2009 Mercury SableRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“WHILE CRUISING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE HAS QUIT RUNNING. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED OCTOBER 12, 2012 WITH ABOUT 18,000 MILES ON ODOMETER.THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING MAY, 2014 WITH ABOUT 34,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON APRIL 20, 2016 WITH 40,665 MILES ON ODOMETER. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT WHILE THIS VEHICLE IS USED PRIMARILY FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL, ALL 3 INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM OUT OF STATE TRIPS AND WITHIN ABOUT A 70 MILE RADIUS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE ENGINE WILL READILY RESTART AFTER A SHUTDOWN. THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY BOTH BEFORE AND FOLLOWING EACH SHUTDOWN, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER TIMES DURING THE LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALER CHECKED THE ENGINE THIS WEEK AND FOUND NO CAUSE FOR ENGINE SHUTDOWN NOR VEHICLE RECALLS. I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS ENGINE SHUTDOWN ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED TO THIS ONE VEHICLE. I FEAR THAT SUCH ENGINE SHUTDOWNS WILL LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC CRASH PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED ON CROWDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IN LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. WE TRAVEL ON THESE HIGHWAYS AROUND INDIANAPOLIS, CINCINNATI…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR THREE YEARS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,300. UPDATED 9/4/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN AN INCIDENT WOULD OCCUR THE VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKES UNLESS PUT IN NUETRAL. THE ACCELERATION MAINTAINED THE CURRENT SPEED. FOR THE PAST 39 MONTHS THE OWNER HAD BEEN DRIVING WITH ONE HAND ON THE SHIFTING LEVER TO BE ABLE TO STOP. UPDATED 1/5/2014 *JS”

“I NOW HAVE 75,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT AT AROUND THE 15,000 MILE POINT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT WENT OUT FOLLOWED BY THE PASSENGER FRONT STRUT 4,000 MILES LATER. IN TOTAL BOTH FRONT STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES (THE ORIGINAL AND TWO REPLACEMENT SETS) AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT IS AGAIN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND, SAME AS BEFORE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST REPLACEMENT SET AT THEIR COST BUT THE LAST SET WAS AT MY COST. WITH THE STRUTS SHOWING SIGNS OF NEEDING REPLACEMENT AGAIN I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR THE COST, THERE IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE STRUTS IF THAT MANY BECAME DEFECTIVE IN THAT SHORT OF A TIME PERIOD. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON GOOD ROADS AND NOT ABUSED. SINCE THIS IS PART OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IT CAN/WILL AFFECT DRIVING SAFETY AND TIRE WEAR.”