Mercury to drop Sable next spring! Mercury will discontinue its long-suffering Sable sedan after the 2005 model year. Production of the Sable at Ford Motor Co.'s Atlanta assembly plant is expected to end in April.
Just found Sable Wagon LS everything except Sunroof & Tract. Control. Great shape Only 41k miles, rides really nice, carfax was blemish free but did not indicate recall info....question is how do I find out if all or any of the recalls for that model have been addrsssed before I take delivery? Will be picking up the car late in the week of 12/13/04. Also I was considering auto-start(A-S)install, and tinting rear windows anyone have one installed/tinting ? Is A-S working ok? Some car models don't respond well with them....interfers with door locks, fuel inj. etc. I live NY Adirondacks lots of snow /cold weather like to start before hitting that cold leather...any info on how the wagon handles the snow? Please advise and appreciate any feedback thanks
We are looking at replacing our 1998 Windstar with a 2004 Taurus wagon due to some transmition problems with the windstar and also the low gas mileage that it gets. What kind of mileage are people getting with their 04 wagons? Any advice on if this would be a wise move? I drive about 75 - 100 miles/day about 2/3 city and 1/3 highway.
We are looking at replacing our 1998 Windstar with a 2004 Taurus wagon due to some transmition problems with the windstar and also the low gas mileage that it gets. What kind of mileage are people getting with their 04 wagons? Any advice on if this would be a wise move? I drive about 75 - 100 miles/day about 2/3 city and 1/3 highway.
Well I have a Mercury Sable Sedan (not a wagen) that's very similar to the Taurus. The car comes with the 3.0 SOHC Vulcan engine. I would think the milage is similar on the wagen.
I drive about 90 miles round trip every day to work - mostly freeway averaging 80 miles per hour or so. I get around 27 miles per gallon with that drive. In the summer when I run the air conditioner the milage drops about 1 mile per gallon.
With my 2000 Taurus Sedan with the Duratec, I can get 28-30 MPG in strictly freeway driving on relatively level highways running continuous at about 70 MPH. In my daily commute, which is city driving, but not particularly congested, I average about 19-22, and I do not try to maximize efficiency all that much.
The wagon version might be a little less efficient do to a bit more weight.
We have an 04 Sable wagon LS premium, w/ 3.0 Duratec. The wife drives it, works 2 days a week. Mostly town/rural driving. She's averaging 24mpg overall. This car currently has 4100 miles on it, tires inflated to 40psi. Wife isn't a fuel miser, but isn't a racer either. Don't know highway mileage, since car hasnt' been down that road yet. Power is rather nice, with @50 more hp than the Vulcan engine. I doubt the mileage is comperable between the 2 motors.
Well, I just picked up a 1996 Taurus GL with the 3.0L Vulcan V6 engine from Kansas, and I drove it back here to Philadelphia, then to Boston and back. The engine and transmission run great. I noticed on the drive back from Kansas that the left speaker would cut out from time to time, and then on the way back from Boston, both speakers were cutting out. I thought it was a loose wire, so I just dealt with it, but when I pulled into my local Pep Boys a couple of days ago, the power steering cut out as I was pulling into a parking spot. I almost hit another car. Long story short, the power steering, power windows, and speakers (but not the reciever) all seem to cut out when the car is in gear (the throttle and brakes are acting a bit funny, too), but not when the car is in neutral or park. I've checked thoroughly, and those are the only things that don't work right. Anyone ever experience this?
It would help if you'd be a little more specific. Some have problems with a "groaning" sound once the window is raised all the way. There is a TSB out on this. I believe there is a different type of lubricant used to help eliminate the noise.
I want to install a CD changer in my 2000 Sable wagon with the third row seating. It has the Mach stereo system but the changer was not installed. Can you tell me where yours mounts? Maybe a picture? Thanks, Nick
Nick, in my 02 sable there are 2 places the CD changer can be mounted: in the console between the front seats (if you have the '5 seat' option) or in the far back in that little compartment on the passenger side of the car (opposite the spare tire). We had them put it in the back so we could use the console for storage. The factory model is supposed to come with a special clip to hold the changer in place, we had ours installed as a dealer option when we bought the car new and they just used double sided sticky foam tape to hold the changer in place.
Hey gang! New to the board but looking for advice. My 1990 volvo 740 wagon just died for good. I just needed something to last me for the next couple of months, so I went went to the local car auction and came home tonight with '92 Sable wagon with 148k miles for only $750. Seemed like a good deal at the time, (the engine is strong and smooth, brakes feel good) but on the twenty minute drive home, the steering started to pulse when turning at speed, and the automatic transmission seemed to have trouble settling in. Does this sound searious to you guys?
I will check all the fluid levels tomorrow, and I'm hoping that filling the PS fluid and the the trany fluid will help. I will keep you posted.
Any other advice? I sure hope my gamble on this car works out! It looks like a beauty, hope it's not actually a beast!
No problem! I don't know if it was prewired but I assume it was, the dealer did it when we bought new so I don't know for sure. I understand it is pretty easy to do it yourself, my brother wants to install an aftermarket changer on his 01 Taurus sedan (that is a trunk mount) and if it involved running wires all the way back to the trunk fron the dash I doubt he would do it.
We actually had some problems with the cd changer we had it replaced 2x (all under wtty). It's been working fine for a while now tho. I hope it doesn't poop out again as it might be out of wtty by now.
My sisters car broke and we went to an auction and got her a 92 Sable Wagon everything works great (after the battery and 2 tires) and after we got it realized there isn't a key for the hatch threes no manual and not buttons of pulls that I can find is there any others way other then the key to get it open??
I have an opportunity to purchase a 2002 Taurus wagon with 82000 Miles. I believe it has a V6 3.0L 155 HP engine. I will offer the seller $3000. It sounds low, but I'm sure that dealer was probably offering $2000 or less (I checked Galves wholesale book). However, the concern that I have is about all the horror stories that I read about Taurus's poor mechanical quality. I plan to have my local mechanic check the car thoroughly. If it comes out clean, I may consider buying the car. Any word of advice from experienced long term owners of 2002 models.
1) Taurus reliability - In spite of common perception you'll find the reliability of the Taurus to be about average for all cars out there. There were some big problems with the head gasket in previous generations of the Taurus causing some people to label the car a lemon. This car just may be the bargain of the year as the resale values are not too high.
2) Don't count on buying a used car at $1000 over wholesale price. Your dealer may have to put money into reconditioning the car and may expect a bigger profit.
I might add that the head gasket issues were only on the old larger V-6, 3.8 Liter if I recall, not the 3.0 Vulcan or 3.0 Dohc Duratech. Both the 3.0 V-6's I believe have been fairly bullet proof.
Also, the transmissions have gotten much better in recent years as well.
Thank you very much for your reply (and to the previous sender #331). This was helpful. The car is being sold privately and not through a dealer. I expect that the owners never bothered with the trade-in, given the low value of these cars in the eyes of dealers. I read a lot about transmission problems, so I might be willing to accept potential repairs ($2500 for a new transmission) provided I get the car for a good price.
I have owned several Taurus / Sable Wagons and sedans since 96. I hate when I see these vehicles take hard critisism for quality as overall my experience with them has been very positive. My wife currently has a 2000 Taurus Wagon with the 24v duratech, leather, mach audio-cd changer etc. I bought the car with 6k on it for 13.5k 4 years ago, it now has 82k and outside of front pads (still has a brake shudder, chronic issue with these vehicles), and a set of tires has been excellent. What other vehicle can you buy for the money as loaded that is comfortable, performs well for what it is, seats 8 (in a pinch), can easily accomodate the lumber trip to Lowes and averages 24-28 MPG. She is currently interested in an 05 Freestyle and the Taurus is still worth about 5K. In my opinion, not bad depreciation for the service it has provided, I only hope the freestyle is as dependable.
My beloved 2000 Taurus wagon was totalled out in a crash on April 19, 05 and I am looking to replace it with another one. I had this car since 2002, bought it as a red carpet lease return with low miles and balance of factory warranty on it. My only major repairs were a windshield wiper motor and a brake shift lock switch that were covered by warranty (lucky for me). Other than that, only regular maintenance as anticipated. I too have found the actual station wagon market VERY LIMITED. Several Ford dealers say 2005 is the last year of production for the Taurus and just finding a wagon has been a challenge, as there were not many made--all going to ballyhoo the new Freestyle which is not what I am looking for. I have found an 04 with about 15K on it and my only qualm is the digital odometer/message center...I would prefer the rolling mechanical style, as any electronic repair makes me edgy. However, with any luck, I will probably buy this as a replacement as I feel the Taurus meets criteria of needs--hauling 3 teens and cargo, roof rack for special needs, etc. Average gas mileage for me was about 20mpg in the city, not too bad for a car of this size and weight. However, my payout from the insurance company was a little less than I'd hoped, but hey, it's a Ford. Bodily injuries to me personally..not too bad. I was rear ended by an early 90's Dodge and slammed into the rear of a work truck with a big metal bumper. Air bags deployed and I suffered chest bruising and a hairline fracture in the sternum. I was sore for a few days, but mostly angry that my car was not repairable. However, from the impact of the hit, all things considered, I would not want to be without air bags and hope that the newer model will not deploy with quite as much force...it felt like Roger Clemons (insert favorite MLB pitcher's name here) had hurled a fast one into my chest. However, I will most likely buy another one, but finding it has been the biggest challenge so far. Good luck, wagon seekers.
I have a 93 Ford Taurus wagon, 3.0. After starting engine, and leaving it out of gear, the engine starts to hunt for a stable idle. It will go from approx 1000 rpm down to 550 rpm at around 3-4 second intervals, and continue at a constant pace. Continually up and down. Did a intake manifold cleaning, helped a little for a short time, but its hunting again. It seems it does better in humid weather, and also when the coolant fan is running. Its got 120k on it, but in good condition from the fact of the eratic engine control. Does anyone have a clue what would be doing that? Any sensor in particular? Maybe something in the vaccume system. Any help, or pointed in the right direction would be gratifing.
Other than these problems,am happy with my '93, V6 3.8 Sable. Bought it used in '94 with about 26,000 miles. Has 108,385 miles now. Put on the last 8000 in the last 4 years. It's been my second car and generally use it now for small and very small trips. Until this year it had always started great. Then, 4 different times on cold starts it cranked and cranked (good battery) and wouldn't start. The first 3 times it then started up OK after about a half hour wait. (After the second time, had a tune-up: plugs, wires, distributor, etc. Didn't seem to matter.) This last time it didn't start over 2 days of sporadic trying. A friend suggested pouring some gasoline into air cleaner after removing air filter. It worked great, but am leery. Want a dependable start every time without that. What's the problem and fix? Secondly, I get about 17 or 18 miles to the gallon. I don't remember, but I think I used to get more. Any suggestions? Thanks,
Yes iannn, we are having the identical problem with our 1996 Taurus GL. Initially, the car is fine, but after about 10 minutes, the car shows all the same symptoms, except that the wipers also quit. However, the external lights all appear to work ok so theoretically the car is drivable, sans power steering, radio, power windows, and wipers. A friend of mine thinks it may be the ignition switch (http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?mfrpartnumber=IG20511#), but I'm not so sure. At $22.99, I may install a new one to see if that fixes the problem. Any info regarding the solution to this problem would be greatly appreciated, as the problem must lie in one replaceable component. Thanks in advance for any replies.
My car overheated and the thermostat was changed. now that the thermostat is changed i am not getting any heat from the climate control system. the coolant is at the required level and the temperature guage is about 3/4 ways up the guage. Any suggestions on what the problem may be or how to correct it?
We have a 2001 Taurus SE wagon with 60,000 miles. The brakes pulsates pretty bad when braking form the higher speeds. Has anyone else found this problem? Thanks Sid :confuse:
You've got warped brake rotors. At this mileage, if you haven't had a brake job at all, you probably need one, and the rotors at the least need to be machined or if they are in really bad shape, replaced.
My 97 Taurus did the same thing. A few days ago I noticed the audio stopping after about 10 miles, yesterday after about the same distance my power steering, power windows and audio went out. Didnt try the wipers... Posting a solution would be a big help!!
Bought this Taurus from an original owner for 4K as a second car and now the wagon is at 133,000. The problem sounds like the typical transmission problem.
No problem on the freeway but when I get off the freeway and going down the ramp...the car just shuts off....it doesn't happen often...maybe every other day. Before it shuts down, it sounds like my gears are shifting and then it shuts down. I would like to give the car to a friend of mine who badly needs a car but I would like to fix it first. Does this sound like a transmission problem? Does anybody out there have a good experience after installing a rebuilt trans?
I've good luck so far...but I would hate to give the car to a friend even with a rebuilt transmission and the car still sucks. What is the cost of a rebuilt trans?
I have a 1998 Mercury Sable (3.0 V-6) that apparently over heated last week. I was driving when it suddenly shut off. The temperature gauge was in the normal range, but I found a small leak in the radiator overflow tank. I was almost out of antifreeze. I finally got the car cooled down and filled up so I could drive home. I managed to patch the hole temporarily so I could get to AutoZone in order to have them check the computer (service engine soon light was on). The computer said one of the cylinders was missing. I gave it a tune up. Now the car won't start unless I hold the gas pedal down. When it does start it idles rough and white smoke billows out of the exhaust pipe. As soon as I put it in reverse it dies. Is this a head gasket problem and if so how much can I expect to spend to have it repaired? I seem to remember a recall on these a few years ago. Does that apply to this situation?
Hi, I was just reading your old e mail. It's interesting to me. Can you believe how bad Ford is doing? You were ahead of your time...almost 2 years to the date. I should have read it sooner. I own a Mercury Sable, and have lost a fortune on it. It's in the shop right now $1,400.00 tune up...for a piece of crap
I need to replace my rear brake light on my 98 Taurus wagon. After I remove the two screws that show under the rear gate when up, it still won't come out. Do I wiggle it out, or is there a hidden fastener somewhere? Don't want to break the lens and have to buy a new one! Thanks,
Consumer Reports is great for reliability stats on cars. I have had four Ford Taurus/Mer Sables, and all have been great! Best buy is used. Very reliable, drive great, good on gas -- what's not to like? But reading these forums is a little bit like what I heard from a cancer doctor -- all they see is cancer problems all day, so it seems more prevalent than it really is. Same for these forums where people post their gripes! Best regards, Djohnson1.
Antifreeze out the tail pipe is never good. You have a dead cylinder. Head gasket or cracked head. I have not heard of recalls relating to coolant problems in 3.0 engines. The older 3.8 engines had a problem with head gaskets. Check and identify which cylinder it is and try for a cheap fix...then trade ASAP. Or...fix it right with a longblock....not too much middle ground here.
Same exact problem for years now but with a 2000 Sable. Had motor replaced as well but this didn't solve the problem. Resorted to toe-kicking (i.e. with my shoe) the fuse panel in frustration and this worked for a while. I now have a stuck window too. Hopefully we'll find a resolution.
I have a 89 mercury cougar that was similar. Its not quite the same engine, but similar to the 90 sable I have in that it is a 3.8L V6. In my cougar, it was no turn signals or wipers, no heat/ac or stereo, but the higher block on the console with the power antenna and defroster worked. Normal lights worked too. I found out why, ignition switch, and apparently its the same switch for nearly every Ford/Mercury out there. Can be a pain in the butt to change though, since one of the two bolts holding it to the steering column is inside the dash, and both of the bolts on mine were the tamper-proof ones (little pin in the middle so you can't use a normal hex set).
Imlimo or iannn did you ever fined the problem? i have the identical problem to a tee, 96 taurus GL. I changed ignition switch and accessary delay relay still is the same. Help please anyone.
I have a 1995 Ford Taurus Wagon with a 3.0L engine and my problem is that after doing some stuff around town. I park in the parking lot and when I come back the car won’t start. I turn the key and nothing happens no clicking no nothing all the light and stuff all work. I have tried boosting it and that don’t work. I leave the car in the parking lot over night and go try it in the morning and it starts fine. This has happened twice in the last 3 weeks what could be the problem?
I have the same problem with my 96 Mercury Sable wagon. One day, the driver's side window works great (no slowing or signs of aging), the next my window is rolled down and won't come up. I took pliers and tried to "assist" the window up thinking the motor gave out. Nada save chipping some glass off the top.
I found resolution when I took as much of the door panel off as I could, and - after getting frustrated at not being able to get to the actual motor - hit the motor area with a rubber mallet. Bam, the window rolled up again flawlessly. Now, this happens to me occassionally. Usually, I open my door and "bang" the bottom third of the inside door panel a couple times with my palm and it does the trick. This may be a little quirky (though it's only happened about three more times over the past couple years), but it's better than getting a new motor! Hope this helps.
There is a large wire connector block that sits on top of the transmission, you can see it when the hood is up. This block transfers all the data from the firewall forward to the instrument cluster and everything inside the car. When my car did what you are describing, I put it in neutral and everything worked fine, back into drive and everything drops out. Anyway, that block has a bolt in the center that holds it together. Get some electrolytic grease and a can of spray contact cleaner. Take that wire block apart. blow out all the sockets w/ compressed air and use some contact cleaner on both sides. Once the pins and sockets are dry, put some electrolytic grease on the socket side and reseat/unplug the block a few times. put it back together and tighten the bolt back down and you should be good to go.
When that block looses contact with one certain pin (no idea which one) everything but the engine shuts off. Wipers, radio, Power Steering...but when I put my car in neutral and coasted, the transmission linkage bumped the block enough and made contact, put it back in gear and the contact was lost. It took us a while to find it, but that is what the problem was on my 96 Sable GS wagon.
My wife's 96 Mercury Sable - 3.0L (U) engine - started blowing warm air two weeks ago when she turned on the air-conditioning. We had had 100+ degree heat here in Reno, Nevada for the last two weeks, up from an average of 55 degrees for the last four months.
The AC compressor would cycle on and off, on and off, about every 5-6 seconds, dropping down to around 22-25 lb. of pressure, then going back up to a steady 45 lb. of pressure, until it "clicked off" again. The air didn't ever get cool, but the compressor kept right on "clicking on and off", as long as the climate control switch was on the AC position.
We took the car in about three days ago to a local shop. They "leak" tested the car, put in about 6 oz. of R34a, and supplied an estimate of $700+ to replace three "leaky" hoses, with a $114. of that $700 to "recharge" the system. Nothing was ever mentioned about the compressor, or the constant "on-off cycles" by either by the mechanic or the shop foreman on the written estimate.
My wife picked the car up, and it was only after the $49.99 "leak check" was paid for and I got home that night that I discovered that the problem with the compressor had never been addressed at all.
I bought a "recharge kit with leak detector and leak sealant- $28.95", with a pressure gauge at a parts store and got those weird pressure readings. I haven't yet "touched" the system because when the compressor was "on" for that 5-6 seconds, the low side pressure reading is exactly what it should be. NO leaks to be seen , and no cold air.
Does anyone have a clue as to why the compressor keeps kicking on and off, on and off?? I'm afraid to go some place else after the first shop was trying to charge me $700+ to replace about $150 in AC hoses and couldn't or didn't hear the compressor kicking on and off. I already know that Ford YF10 compressor, by itself, for just the part, costs between $290 to $550.
Since you have front disc brakes, the same as my wife's 96 Mercury Sable wagon, I'd have to say that you have bad or heat warped rotors (the disk part of the brake). The "pulse" happens as the brake pads skip over a "low" spot on the rotors and then hit a "high" spot.
That wears out the pads faster, and you can sometimes fix the problem by having the rotors "turned". But with 60,000 miles on the car you'd be better off buying new rotors.
A rapidly cycling AC compressor typically occurs when you are low on refrigerant charge. Meaning you probably have a leak somewhere. The shop may have diagnosed the problem properly as leaky hoses leading to the loss of refrigerant and then the rapidly cycling compressor. They probably did not recharge your AC, so the car is still low on refrigerant. There is not necessarily anything wrong with the compressor.
Did you get problem resolved? if so what was the problem? I have a similar problem with a 1996 taurus wagon, except that the radio clock goes black also. Started in february this year, looked almost like a bad battery, when I called for help, car started before help came. Had the charging/starter system checked out at garage everything good, no battery and charge system good, started ho hi-amp drain. Mechanic suggested it may be the aftermarket alarm the dealer put in. He told me next time it happend to disconnect the battery. Happened again in May and June. In My I just let it sit and it started. In June I disconnected the battery and it worked. Day before yesterday, I had to disconnect the battery for more than 10 minutes before I got it to work. Yesterday I had to disconnect more thqn 20minutes, and when I kept the key in the 'start' position, it finally kicked over. Looks like it is getting more frequent. Will have aftermarket alarm disconnect today or saturday, and if still don't help, will go to dealer to get computer diagnosed. Hope their computers are better than these $1000 acme jobs the garages have,
i have a '93 mercury sable wagon(3.8L).i bought it with 35,000miles on it.i have replaced the water pump,serpentine belt,2 hoses,4x's brakes,cooling fan motor,and head job at 230,000miles(tried to push it with no water circulation and kablam!!!)however,thats every single thing thats been done to her and guess how many miles she has?!@#$%&? 731,000 miles ">.i swear to christ almighty! i remember seeing commercials with people for honda, or toyota with cars that had 200 maybe 300,000 miles and thought that was good.731,000miles is betterheeheehee.ive never heard anything like that out of any car.heehee. i don't know, but i believe she may have 1,000,000 miles in her if not more.god bless Ford/Mercury.thanks bye
i recently traded my '01 sable ls prem. for a new '05 taurus sel wagon. my sable had the MACH audio system under rear deck yoou could see the large amp. running across the rear deck under. My question is my new wagon also has the MACH system, but where is the 80 watt amp. powering the system?? Not even the salesperson could tell me. I like the wagon so far, does seem to be a little more wind/engine noise in cabin. Does the sable ls prem. have any more insulation than the taurus sel wagon???
I am looking to find out where the low pressure line is on a 1992 Sable? I think it is back close to the firwall. I just want to make sure before filling the system.
Comments
Mercury will discontinue its long-suffering Sable sedan after the 2005 model year. Production of the Sable at Ford Motor Co.'s Atlanta assembly plant is expected to end in April.
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Thanks.
Thanks.
I drive about 90 miles round trip every day to work - mostly freeway averaging 80 miles per hour or so. I get around 27 miles per gallon with that drive. In the summer when I run the air conditioner the milage drops about 1 mile per gallon.
- Hope that helps
The wagon version might be a little less efficient do to a bit more weight.
Thanks,
Nick
I will check all the fluid levels tomorrow, and I'm hoping that filling the PS fluid and the the trany fluid will help. I will keep you posted.
Any other advice? I sure hope my gamble on this car works out! It looks like a beauty, hope it's not actually a beast!
-Pete
We actually had some problems with the cd changer we had it replaced 2x (all under wtty). It's been working fine for a while now tho. I hope it doesn't poop out again as it might be out of wtty by now.
Thanks very much for any word of wisdom,
Andrej
1) Taurus reliability - In spite of common perception you'll find the reliability of the Taurus to be about average for all cars out there. There were some big problems with the head gasket in previous generations of the Taurus causing some people to label the car a lemon. This car just may be the bargain of the year as the resale values are not too high.
2) Don't count on buying a used car at $1000 over wholesale price. Your dealer may have to put money into reconditioning the car and may expect a bigger profit.
Also, the transmissions have gotten much better in recent years as well.
Thanks again,
Andrej
Joe
Secondly, I get about 17 or 18 miles to the gallon. I don't remember, but I think I used to get more. Any suggestions? Thanks,
Burton
The brakes pulsates pretty bad when braking form the higher speeds.
Has anyone else found this problem?
Thanks
Sid :confuse:
thanks,
Thanks
No problem on the freeway but when I get off the freeway and going down the ramp...the car just shuts off....it doesn't happen often...maybe every other day. Before it shuts down, it sounds like my gears are shifting and then it shuts down. I would like to give the car to a friend of mine who badly needs a car but I would like to fix it first. Does this sound like a transmission problem? Does anybody out there have a good experience after installing a rebuilt trans?
I've good luck so far...but I would hate to give the car to a friend even with a rebuilt transmission and the car still sucks. What is the cost of a rebuilt trans?
I was just reading your old e mail. It's interesting to me. Can you believe how bad Ford is doing? You were ahead of your time...almost 2 years to the date. I should have read it sooner. I own a Mercury Sable, and have lost a fortune on it. It's in the shop right now $1,400.00 tune up...for a piece of crap
Don't want to break the lens and have to buy a new one!
Thanks,
Djohnson1
But reading these forums is a little bit like what I heard from a cancer doctor -- all they see is cancer problems all day, so it seems more prevalent than it really is. Same for these forums where people post their gripes!
Best regards,
Djohnson1.
Check and identify which cylinder it is and try for a cheap fix...then trade ASAP.
Or...fix it right with a longblock....not too much middle ground here.
I have the same problem with my 96 Mercury Sable wagon. One day, the driver's side window works great (no slowing or signs of aging), the next my window is rolled down and won't come up. I took pliers and tried to "assist" the window up thinking the motor gave out. Nada save chipping some glass off the top.
I found resolution when I took as much of the door panel off as I could, and - after getting frustrated at not being able to get to the actual motor - hit the motor area with a rubber mallet. Bam, the window rolled up again flawlessly. Now, this happens to me occassionally. Usually, I open my door and "bang" the bottom third of the inside door panel a couple times with my palm and it does the trick. This may be a little quirky (though it's only happened about three more times over the past couple years), but it's better than getting a new motor! Hope this helps.
--John
There is a large wire connector block that sits on top of the transmission, you can see it when the hood is up. This block transfers all the data from the firewall forward to the instrument cluster and everything inside the car. When my car did what you are describing, I put it in neutral and everything worked fine, back into drive and everything drops out. Anyway, that block has a bolt in the center that holds it together. Get some electrolytic grease and a can of spray contact cleaner. Take that wire block apart. blow out all the sockets w/ compressed air and use some contact cleaner on both sides. Once the pins and sockets are dry, put some electrolytic grease on the socket side and reseat/unplug the block a few times. put it back together and tighten the bolt back down and you should be good to go.
When that block looses contact with one certain pin (no idea which one) everything but the engine shuts off. Wipers, radio, Power Steering...but when I put my car in neutral and coasted, the transmission linkage bumped the block enough and made contact, put it back in gear and the contact was lost. It took us a while to find it, but that is what the problem was on my 96 Sable GS wagon.
Good luck!
Jon
The AC compressor would cycle on and off, on and off, about every 5-6 seconds, dropping down to around 22-25 lb. of pressure, then going back up to a steady 45 lb. of pressure, until it "clicked off" again. The air didn't ever get cool, but the compressor kept right on "clicking on and off", as long as the climate control switch was on the AC position.
We took the car in about three days ago to a local shop. They "leak" tested the car, put in about 6 oz. of R34a, and supplied an estimate of $700+ to replace three "leaky" hoses, with a $114. of that $700 to "recharge" the system. Nothing was ever mentioned about the compressor, or the constant "on-off cycles" by either by the mechanic or the shop foreman on the written estimate.
My wife picked the car up, and it was only after the $49.99 "leak check" was paid for and I got home that night that I discovered that the problem with the compressor had never been addressed at all.
I bought a "recharge kit with leak detector and leak sealant- $28.95", with a pressure gauge at a parts store and got those weird pressure readings. I haven't yet "touched" the system because when the compressor was "on" for that 5-6 seconds, the low side pressure reading is exactly what it should be. NO leaks to be seen , and no cold air.
Does anyone have a clue as to why the compressor keeps kicking on and off, on and off?? I'm afraid to go some place else after the first shop was trying to charge me $700+ to replace about $150 in AC hoses and couldn't or didn't hear the compressor kicking on and off. I already know that Ford YF10 compressor, by itself, for just the part, costs between $290 to $550.
That wears out the pads faster, and you can sometimes fix the problem by having the rotors "turned". But with 60,000 miles on the car you'd be better off buying new rotors.
I have a similar problem with a 1996 taurus wagon, except that the radio clock goes black also. Started in february this year, looked almost like a bad battery, when I called for help, car started before help came. Had the charging/starter system checked out at garage everything good, no battery and charge system good, started ho hi-amp drain. Mechanic suggested it may be the aftermarket alarm the dealer put in. He told me next time it happend to disconnect the battery. Happened again in May and June. In My I just let it sit and it started. In June I disconnected the battery and it worked. Day before yesterday, I had to disconnect the battery for more than 10 minutes before I got it to work. Yesterday I had to disconnect more thqn 20minutes, and when I kept the key in the 'start' position, it finally kicked over. Looks like it is getting more frequent. Will have aftermarket alarm disconnect today or saturday, and if still don't help, will go to dealer to get computer diagnosed. Hope their computers are better than these $1000 acme jobs the garages have,
thank you for your time
pfsnow