Fix It

The 1999 Mercury Sable model enjoyed some early positive reviews, but major problems would later be reported on some models with the brakes, engine and various accessories. Smaller issues were also reported with other areas of the vehicle, including the transmission. As of 2010, the Ford Company is dropping the Mercury line of cars, including the Sable.

Leaking Fluid

In some models there were early problems with leaking transmission fluid well before any part of the car should be worn down. A variety of causes can trigger this problem, from loose hoses to improper fastening. This was not a common enough problem to warrant a recall or widespread announcement, but enough early repairs were made to note this as a potential problem in 99 Sables.

Front Pump Issues

Problems with the front pump in the 1999 Sable were often chalked up to an engine issue, although it affects the transmission. The front pump is a part of the torque converter in automatic transmissions, and directly affects the mixture of air with transmission fluid. If the front pump isnt working properly, most often due to gunk or carbon build up from a lack of maintenance, the car will experience transmission issues and eventually wont even shift into gear. Repair costs can vary greatly, depending on the exact nature of the main problem with the front pump and whether the issue requires a simple cleaning or if an outright replacement is needed.

Engine Problems Affecting Transmission

Some of the most common problems reported on the 1999 Mercury Sable come from engine issues that affect other parts of the vehicle so that they in turn dont work properly. MSN Auto is one of many sources citing major reports of a variety of engine problems on the 1999 Mercury Sable. Since the transmission is the most complicated section of a modern car, any problem in another part of the engine can affect the transmission.

Balance shaft seals are rubber O-rings that seal in oil in and around the primary pulley belt arm in many vehicles. These typically degrade as the vehicle approaches 100,000 miles, roughly at the same time the belts need replacement. Installing one of these is not overly difficult, provided you know where to look and have the right tools.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of the vehicle, when it is not running.

2

Locate the bolts securing the plastic or metal valve cover. Remove these bolts and set aside the cover, revealing the balance shaft.

3

Look for signs of oil leaking onto the drive shaft and timing belt. Check to see if the existing seal is visibly cracked or deformed.

4

Remove the nut holding the timing belt. Slide the belt and pulley off the shaft, taking care not to lose the pulley in the engine compartment.

5

Look for a small metal plate securing the seal in place. Remove this with the appropriate screwdriver to gain access to the seal itself.

6

Slide a small standard screwdriver between the case and seal. Gently pop out the old seal. Expect a little oil to come out behind it; this is normal.

7

Coat the new seal with bearing grease. Slide the new seal in place, ensuring that it goes in evenly to prevent future leaks.

8

Screw the retaining clip back over the seal. Slide the pulley back on the arm, securing it with the bolt and ratchet.

9

Bolt the valve cover back in place to complete seal replacement.

Coupling alignment refers to the process of bringing the coaxial shafts of a vehicle into alignment. Different types of couplings can tolerate very different degrees of misalignment. If misalignment is a common worry for you, it may be best to prepare for the worst and use the most flexible couplings whenever possible. Misalignment can result in several undesirable consequences.

Main Reasons

The main purpose of performing a coupling alignment procedure is to align the surfaces of the coupling. This is done by bringing the center lines of the shafts into alignment. It is the alignment of the center lines of the shafts that are responsible for maintaining the maximum service life of the bearing, couplings and the vehicle as a whole.

Consequences of Misalignment

There are several unfortunate consequences of coupling misalignment. The first is increased load on the bearings and fittings. Over time, this puts unnecessary strain on the bearings and fittings, which contributes to general wear and shortens the vehicles overall life. The second unfortunate consequence is the flexing of the shafts, which again causes unnecessary wear. Finally, coupling misalignment results in vibrations being transmitted throughout the body of the vehicle. This causes wear not just on the couplings and surrounding parts, but on every aspect of the vehicle, shortening its overall life.

Deciding on a Method

There are several different methods of performing coupling alignment. When choosing a method, there are many different factors that must be taken into account. These include the speed at which the vehicle generally operates, the tools available to the person performing the alignment, the intended uses of the vehicle, the alignment tolerances and specifications, the length of time available to perform the alignment procedure and the condition of the vehicle at the time of the alignment procedure.

Methods

Depending on the aforementioned factors, mechanics will choose one of four coupling alignment procures. The first is a rough alignment using a straight edge and feeler gauge. The second is called "rim and face dialing." The third is called cross dialing, which uses either a graph method or reverse reading dialing method. Finally, the fourth is laser alignment.

The BernzOmatic 0X2550 is a combination cutting, welding and brazing torch. While it is billed as a cutting torch, it is not a torch that one would use for cutting 3/8-inch steel plate. It is very well suited for cutting off small fasteners, but that is about the extent of its cutting capabilities. It is also well suited for welding and brazing.

Instructions

1

Screw the oxygen cylinder onto the torchs oxygen valve. The oxygen valve is the taller of the two brass connections, and it has a black plastic knob on the top. Screw the MAPP gas cylinder onto the shorter brass connector with the black plastic knob on the side. Set the bottles on the wire stand included with the kit.

2

Purge the lines. Open the oxygen valve until pure oxygen comes out of the end of the burner wand. Close the oxygen valve. Open the gas valve until you detect the odor of the MAPP gas. Close the valve. Purging the lines ensures that there is no oxygen in the gas line, and no gas in the oxygen line.

3

Open the MAPP gas valve by turning the black plastic knob on the side of the brass cylinder connection counterclockwise one-eighth turn.

4

Ignite the gas at the end of the burner wand by holding the cup of the spark lighter over the end of the wand and squeezing the spring-loaded handle of the spark lighter to create a spark that ignites the gas. Open the gas valve until the flame stops smoking. Open the valve on the oxygen tank connector until the flame loses its feather around the inner core of the flame.

5

Perform the intended task. Close the oxygen valve. Close the MAPP gas valve. Unscrew both the oxygen and MAPP gas cylinder.

The 2005 Honda Accord uses different light bulbs in each headlight assembly for the low beams and high beams. Changing a low beam bulb involves a different procedure than the high beam bulb. To ensure the correct bulb is being replaced, its best to locate the faulty bulb before purchasing and replacing it in order to obtain the correct part. The bulbs look the same but are intended for different uses. The low beam bulbs are on the outer edge of the headlight assembly, and the high beam bulbs are on the inner edge.

Instructions

Low Beams

1

Start the engine and turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the headlight being replaced. Turn it all the way to the right if replacing the drivers side low beam or all the way to the left if replacing the passengers side low beam. Turn the engine off and ensure the headlight switch is in the "Off" position.

2

Remove the two retaining clips holding the inner fender splash cover with a flat head screwdriver. Pop the center pin of the retaining clip upward then pull the clip assembly out of the fender splash cover.

3

Pull the fender splash cover away from the fender and bumper with one hand and reach in with the other hand to grasp the socket of the low beam headlight bulb.

4

Disconnect the wire harness plug from the headlight bulb by squeezing in on the sides to unlock it then pull it off the socket of the low beam headlight bulb.

5

Rotate the bulb socket a 1/4 turn counterclockwise to align its retaining tabs to the release grooves of the headlight assembly then remove the bulb.

6

Hold the replacement 9006 low beam headlight bulb by its socket to avoid touching the glass bulb. Oils and perspiration in skin will damage the bulb.

7

Align the retaining tabs of the bulb socket to the release grooves in the headlight assembly. Push slightly inward and rotate the socket a 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place. Reconnect the wire harness plug and test the headlight before replacing the retaining tabs of the fender splash cover.

High Beams

8

Open the hood and remove the two retaining clips from the air intake cover on the passengers side high beam with the screwdriver as noted in Step 3. For the drivers side high beam replacement, proceed to Step 2.

9

Detach the wire harness connection from the high beam bulb by squeezing the sides to unlock it then pulling it out of the bulb socket.

10

Rotate the socket of the headlight bulb a 1/4 turn counterclockwise to remove it from the headlight assembly.

11

Install the replacement 9006 headlight bulb (again, do not touch the glass bulb section) by reversing the removal procedure.

12

Reconnect the wire harness plug to the headlight bulb socket and test the headlight before replacing the air intake cover and retaining clips for the passengers side.

Repairing a car dent can be costly, depending on the make and model of the car, the age of the car and the level of damage. Knowing how to fix this problem yourself empowers you to save time and money.

Instructions

1

Inspect the dent and the surrounding area. Mark the central area of the dent, which is the deepest point of the indentation. The central area is located in the center of the upper and lower portion of the undented area.

2

Mix detergent in a container of water. Once the detergent has been mixed properly, immerse the sponge. Leave the sponge in for about 20 seconds, then rub it over the dented area as thoroughly as possible.

3

Rinse the dented area with water, and completely remove the applied detergent. Once you have rinsed the area thoroughly, apply the sponge, and remove any remaining signs of detergent. All grime or dirt must be removed from the dented area.

4

Immerse the bottom portion of the dent-puller suction cup in water. Once it is wet, apply it to the middle of the central area, which you previously marked.

5

Turn on the heat gun, and set the temperature to high. Apply the gun to the edges of the dented area. Do this thoroughly for about 45-60 seconds, until you have covered the entire outer region of the indentation. Immediately after removing the gun, use the dent puller to yank out the dent, and bring the metallic portion back to its normal state.

A Ford factory warranty guarantees repair and/or replacement of specific systems and components of a vehicle, within the limitations outlined in the warranty plan. To receive the full benefit of the coverage, owners must have all scheduled maintenance performed on their vehicle. Failure to adhere to the maintenance schedule may result in voiding the warranty coverage.

Function

Only an authorized Ford dealership may make the repairs. The dealership may use Ford or Motorcraft parts. In addition, Ford technicians may install remanufactured components or other parts as instructed by Ford or the dealership management. According to the warranty language, the vehicle owner must allow the dealership a "reasonable" period to make necessary repairs.

Considerations

Keep invoices for receipts for parts and repairs, and make sure to record work performed on the vehicle in the Scheduled Maintenance Guide. Vehicle owners do not have to pay for repairs covered under the factory warranty over the life of the warranty period unless specifically stated in writing. Some states have regulations that may override certain provisions of the warranty, such as the coverage period or the payment of taxes, which becomes the owners responsibility.

Types

The Ford factory warranty covers bumper to bumper, powertrain, safety restraints, corrosion and powerstroke diesel engines. The components covered include engine components and the transmission. The warranty replaces tires on a "prorated basis up to 36,000 miles.

Time Frame

The factory warranty covers warranted repairs based on the number of years or the number of miles on the vehicle, whichever comes first. For instance, the bumper-to-bumper coverage has a three-year/36,000 miles warranty. The powertrain and safety restraints have coverage for five years/60,000 miles, depending on what is reached first. Some vehicle corrosion has five years/unlimited miles and the powerstroke diesel engine (6.0 or 6.4-liter) has five years/100,000 miles.