Rear Suspension Springs problems of the 2001 Mercury Sable - part 1

The contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle in for a routine wheel alignment, he was advised that the rear springs were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 88,000. The VIN was unavailable.

In July of 2011 I noticed a small piece of metal, looked like a piece of the spring to my car. It was on the ground next to the rear driver side tire. At the time I looked at the spring ( not on jack stands nor did I jack the car up) not knowing if it came from my car. I thought it was odd that a piece was on the ground and my car didn't seem to drive any different nor did I hear anything. Then March of 2013 I had to change my back brakes, I jacked up the rear driver side and the spring just fell off into pieces. I was lucky that I wasn't on the roadways driving. A neighbor who is a mechanic looked at it and said that was the craziest thing he has saw. I mean this spring was in pieces and the pieces just broke off from one another. There was no cracks, the ends of the pieces did not have rust on them. It was like it just crumbled. I have saw a lot of complaints on the internet and I could imagine all the ones that aren't on the internet. Like my self if I didn't see this site in another website that I read, I wouldn't of known that I could write to someone about the rear springs to my car when I saw there wasn't a recall for this. I appreciate if you look into this knowing that this could be a serious matter one of these times, if it hasn't been already. I think Ford should be accountable for the faulty rear springs on this vehicle and not just the front. Hope this matter can be resolved appropriately with Ford taking time to look into it for there loyal customers!.

Failure of rear struts, broken springs on a 2001 Sable with 32,000 miles. Advised by garage and personal experience that all taurus and Sable models break. Springs can break and puncture rear tires causing serious injury. Replaced both sides one side broken in two places. Labor was intensive due to stripped and broken pinch bolts.

Took my 2001 Sable in to get wheel alignment but they found both rear springs were broken. Had 76,000 miles on car cost me $ 670. To have repaired by dealer.

My 2001 Mercury Sable has now failed me over 8 times without warning. I would drive turn the car off then try to start it again and it would not start. It was completely dead. I called aaa had the car towed. I took it to the dealer and they charged me for everything. A battery, an alternator, wiring, the works then, the same thing happened. The last time my car was at the dealer for a week before I was told it needed a fuel pump. I have now decided to never buy another Mercury after being a long time customer. I never received a notice of a recall and just now found out the rear springs which I replaced was also happening to other customers. They have not fixed my problem and the car is sitting because I'm to frighten to drive anywhere. It's sad. All the money spent could gone toward some other car where service people care of course, now the warranty is expired. The miles on my car is 58,000.

I have 2001 Mercury Sable with 84,000 miles. Both rear springs broke and have to have them replaced.

Rear springs broke ruining a brand new tire. Replaced springs.

The rear springs on my 2001 Mercury Sable have both fractured. The car is in the shop right now being repaired and no one in the shop can believe that both of the springs have fractured. They are amazed!! this is a very big job to fix and is very dangerous. The repair tech could not believe that the car was even drivable. I would like Ford motor company to contact me with a response. I see on the internet that many 2000-2001 Sables are effected by this problem and yet Ford did nothing, allowing people to drive unsafe cars. This should have been recalled and corrected. If I do not hear back, this will be my very last Ford car. I would like a reply from Ford motor CO. I am just glad no one was hurt. Thank god!! please see : ea06002 and pe05-054.

While backing car from lawn onto driveway (not a significant incline), I heard a loud noise. Later when I drove the car I heard a continuous noise from the rear (thought something broke in the brake assembly but discovered spring rubbing on tire). The repair shop inspected and found a broken rear spring. They replaced both springs (unclear if 1 or both were broken).

Rear springs broke on my 2001 Sable. Cost me several hundred dollars to replace. This is wrong -- Ford has know this was an ongoing problem for a long time on specific years.

Left rear tire blew out while driving on highway. Service station replaced tire. During test drive, new tire was damaged to almost blow out. Replaced tire again and discovered broken rear spring. Replaced both rear springs and struts, in addition to the 2nd new tire. (also had rear brakes replaced one month earlier. The original issue was that the car shook. Altogether, I spent $2,400. On springs, struts, tires, and brakes. ).

Just found out I have two broken rear springs on my 2001 Mercury Sable. Researched this and discovered this is not uncommon due to poor design by Ford. A prior recall covered the front springs, but not the rear. Not fair to consumer, springs should not break from normal driving. I have had this vehicle for almost 7 years, only 65,000 miles. This could cause accidents, if it hasn't already. Ford should issue recall to fix this like they did on the front springs.

Broken front and rear springs 2001 Mercury Sable.

A loud bang from the rear of my 2001 Mercury Sable. I removed one of the rear tires and found that the rear spring had broke on the drivers side. It had a sharp edge on it that could puncture the rear tire. The front springs had a recall done on them. Why are the rear springs not covered under this recall?.

I went in to the local dealer to have a coolant leak checked and was told that my rear springs, struts and brakes were all bad, the springs were broken and were hazardous to drive with. Total cost of these repairs is well over $1,500. I asked about the recall on the springs and was told it was only for the front of the vehicle. The recall should include the rear also because the same springs were used in the rear as in the front. I should not have to pay to have all these things repaired because of faulty springs. I was also told the other items, struts and brakes were likely cause from the bad springs. Ford needs to be accountable, many other people have had this problem.

Have a 2001 Mercury Sable LS premium with about 70,000 miles today after backing from the garage, I found a broken piece of coil spring about 6 inches long, laying of garage floor. One end showed a new break, the other end showed a ragged, rusted break showing the spring had also broken at least once before this date. This broken spring was laying towards the rear of the car about where the rear suspension is. I see there is a recall for front springs breaking but none for rear springs, although I have found numerous complaints about the rear springs breaking too, because of salt damage. Mycarstats. Com shows at least 127 complaints on 2001 Sable rear spring breakage, that also cause instant tire deflation. I have been a Ford customer since 1955 and I think they are wrong to not cover this faulty rear spring problem as they do with the faulty front springs- I can't help that salt is used on roads, and it is their responsibility to make something as heavy and (should be) as strong as a spring should be, in a reliable manner. This just might end my relationship with Ford products although they have always been reliable for me in the past-jd myers.

Had to replace right rear coil spring, which broke and was scraping the tire, which was a very hazardous condition. The front coil springs were replaced in a Ford recall about 3 years ago, the left rear coil spring also broke in 2005 and I had to have it repaired privately as there was and still is no recall for the rear springs. (filed a dot complaint at that time also -- 3/9/05).

The contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. The contact took the vehicle to have maintenance work performed, and learned that the rear springs on both sides of the vehicle failed. The cost to replace the struts and springs would be approximately $600. The current and failure mileages were 86,000. Updated 02-14-08.

Broken rear springs (both sides), only consequence so far is sagging rear end and cost to replace rear springs replaced, consider it lucky no other damage was done.

Left rear spring broke while sitting in parking lot. When driven next the rear tire was shredded! vehicle had to be towed.

Both rear springs on my car are broken. One of the front springs also broke (and has been repaired) and my mechanic has told me the other is about to go. I have found out that Ford recalled the front springs due to a substandard material used in construction, which is prone to road salt corrosion. Since I live in the northeast, road salt is a common occurrence during the winter months. The rear springs are made of the same material and are also corroding. It'll cost me around $1,600 to compensate for a design flaw that Ford is washing it's hands of (at 100,000 miles, my front springs aren't even covered under the recall, even though the problem was there from day-1). One would think Ford would do the right thing and replace the defective rear springs as well. I guess the number of potential deaths caused by a rear blow-out is below their threshold, so they'll take their chances in court. This is why we need NHTSA oversite. However, NHTSA has only required Ford to recall the front springs to date. Ford expects people to buy their cars, but they don't stand behind them (even when it is a known manufacturing defect). That is why many people are buying japanese cars. I, for one, will never buy Ford again.

Broken rear spring, causing tire damage. (front springs replaced by Ford 2 months ago free under replacement program, dealer tells me that the Ford replacement program does not apply to rear springs).

2001 Mercury Sable taken in for tire rotation and balance. When the rear tires were removed, mechanic noticed that both coil springs were broken at base. He said I was lucky in that the breaks were to the center of the car and not towards the tire side, which would have blown the tire. The left rear tire would not balance, it wobbled, resulting in purchasing a new tire. Cost to repair, $550. 00. I am no metallurgist, but looking at the breaks I'd say that it looks like poor heat treatment of the metal coil that caused the breaks. Searching the internet revealed numerous complaints regarding 2001 taurus for same coil breaking problem (same body as Sable). Why is there no recall by Ford to rectify this problem?. Because in this country there has to be serious injury or death before any one reacts. How pathetic is that!.

Rear of my 2001 Mercury Sable had been sagging for some time, to the point I was afraid that the top of the wheel well would hit the top of the tire, (on several occasions the rear end did bottom out on slightly steep inclines). I finally took it to a mechanic, who said that both rear springs had failed (broke), and from the rust accumulated on the brake areas, it had been broken for sometime. I called the local Ford dealer in quincy who said that this wasn't an issue. I had another mechanic, (my brother due to the high cost), replace the rear springs and shocks. I know that there has been a recall on the front springs (road salt corrosion), but I would be curious to find out how many other Sables/taurus's have had the same problem.

Ford motor company recall for front springs on 2001 Mercury Sables but not rear springs my vehicle has just over 60,000 miles and I had to replace both rear springs due to braking how is the rear springs any less of a danger then the front springs.

We own a 2001 Mercury Sable which was recalled previously due to problems with the front springs breaking on certain vehicles. Guards were placed on the front springs to avoid tire punctures. In may 2007 my wife travelled about 200 miles with passengers. Upon returning, one of the front springs fell apart in our yard. After the dealer inspected the vehicle, both front springs were broken, along with one of the rear springs. She was driving on highways with three broken springs! the rear springs seem similar in design to the front, if not identical. They have never been subject to a recall and the bill for replacement of both the rear springs was $632. 30. The dealer refused to help. After speaking to the service manager at the dealer, she suggested pursuing this, claiming they have repaired lots of rear springs on these vehicles. She seemed to imply they have been a problem as well as the front units, although they have never been recalled and therefore not covered by Ford. Travelling 65 mph on three broken springs is an accident waiting to happen. Ford should be recalling these vehicles before someone gets killed.

Rear coil spring fracture / passenger side- 2001 Mercury Sable - resulting in minor additional damage to tire.

Rear spring broke on 2001 Mercury Sable-4 dr. Sedan. Car sat in unheated garage for 1 week while on vacation. Temperature in garage approx. 30 degrees. When vehicle used first time after vacation on Jan. 3, 2007, while backing out of garage, heard loud noise of something breaking or possibly being run over. Stopped vehicle to check for anything behind or under vehicle. Found nothing. Continued to drive vehicle to work, approx. 25 miles without further incident. Noticed upon return home that evening that vehicle was setting low at rear of vehicle. I did not take to a dealership until April 2, 2007. Used another vehicle for transportation. Wife used this vehicle only as needed until the dealership visit this morning. Was informed of the broken rear spring.

2001 Mercury Sable - right rear spring broke.

2001 Mercury Sable LS right rear spring broke while operating the vehicle. A piece of the spring protruded and gouged the inside sidewall of the right rear tire down to the tires metal core. The car was being operated at highway speeds in heavy traffic immediately following the incident. Tire fail is imminent. Had this occurred while the vehicle was being operated loss of control and a collision would be very likely.

Rear left coil spring reported broken by my Ford dealer on my 2001 Mercury Sable. Spring will be replaced.

: the contact stated the rear coil springs fractured. An independent mechanic determined the rear coil springs fractured during a routine tire check to have the tires rotated. There were no problems with the vehicle prior to the tire rotation. Updated 09/21/06.

Driver side rear coil spring broke and grooved tire. Strut,tire, spring and alignment are required for repair.

: the contact stated there was a rumbling noise coming from the rear suspension at various speeds. Upon inspection the dealership determined the rear springs fractured causing both rear tires to tear. Updated 6/23/2006 -.

2001 Sable rear coil spring corroded and broke. The broken spring punctured the tire causing a blowout. Our dealer informed us that both springs needed to be replaced. Additionally we were informed that there was a recall on the front springs o4s17. However the recall is not to replace the springs, they will be installing special shields on the front springs so that if a spring does fail it will not cause the tire to blow out. This to me is unacceptable! how can you allow the Ford to produce and sell faulty and unsafe automobiles without demanding that they fix the problem and not apply a band-aid?.