2003 Mercury Sable: complete transmission failure

Filed Jun 10, 2020 · Transmission · 33,277 miles · FL

Idriving under normal conditions on a city street in 2003 merc sable with 33k miles. While in motion, the transmission fails with no forward or reverse working or any other mechanical warnings.( no transmission codes on obdii. I was immediately able to coast into a drugstore parking lot. Car towed to local ford dealer. Dealer informed that the torque converter splines have failed and torque converter needs to replaced for $ 1726.00. Dealer repaired vehicle, replaced with ford re-manuafactured torque converter. Searched intern net and found same numerous complaints of ford torque converters spline failures. Based on the type and number of complaints this appears to warrant an audit of this safety problem. There are other reported complaints that vehicles were traveling on highways and suffered transmission failures while in motion without any warnings.

Filed Sep 12, 2017 · Engine, Transmission · 57,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury sable. While the vehicle was operated, it lost engine power without warning. The vehicle was towed to dom's getty service station (308 mercer st, hightstown, nj) where it was diagnosed as a transmission failure. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Filed Sep 7, 2017 · Transmission · 57,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury sable. The contact stated that the transmission failed. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost acceleration. The vehicle was towed to dom's getty station (heightstown, nj 08520, phone (609) 448-4146) for diagnostic testing, which located the failure at the transmission input shaft and torque converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 57,000.

Filed May 31, 2015 · Transmission · 44,000 miles · NY

In 2014,. My power train (transmission) stopped propelling my car. Several years earlier, my friend who owned a mercury sable (the same type car as I am writing to you about), had the same transmission failure while on an interstate highway. He had approximately the same mileage on his car that I had when our transmissions failed. This type of failure is dangerous yet the ford motor co. Advised me there had not been a recall. Please advise.

Filed Dec 21, 2013 · Transmission · 61,000 miles · NJ

Wife was driving vehicle on highway. The car engine kept running but the transmission died without any warning symptoms - no clunking, no grinding gears, no loss of fluids,... It just completely failed while in motion. Thank god she was able to coast towards the shoulder and avoid being hit. The car was repaired with a used transmission. The same transmission was recalled in another ford vehicle. There are thousands of complaints online about this particular transmission in sables and taurus vehicles it is a serious problem as the instantaneous complete transmission failure can easily occur in dangerous traffic situations. It's not clear as to why there is no recall nor warning. An investigation on the internet will clearly reveal thousands of failures and data is available at transmission and garage shops. Do something.

Filed Dec 21, 2013 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · NJ

After refueling at busy gas station, started the car and the car would not go forward or backwards as no gears were working. The car engine was working fine but the transmission died without any warning symptoms - no clunking, no grinding gears, no loss of fluids,... It just completely failed. The car was repaired with a used transmission. The same ford/mercury transmission model was recalled in another ford vehicle. There are thousands of complaints online about this particular transmission in sables and taurus vehicles it is a serious problem as the instantaneous complete transmission failure can easily occur in dangerous traffic situations. It previously failed with the car in motion on a highway! It's not clear as to why there is no recall nor warning. An investigation on the internet will clearly reveal thousands of failures and data is available at transmission and garage shops. Do something please.

Filed Dec 21, 2013 · Transmission · 126,000 miles · NJ

I started my car to take it for an oil change. With the engine warmed up I shifted into gear to go. Without any warning symptoms (no clunking, no grinding gears, no loss of fluids,...) the transmission decided to completely fail. The car would not go forward nor backwards as no gears were working. As this is now the third complete failure of the transmission on this car, I am trying to decide if I should try to get it repaired again. In all my years of driving, this is the only car that I have owned that has had transmission problems. There are known design flaws - the torque converter splines are not beefy enough and the vent fitting with a check valve on the trans housing malfunctions closed and causes the trans fluid to shoot back out of the dipstick tube, and there are other issues with this transmission as well... The same ford/mercury transmission model was recalled in another ford vehicle. I repeat, the same failure prone part in another vehicle was recalled. There are thousands of complaints online about this particular transmission in sables and taurus vehicles it is a serious problem as the instantaneous complete transmission failure can easily occur in dangerous traffic situations. It previously failed with my car in motion on a highway! It's not clear as to why there is no recall nor warning. An investigation on the internet will clearly reveal thousands of failures and data is available at transmission and garage shops. Do something please.

Filed May 31, 2010 · Transmission · 41,035 miles · FL

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) please see your report pe09033. My mercury sable uses the same transmission. And this week end me and my family almost got killed when on I-75 in the middle of a construction zone with concrete barriers on both sides my transmission died with no warning. This car has only 40000 miles on it and I changed the fluid as recommended at 30000 miles. The mechanic said that this was a catastrophic transmission failure and never should have happened at 40000 miles! The mechanic said to me you had no warning did you! I agreed. He said the torque converter had probably failed! The he told me it would cost about $2200 for parts and about $1100 for labor a grand total of $3300. I am an engineer so I know a little about engines and mechanical applications. This should never have happened. I believe after some research that these transmissions have a significant design fault in them partly from torque converter failure and partly from over heating because of poor circulation and heat dissipation design. I would like to register an official complaint with the federal safety agency about the above and join or start a campaign for a recall about the above stated problem. I hope that at some point I will have some recourse with ford. So with some anticipation I respectfully request some help or a response with to my request. [xxx]

Filed Feb 6, 2010 · Transmission · 72,000 miles · MT

I have a 2003 sable upon driving on the interstate, my car just stopped going forward. I had to have it towed to a garage and have it diagnosed. Come to find out the transmission failed and will cost me over $2700 to replace it. I have contacted every transmission repair shop in a 75 mile radius and they all give me the same price. They have also told me that every sable they have run across around that year of production has had the pump in the transmission has failed. There is only 72,000 on this car and I do not have the money to replace the transmission. This is an issue that should be taken care of by the manufacturer.

Filed Jun 25, 2009 · Transmission · 34,000 miles · FL

I was driving along, and with no warning, no noise no squeak transmission failure at 34,000 miles, also master cylinder failure. Last month.