to drive the auto. The next day they came and towed the auto away. When I went to the dealer they gave me another auto,for which I still have the old VIN #. After driving the new auto they gave I began having the same problems. Over the past 8 years the accelerator problem has occurred about 9 or 10 times. When I put the car in gear I always make sure my foot is always on the brake as I fear the auto will accelerate as though the pedal goes to the floor,my wife refuses to drive this auto and I will not let anyone drive as I don't know when this racing will occur. I have reported this to ford motor but got know positive response, I also reported this to national safety board and they gave me a complaint #.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that when putting the vehicle in gear, the vehicle would start to "race" and the engine would rev as if someone put the pedal to the floor board; if he did not have his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle would lunge forward. He depressed the brake pedal, shifted into neutral and turned off the vehicle. When he re-started it, the problem seemed to correct itself. The failure has occurred approximately 12 times since the vehicle was purchased. He previously owned the identical failure which had the same problem. When he towed the vehicle to the dealership, the dealer gave him this vehicle (same year, make and model). He had not taken this vehicle to the dealership and had not called the manufacturer to-date. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was approximately 37,000. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. Updated 03/26/10. *lj updated 05/17/10.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that the cruise control would not disengage when he depressed the button. The cruise control button is currently inoperable. The current mileage was 61,111 and failure mileage was 60000.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 15 MPH under normal road conditions, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. There were no warnings prior to the incident. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer, who could not duplicate the problem.
2001 sable accelerator cable come out of the housing, causing the engine to decelerate. *ts
Brake and accelerator pedals on -2001 mercury sable was checked in august 2003 without finding any problem with the car. I had just bought the car a couple of months prior. I informed the dealer (roundtree-moore) that I wanted to wait until later for this because if this is a certified car then it want show any thing until later,and I wanted to know that I could bring the vehicle back without a charge to repair. Now I'm being told there will be a service charge to repair and a diagnostic fee of $90.00. I got a diagnostic from an independent mechanic which they will not accept.
Dt: the contact states on occasion when he puts on the brakes instead of braking the car will accelerate and the engine will rev. Has to stomp on the brakes, turn off the ignition and/or put the car in neutral to get it to stop. The contact noticed this just after purchasing the car in june. It has gotten progressively worse. Vehicle is a 2001 mercury sable. The dealer cannot duplicate the problem. He has not talked to the manufacturer. *ak the cigarette lighter was inoperative, the fuse was replaced.
Dt: consumer was driving through parking lot at low speed when the car suddenly accelerated at great speed. The consumer was unable to slow the vehicle down before it struck 2 vehicles, and sped over a 3 1/2 foot high wall where it went over and came to a rest. Upon inspection, the attending police officer discovered a broken throttle cable which he believed caused the vehicle to act the way that it did. The car was totaled. Currently awaiting insurance report. *ak
Dt: consumer was driving through hotel parking lot at low speed when the vehicle quickly accelerated striking 2 cars and scaling a 3 1/2 feet wall, dropping over and finally coming to a rest. The attending officer discovered that there was a broken throttle cable and suspected this was the cause of loss of control of the vehicle. It was totaled.
Dt: car accelerated without warning three different times while driving, once to consumer, and twice to her sister. When she hit the brakes they did not hold. Her sister had to throw the car into reverse to get the car to stop. They almost had a crash all three times, she never knew when it was going to happen until it happened. Dealer said they could not help unless it happened while they were driving the car. Manufacturer said the same thing.*ak
Mercury sable had acceleration while using cruise control at highway speed. Car continued to accelerate in spite of turning off cruise, pulling up the accelerator, and only stopped when the car was put into neutral, stopped and the engine turned off. Could not stop with the brakes to the point of the brake pads smoking while the car kept accelerating.
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