1988 MERCURY SABLE

189 complaints filed with NHTSA.

189
Complaints
5
Crashes
34
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE20
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH13
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS9
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY6
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR6
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER6
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH4
SEATS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM4
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR4

Recent Complaints

20000316FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

FIVE HOURS AFTER LAST USE HORN WENT OFF,WHEN I WENT TO SEE THE PROBLEM SMOKE POURIHG OUT CRACK MADE IN WINDSHIELD FROM FIRE.BATTERY DISCONNECTED STOPPED FIRE,HOWEVER POLICE STILL HAD FIRE DEPT. GIVE IT A GOOD HOSING.

19990713FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

11/8/98 RETURNED HOME AFTER TAKING HUSBAND TO WORK 4 MILE ROUND TRIP. PARKED 2 DOORS DOWN, 20 TO 25 MINUTES, HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE , FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND SAID MY BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. MY CAR WAS RULED AS TOTALED. I DO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE MASHALL'S OFFICE. 2ND COMPLAINT, RELPACED 2 PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE AND 1 RETURN HOSE AND STILL HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. ALSO 3 BATTERIES AND 2 TENSIONERS.

19990713FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

11/8/98 RETURNED HOME AFTER TAKING HUSBAND TO WORK 4 MILE ROUND TRIP. PARKED 2 DOORS DOWN, 20 TO 25 MINUTES, HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE , FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND SAID MY BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. MY CAR WAS RULED AS TOTALED. I DO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE MASHALL'S OFFICE. 2ND COMPLAINT, RELPACED 2 PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE AND 1 RETURN HOSE AND STILL HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. ALSO 3 BATTERIES AND 2 TENSIONERS.

19990713FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

11/8/98 RETURNED HOME AFTER TAKING HUSBAND TO WORK 4 MILE ROUND TRIP. PARKED 2 DOORS DOWN, 20 TO 25 MINUTES, HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE , FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND SAID MY BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE. MY CAR WAS RULED AS TOTALED. I DO HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE MASHALL'S OFFICE. 2ND COMPLAINT, RELPACED 2 PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE AND 1 RETURN HOSE AND STILL HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. ALSO 3 BATTERIES AND 2 TENSIONERS.

19990324FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS FROM FAULTY CONNECTIONS, CAUSING FLUID TO IGNITE ON EXHAUST

19990202FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

19990202FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

19990202FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

19981020FireFUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

LEAK IN FUEL LINE RESULTED IN FIRE.

19980813CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT WITH HER SIX- YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OVER FRONT SEAT AND SHIFT GEAR FROM OUT OF PARK. NO KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, VEHICLE MOVED FROM GARAGE OUT INTO THE STREET AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT COULD NOT HAPPEN. *AK

19980713FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED RESULTING IN FIRE.

19980610FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE.

19971117CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING ABOUT 20MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF WITHOUT ANY NOTICE CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY NHTSA THAT AN INVESTIGATION, EA90042,WAS GOING ON REGARDING THE STICKING THROTTLE, HOWEVER WHEN CONTACTING FORD REGARDING THIS THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH THING. *SLC

19971009FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING LINE RUPTURED SPRAYING OIL DOWN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING FIRE.

19970731FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

PARKED VEHICLE ACROSS STREET NEIGHBOR NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, AND THE VEHICELCAUGHT FIRE.FIREMAN WROTE REPORT UP AS ENGINE FIRE, VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

19970717FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

OWNER NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL ON IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH OVERHEATED AND CAUSED FIRE IN WIRING HARNESS.

19970515FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE A FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 91V036000 IN AUGUST OF 91. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

19961231FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.

19961209FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WHEN NOTICED BURNING SMELL, FOUND WIRING HAD MELTED UNDER DASH, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK CONSUMER STATES BOTH FAILURES INVOLVED THE IDENTICAL PARTS, THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE PLASTIC HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT PLUGS INTO THE SWITCH ALONG WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF 10 OR 8 WIRE, CONSUMER STATES IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN INTERNAL RESISTANCE PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCHES AS THERE IS NO DRAW (CURRENT) THAT WOULD INDICATE A SHORT CIRCUIT AND NO OTHER ABNORMAL IND

19961209FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WHEN NOTICED BURNING SMELL, FOUND WIRING HAD MELTED UNDER DASH, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK CONSUMER STATES BOTH FAILURES INVOLVED THE IDENTICAL PARTS, THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE PLASTIC HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT PLUGS INTO THE SWITCH ALONG WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF 10 OR 8 WIRE, CONSUMER STATES IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN INTERNAL RESISTANCE PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCHES AS THERE IS NO DRAW (CURRENT) THAT WOULD INDICATE A SHORT CIRCUIT AND NO OTHER ABNORMAL IND