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2008 and Later Ford Taurus / Mercury Sable Maintenance and Repair Forum

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Comments

  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    My folks have a 2008 Taurus that squeaked over speed bumps after a few thousand miles. One trip to the dealer solved the common problem.

    Have a little faith!
  • kd7oqckd7oqc Member Posts: 8
    What did the dealer do to solve the problem?
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    The following TSB fixed my 2008 Sable. (I have a pdf file which has a diagram, but I don't know how to include it here.)

    TSB
    07-26-8 FRONT STRUT NOISE - BUILT BEFORE 10/19/2007

    Publication Date: December 21, 2007

    FORD: 2008 Taurus X, Taurus
    MERCURY: 2008 Sable

    This article supersedes TSB 07-19-3 to update the Service Procedure and production fix date.

    ISSUE:
    Some 2008 Taurus, Taurus X and Sable vehicles built on or before 10/19/2007, may exhibit a popping/rubbing/grunting/squeaking or creaking type noise from the front strut mount. Typically, the noise is observed in the front outboard wheel while turning. This noise may be caused by the jounce bumper rubbing against the strut rod, or the dust boot rubbing against the strut mount cup.

    ACTION:
    Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

    SERVICE PROCEDURE

    Raise the vehicle as described in Workshop Manual, Section 100-02.
    Reach through the spring and pull the strut dust cover and jounce bumper assembly straight down, out of the strut bearing mount.
    Apply Motorcraft Silicone Brake Caliper Grease and Dielectric Compound: (Figure 1)
    To the entire length of the chromed strut rod above the jounce bumper and 360° around the rod.
    To the top and sides of the uppermost part of the dust boot.

    Figure 1 - Article 07-26-8

    Slide the dust cover upward into its original location on the strut.
    Repeat the procedure on the other side of the vehicle.
    Lower the vehicle.

    PART NUMBER PART NAME
    XG-3-A Motorcraft® Silicone Brake Caliper Grease and Dielectric Compound
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    ronsmith38's post answers it. They lubricated some things using that TSB and it is quiet as a mouse now. Returned 26 MPG on a short trip from Gulf Shores, AL to Biloxi, MS this weekend at 75-80 MPH with three of us on board.
  • jontyreesjontyrees Member Posts: 160
    Anyone have any info on what a 30,000 mile service should consist of and cost for a 2008 Taurus? Took mine in today, and I'll be $579 lighter by the time I get the car back. I don't feel terrible about it since this is the first time I've had to take it in since getting the very early glitches taken care of (squeeky struts, fading trip computer LEDs). Still - I always feel like I'm just offering up my checkbook and asking them to take whatever they want when I go for a scheduled service - I don't have a good feel for what is reasonable. Otherwise, I'm loving this car - so glad I didn't go with an import.
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    I look at the maintenance section of the owners manual and only have items done that are required there. The dealers like to do other unnecessary things.
  • drewhwdrewhw Member Posts: 2
    Need to change transmission fluid. When I get under the car, the trans. plug does not look odvious as the oil plug does. Actually it looks as if there are two plugs, one lower and one a bit higher in another area of the transmission. can anyone give me an idea where the plug may be located? Thanks!
  • slagfyshslagfysh Member Posts: 7
    I have an 08 Mercury Sable with 40K miles. I have recently begun to hear a scrubbing/swishing noise at low speeds. It is inaudible a speed because road noise drowns it out. The noise is a rapidly recurring at low speed and most noticeable when making a right turn thereby loading the left wheel from whence the noise comes. Anyone had this experience, if so, what's the fix.
  • bfamilybfamily Member Posts: 15
    Mine had a similar noise but also a resonance at speeds between 70 and 75 mph. Ended up being the left front wheel bearing.
  • slagfyshslagfysh Member Posts: 7
    I bought an 08 Sable new. Gas mileage is around 21 mpg more or less depending on the ratio of city/highway driving. The computer readout re: mpg bears no relationship to reality. It's a great car in many ways but gas mileage is not it's recommending quality.
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    If you reset the gas mileage indicator with each fill up, it will indicate close to actual gas mileage for that tank of gas.
    This indicator gives average mileage since the last reset.
  • slagfyshslagfysh Member Posts: 7
    I recently had a couple of episodes with my 08 Mercury Sable which I thought might be of interest to owners of similar vehicles with this engine. I was far from home and stopped for gas. When I cranked up to leave, the engine would not respond to the accelerator. I eventually got the car to begin slowly moving and got out onto the street. A short distance later I stopped for a traffic light and had the same experience. A short distance later I pulled off and checked the transmission. The fluid level was on the full mark. After these two episodes, the car ran fine and made it home without further issues. Later I learned from a poster on another forum that these engines had issued with carbon build up in the throttle body which kept the throttle plate from completely closing, causing the throttle position sensor to send out crazy signals the caused problems such as I experience. He advised wiping clean the throttle body and plate every oil change and removing the throttle body for a thorough cleaning every 30K miles. When cleaning after removal it is important to keep the TPS which is attached to the TB on top so that none of the cleaning spray makes it way into the TPS. I removed mine and gave it a thorough cleaning. It has performed flawless since. I might also say the mine was very dirty and caked with carbon. It had 41K miles so I was late to the need for regular cleaning. Hope this information helps someone else.
  • praisingerpraisinger Member Posts: 1
  • jshillingtonjshillington Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2009 Ford Taurus with 33,000 miles on it. I have noticed that when the car reaches a point where the car bottoms out I hear a clunk. sometimes the noise sounds like a windshield cracking. I took the car to Reynolds Ford and they are telling me that the struts are bad. The car drives fine, passes the bounce test, tires are not cupped. I am wondering if the TSB fix would work. Any body have a clue?
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    If the dealer will replace the struts under warranty do that. Otherwise the TSB fix should work. It fixed my 2008 Sable.
  • jshillingtonjshillington Member Posts: 3
    Dealer is not cooperating. I have the miles left on the warantee it is the time. As far as I can tell time does not wear out a part! Thank you for the reply
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    My parents just spent $300 on the replacement strut. Their '08 Taurus had 47k miles on it. Two weeks later, the A/C Compressor had to be replaced at about $950. A bolt had sheared off or something like that, killing the compressor.

    Disappointing after 4 years of good service.
  • stevr1stevr1 Member Posts: 1
    I know this is a little late in the discussion, but I own a 2009 Taurus Limited. I have had the struts replaced, sway bars replaced, and the nuts tightened on the assemblies on several occaisions. The "clunk" goes away for awhile, but then always comes back in a few months.

    I had the original dealer try to tell me it was normal. I really don't don't believe that at all.

    Can you tell me what TSB # you are referring to? What is the fix the TSB recommends?

    Thanks.
  • jshillingtonjshillington Member Posts: 3
    For the TSB fix refer to page 6 of this forum. I have not tried it, but sounds like the Fpord service people do not know how to fix the problem. Good luck!
  • dmers1dmers1 Member Posts: 8
    edited October 2013
    Our 2008 Mercury Sable Premier has about 130K without much problem, except basic maintenance. I know we have version 1.0 MySync and it is very crude and slow.

    I feel Mulally is part of the problem. He refuses to open up to the upcoming Apple iOS 7 w/64 bit chip and keep the slow Microsoft system in the Ford/Lincoln cars. I think he is doing this in order to get a sweet deal from Microsoft as a new CEO. Or he is tech illiterate.

    Also, he could be using Garmin (with 1 lifetime upgrade fee) for GPS vs. the $200.00/year upgrade map DVDs that Ford currently uses.

    I also, am not a believer in Consumer Reports biased auto evaluations, though I do like to read the 5-8 year customer complaint summaries for each model to watch for trends in repairs and mechanical issues, as we keep our vehicles for quite a few years.

    I really do hate to give this car up. I don't know how Ford screwed up the rear seating in the current 2014 models (Taurus/Lincoln MKS). It seems like a limo in the rear seats of our car and we get a lot of compliments on the ride and massive rear sitting room on trips with others.
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