2001 Mercury Sable Steering Problems

I GOT IN MY CAR STARTED TO DRIVE AND HEARD SOMETHING SNAP THEN SMOKE CAME FROM THE HOOD AND THE CAR PULLED HARD RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND PARKED THE CAR. THE COIL SPRING BROKE AND DUG INTO MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AND IT PULLED THE AXLE OUT OF THE CV JOINT.I WAS IN ALLENTOWN,PA. ON A MAIN ROAD IN THE CITY. FEB.8,2020.

THE ENGINE CRADLE/FRAME SUPPORTING THE ENGINE & TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION AND STEERING ASSEMBLIES FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION CAUSING THE REAR MOUNT AT THE BODY CONNECTION ON BOTH SIDES TO SEPARATE AND DROP ABOUT 3" CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. THE DROP OF THE CRADLE AND ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PULLED DOWN ON THE STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT UNDER THE DASH CAUSING THE STEERING TO BIND UP AND ALSO CAUSING THE ENTIRE STEERING AND SUSPENSION GEOMETRY TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GARAGED, WAS PURCHASED NEW BY ME, WAS NOT IN INVOLVED IN ANY FLOOD DAMAGE, WAS NOT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SALT WATER AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS SPRAYED EACH TIME I FREQUENTLY WASHED THE VECHICLE. THE ENGINE CRADLE IN ADDITION TO THE REAR MOUNT FAILURE HAS EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION THRUOUT THE STRUCTURE. AS SOMEONE WHO PAYS ATTENTION TO MY VEHICLE I BEGAN TO NOTICE RUST/CORROSION ON THE ENGINE CRADLE ABOUT 5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITHOUT FINDING ANY. I'M WIRTTING THIS AFTER FINALLY SEEING A COMPLAINT ON A 2001 FORD TAURUS CRADLE/FRAME FAILURE AND THINK THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. THANKFULLY I WAS GOING AT A SLOW SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO VEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE EVENT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC NOT ONLY TO ME BUT OTHERS ON THE ROAD ALSO. LOVED MY VEHICLE IT RUNS GREAT AND WAS LOOKING FOWARD TO MORE MILES WITH IT, UNFORTUNATELY THE REPAIR WOULD BE A MAJOR UNDERTAKING AND EXPENSE AND MY SABLE IS TO HEAD TO THE JUNK YARD ON A FLATBED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55000. UPDATED 01/05/10. *LJ THE AIR BAG IN THE DRIVER SEAT DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. ALSO, THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/07/10.*JB

RECENTLY MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE LS CAUGHT FIRE VERY SHORTLY AFTER THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. *JB

THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE CONFIGURATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL.*MR. IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION OR PARKING LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL BRUSHED THE TOP OF THE CONSUMER'S LEG AND WITH SLIGHT MOTION IT CAUSED THE CONSUMER' FOOT TO MOVE OVER TO THE ACCELERATOR. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THE MANUFACTURER DID ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WAS A DEFECT AND A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. *JB

STEERING HAD GONE OUT, AND CAUSED IT TO BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER/TURN. TS SCC

THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHILE IN IDLE, THE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH OR FROM SIDE TO SIDE. VEHICLE ALSO PICKED UP SPEED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. TS *JB