34 problems related to automatic transmission have been reported for the 1996 Mercury Sable. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The contact owns a 1996 Mercury Sable wagon. The contact stated the vehicle had been parked on sept 10,09 at 3:30, the next day, at 6:30 pm the vehicle caught fire. The vehicle was engulfed in flames. There were no injuries. The fire department extinguished the fired and stated that it was as electrical fire. A fire report is available if needed. The manufacturer was not notified. The insurance has not advised the contact if the vehicle was destroyed or not. An insurance adjuster will provide the findings as soon as possible. The failure mileage was 140,000. Updated 10/20/09 the consumer stated the transmission was replaced twice. Updated 10/23/09.
(1) car shifts hard during acceleration and deceleration. Speedometer does not work or bounces up, then down. Check engine light comes on. (2) while driving at normal road speeds the transmission will switch to low gear causing sudden throw of driver inside car and at times when trying to accelerate there is a long delay in power to engine then sudden acceleration. (3) replaced cam sensor and other sensor three times and always fails again.
Problem started when shifting from park to drive, car would lurch forward unless you had brake pedal pushed down as hard as you could. Then while leaving a stop light car would hesitate then pick up speed very slowly, finally the car will not go into reverse. Transmission shop said that transmission had to be replaced. $1800. 00 !!.
The vehicle was parked and with no warning rolled forward. The dealer was notified. The vehicle was stopped and the gear shift was in park. The consumer exited the vehicle, and when he returned to the vehicle, it started to roll down the slope of the roadway. The consumer ran after the vehicle and was able to get it under control.
I have a Mercury Sable 1996, manufactured in 9/95. VIN number 1melm53s3ta608443. My car has 58,000 miles and the transmission is almost gone. I was informed that there is a recall on the transmissions for this car and I am looking for the necessary information to take with me to dealer for replacement. I have also noticed that my car jerks forward when am taking off from a stopped position. I have done all that I can to take care of this car but nothing I do has worked. There are so many complaints and recalls on this car and I really need help with my research to present to the dealer when I take this car in for repairs again. A website if there is one to help find my VIN #. Any recall information. Help!.
After putting vehicle in park it rolled forward. Had to apply brakes for vehicle to stop. Vehichle was not on a hill.
Transmission has not worked properly since consumer purchased automobile. He had taken automobile back to the dealer for transmission repairs five times. Transmission shifts improperly and bangs in to gear in certain down shift circumstance. The transmission dealer replaced a switch and adjusted two bands.
Coolant turned to a rusty sluggy mixture. Freeze out plugs had to be replaced and system flushed. New coolant was added and it is already turning brown again. Ford did do the work for free, but told me I was on my own if it occured again. Have learned through various people that the same thing is happening to their Sable and taurus cars. Transmission has also had to repaired at a cost to me of $1750. 00. When you come to a stop the car will then not go forward. You have to press in on the gas and make it lunge forward, sometimes causing the tires to "burn rubber" ! we brought this problem to the service department three years ago and each time we took the car in the service staff informed us that there was no problem. On last visit is when the coolant problem was discoverd. Was told that our car had "cancer" and should get rid of it, but not at their dealership. The problem with the transmission was a forward engagement piston. The company that made the repair had three other Sables in the shop with the exact same problem - each with no support from Ford. Each were paying $1750. 00. Help!!!.
Cracked tranmission case, pin came out of gear.
Transmission required to be rebuilt.
The battery was inexplicably drained 6 weeks after we purchased the car. Two days ago, the car slipped into neutral without warning whenever I turned or slowed down. Now, it slips into neutral all of the time.
When automobile is placed in park, it does not automatically go into park. Also, when the automobile is on a hill, it will move until emergency brake is on. In addition, it is hard to shift out of park. Recall 96v176ooo has been issued which deals with the same problem. However, this vehicle is not covered under the recall due to VIN.
Automatic transmission burnt up after 2 mile trip.
Well, the transmission I have, im on my second one (they sorta replaced/rebuilt my old one) is no different than the old one. I mean at least it uses the 2nd gear, which the other one never did. Now I thought this was an isolated incident until I asked around. Two of my friends have Sable's in their families, one is a '96 like mine, the other a '97 and both of their cars have had serious transmission troubles. My friend's '96 doesnt even work anymore, hes rather angry about that and my other friends '97 is shaky. Im worried now because im out of warranty, I only have a little over 20k on my car, I drive it really nicely, this shouldnt have happened. I feel its my duty to tell you guys I believe this should be recalled, someone will get seriously hurt from this one day im sure, but im sure it would take 50+ people before anyone does anything and that isnt going to happen, so im left with this great car and a terrible transmission. If you think you could get a recall going on these transmissions, or you need any info, call me before 1am cdt please at 972-964-1713.
Transmission jerks when slowing down to stop.
This vehicle has been grossly unreliable, this is certainly a lemon. I need your assistance or suggestion with these safety discrepancies. Thanks. No safety defects listed in the summary.
I was traveling on a highway with cruise control set at 65. There was a sudden high pitched whirring sound. I tapped the brake to disengage the cruise control. When I accelerated, there was no gear. I pulled to the side of the road and determined that I could not go forward or backward, or use any gear. I was towed 26 miles to the nearest dealership. 75% of the miles are hiway miles. There was no prior warning or malfunction.
Cracked transmission case due to internal disintegration of pin.
While shifting from "drive" to "reverse" in a parking lot, the transmission "just fell apart" according to the service manager at whitten Lincoln/Mercury in richmond, va. I can only imagine what might have happened had the vehicle been moving down the highway when the transmission "fell apart". Please note the transmission underwent repair for a "park pawl" defect a year earlier and had the regular transmission service only a few months before the failure.
Transmission causes the vehicle to jerk whenever vehicle starts from a stopping position. Vehicle in dealer shop at this time.
Dealer replaced transmission. , then changed computer settings, fuel mileage cut by 1/3.
Vehicle rolled backwards down a hill and the parking brakes were not on. Once the vehicle was finished rolling down the hill, the vehicle ran into a pole.
Transmission inadvertently shifted from high gear to low gear.
While vehicle is parked and key is out of ignition car starts to roll backward.
Owner received recall notice, contacted dealer and was told the parts were unavailable. Recall #96v176000.
The transmission gave out, original transmission replaced at 50,000 miles.
Vehicle neutrals out at a stop/ a TSB has been issued.
When pulling onto a ramp transmission does not pick up when accelerator is applied. This is an intermittent problem. Dealer has been contacted.
A clutch plate within transmission broke in 3 places. Transmission needs to be replaced. But, manufacturer is not providing or selling new transmission because it keeps failing.
The transmission will shifts into neutral when the vehicle is in drive in a stopped position. In order to get it back into drive, the car has to be put in park and reshifted into drive again.
When driving at any rate of speed vehicle will intermittently shutdown without warning. Cause unknown. Please give any further details.
When stopping at a light and taking off again the car takes a few seconds to move. When it does move, vehicle jerks forward hard enough to cause whiplash. Dealer says the vehicle needs a new transmission.
Vehicle jumps and lurches out of gears while in motion.
When reverse is engaged it takes several minutes before it will engage. Most transmissions when put in gear work imediately. I have always had a problem with this car. I have paid every time to have this problem fixed and it constantly reverts to the same problem.