1998 Mercury Sable vehicle speed control problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SMALL COMMUNITY PARK. AS THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO CHECK THE SPEEDOMETER BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BECAUSE THE TURN HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED THE CONTACT VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE ROAD AND THEN CROSSED THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT. AS THE CONTACT TRIED TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD, SHE DROVE OVER A TWO-FOOT BOULDER AND SEVERAL SMALLER BOULDERS AND THEN CRASHED INTO A FENCE OF TALL BUSHES AND CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY TEN FEET PAST THE BOULDERS THAT HAD BEEN DRAGGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATELY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,300”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE HORN WOULD SOUND INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT FURTHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A BUILDUP OF CORROSION FOUND ON AN UNKNOWN PIN INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CORROSION OF THE STEERING COLUMN COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.”

“1999 MERCURY SABLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CUSTOMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE AT AN INTERSECTION TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. *KB *TR THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AFTER PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL. UPDATED 03/22/10 UPDATED 05/28/10.*JB”

“ON FEBRUARY 14, 2006 AS I DROVE UP TO MY NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE DOOR, MY 1998 MERCURY SABLE WAGON HAD 'A MIND OF IT'S OWN'. IT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE BRAKE BUT ACCELERATED 'ON IT'S OWN' CAUSING ME TO GO THROUGH THE DOOR AND HIT THE SIDE BRICK WALL OF THE GARAGE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE CAR. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I FOUND MANY SUCH STORIES WITH SEVERAL MAKES OF CARS. THE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSES AN 'SUDDEN INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION' WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE BRAKE TO WORK THESE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF THE LINKS I FOUND. HTTP://WWW.SAFETYFORUM.COM/FORDSUA/ HTTP://WWW.ANTONY-ANDERSON.COM/CRUISE/9.5-LINKS.HTML#FORD MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NO INJURIES EXCEPT TO MY EMOTIONS. I CAN STILL SEE MYSELF GOING THROUGH THAT GARAGE DOOR AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP IT. LORRAINE BARNICLE. *NM”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALTHOUGH BRAKE PRESSURE REMAINED CONSTANT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED FORWARD MOTION. THE VEHICLE GENTLY TAPPED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE REAR BUMPER. THE DRIVER TURNED OFF THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE SABLE'S BUMPER, GRILL AND HEADLIGHTS. NO PHYSICAL INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE TEST DID NOT DETECT ANY FAILURE CODES. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THE THROTTLE PLATE AND AIR MOTOR WERE CARBONATED AND IT WAS SUSPECTED THAT THIS POSSIBLY CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO STICK CAUSING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *NM UPDATED 2/13/2006 - *NM”

“AFTER ONLY OWNING MY VEHICLE FOR 8 MONTHS, AND BEING TOLD IT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION, IN A MATTER OF 3 DAYS, MANY PROBLEMS OCCURRED. MY 4WD LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING, ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. WHEN ACCELERATING UPHILL, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RAISES TO HIGH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND THE CHECK GAUGE LIGHT COMES ON. THE CAR BEGAN DYING, THE IDLE DROPPING AT SLOW SPEEDS, AND EVEN DIED IN MID DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, LEAVING ME TO VEER TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE ROAD WITH NO POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HONOR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, I PAID $1200 FOR. MY ESTIMATE CAME UP TO ALMOST $3000 WITH THE WARRANTY ONLY OPTING TO COVER $ 300. THE PROBLEMS AS DESCRIBED BY THE MECHANIC WERE: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR: $680, SLACK IN BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS (NEED REPLACING): $625, ELECTRICAL AND RELATED REPAIRS: $ 215, SENSOR FOR FRONT AND REAR INTERNAL FAILURE $ 700, T/CASE MOTOR $725. I COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE 4WD ON MY VEHICLE PURCHASED ONLY FOR THAT REASON WITH WINTER COMING DOESN'T EVEN WORK, THE WHOLE THING NEEDS REBUILT. I'VE NEVER EVEN USED IT. I PAID ALL I COULD $900, AND GOT THE CAR BACK JUST TO HAVE IT RESPONDING THE SAME WAY,…”