1997 Mercury Sable 3.0 from North America

Summary:

Junk

Faults:

Well let's see, my husband just replaced the head gasket, intake gasket, spark plugs and wires, and now there is water in my oil and the car still runs just as crappy as it did before. Acts like it is missing out, just replaced the engine last year. Any ideas?

General Comments:

It is a junk pile, money pit.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th September, 2010

25th Oct 2012, 17:34

The Ford 3.0 V6 is one of the most durable and problem free engines out there. I have purchased over one hundred of these engines, and have not had one intake or head gasket failure. Not sure why you're having problems, but it is not the 3.0.

10th Feb 2016, 20:29

You can't just replace a head gasket when you blow a head gasket... that's assuming it was just the gasket to begin with.

1997 Mercury Sable from North America

Summary:

Nice quiet stable ride. Good for trips

Faults:

Problems with dome light and emergency flashers, and also the turn signal. Took the advice listed here to try WD-40 first, even though friends said check the fuses.

BY ALL MEANS USE THE WD-40 TRICK FIRST!!!

I bought a can of WD-40 with the straw and sprayed into the flasher button a couple of times with a good spray.

Then I sprayed the turn signal. Use a towel directly under the flap under the steering column to catch extra drips.

I sprayed the heck out of the door latch.

Everything worked within a minute or two. Keep that can on hand!

General Comments:

I bought this car on Craigslist at 54,000 miles. It now has 70,000 on it, and I love it, no problems at all.

I wanted a car with airbags and anti-lock brakes after I took community awareness at my local sheriff's office, and they suggested this, and I got rid of my much older vehicle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th May, 2010

1997 Mercury Sable from North America

Summary:

Great when running

Faults:

Really haven't had any problems until now. Great gas mileage. Comfortable.

Just had the car in the shop to figure out why the power steering doesn't work. Replaced the power steering pump, replaced the rack and pinon. But the car doesn't have power steering, and the mechanic cannot figure it out.

The power steering worked fine - until one night when the alternator went out. Had that replaced and since then the power steering hasn't worked.

Could I have blown something in the gear box?

General Comments:

Perfect commuter car. Wonderful on gas and roomy.

I was able to buy it at a very good price, and the only thing I've replaced is the alternator until now.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th August, 2009

1997 Mercury Sable Sedan LS 3.? from North America

Summary:

Very dependable and comfy

Faults:

Brakes constantly need replacement.

In cold weather the door sticks open and won't shut. Best way to have the door close is spray in the little hole on the door (C shape item that sticks) with WD-40 (don't be stingy, use a lot) then either use your fist and hit around the hole, or give it a good kick. Sometimes I just get the metal bar out of my trunk and give it a good whack, and it will unstick.

Other than that, I love the car!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th March, 2009

1997 Mercury Sable LS 2.3L from North America

Summary:

Good car

Faults:

It needed a new accessory drive belt when purchased.

Generally, it has been a good car.

I too, have experienced the dome light problem off and on for the past 6 months.

The doors "open" icon would stay on in the instrument panel. It ran the battery down once.

Today, while experiencing the problem, I sprayed the WD-40 into the door lock latches in the doors, and the problem is gone!! Hope it lasts.

General Comments:

It's a good car with crisp acceleration and braking, and many space utilization features, including a flip-down back seat to make a larger trunk hauling space.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 10th February, 2009

1997 Mercury Sable GS 3.0L V6 from North America

Summary:

So far it is decent

Faults:

11,500 miles, my radiator started leaking. ($300 fix)

17,100 miles, my transmission started slipping (I was really low on transmission fluid, and just added fluid and it has been fine since)

25,000 miles, my car overheated (bad thermostat, $10 fix)

General Comments:

This is my first car and I really like it, but I am very scared that it will end quickly, and I think I have been very lucky.

I have heard nothing but bad things about the engine and the transmission in these cars. I am a 19 year old single mom of twins, and I would not want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere with my 1 year old twin boys. I am very lucky to have only been stranded down the street from my house, and also very lucky to not have a bad transmission or a bad engine.

My friend has a 1997 Ford Taurus, which is the same as this car, and it had to have the transmission and head gaskets fixed, like one after another. That kills money.

My car is so far pretty reliable, but I just hope it stays that way. I got this car for free pretty much, my Grandma can't drive anymore so she gave it to me, and she rarely even drove it, which is why I got it with only 8,250 miles. But then again, it is also an 11 year old car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th October, 2008

14th Oct 2008, 18:27

Update to my article "so far it is decent".

I just posted my article about my Sable yesterday, and I am really upset with what just happened. I was driving home from getting my twin boys back from their father, and going to the store when it happened. We were getting ready to leave the store with groceries, I started the car and it sounded so bad, the engine was making loud knocking noises, and my service engine soon and oil pressure lights were on. My kid's father came down to see what was wrong with it, and he said it sounded like I was missing cylinders. There was oil in the engine too when this happened, in fact it just got changed 3 days before. He told me I could drive it home and I did just fine except for the loss of power, and it took literally a 1/4 tank to make it home from the store, which is a 9 mile trip. Mechanic says my engine is missing cylinders 2, 4, and 5. He says they are seized and he says that this engine is literally crap, and he fixes a lot of them, they keep him in business.

I like this car in all, but at 27,413 miles with seized cylinders, I cannot drive this anymore until it gets a new engine by the weekend. I hope the new engine does better than the last one.