96 Mercury Sable Problem with losing accesories

[BurkGlocker]

When the car is in park or neutral, the radio, windows, windshield wipers and defrost all work, but as soon as it is put into gear; reverse or drive, I lose all of them, plus power steering. Would it be the ignition switch or neutral safety switch that is giving me problems? Any input would be well appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

BG

 

[Texasjack]

Power steering? That isn't tied to the electrical system.

For a 96 Merc, the best advice might be to remove the radiator cap. Put the cap on a newer car and drive off, allowing the Merc to be mercifully melted into rebar.

 

[BurkGlocker]

Power steering? That isn't tied to the electrical system.

For a 96 Merc, the best advice might be to remove the radiator cap. Put the cap on a newer car and drive off, allowing the Merc to be mercifully melted into rebar.

No, the power steering isnt tied to the electrical system, but I lose it when it is put into gear, but have it when it is in neutral or park.

I was looking for advice, but not the sort that your provided, but thanks for the input... I'll reserve it for later when I cant figure out WTF is wrong with it. I have been on the verge of using it for target practice on many occasions because of the frustration, but I need it for work and dont have any funds saved up to spend on another car. Just started a new job and the car has been sitting for about 9 months and started this crap. Oh well... Maybe someone will read this and help me out...

BG

 

[Texas1911]

The only way to lose power steering would be for the serpentine belt to slip, and that would take the alternator and A/C along with it. At no point does the neutral switch change any of that.

I would check the belt and tensioner assemblies.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Without a schematic, it's kinda hard to troubleshoot...and this is gonna sound crazy - but I'd look for a bad ground. Sounds like when the engine is put under load, it's moving and causing a ground wire to "break" contact. Try running a ground wire from the block to the negative post on the battery.

 

[BurkGlocker]

LOL it is the transmission range sensor (i.e neutral safety switch)... Started searching for a list of my problems, found a troubleshooting webpage, and it listed that as the problem, and after doing as they said, unhooking it while started, all of my problems went away, but as soon as I hooked it back up, all of my problems resurfaced. Unfortunately, it is not sold at AutoZone, O'Reillys or CarQuest, only dealership item, and thats if it can be found. Thanks for the help guys...

BG

 

[Dcav]

1996-1999 Ford Taurus Neutral Safety Switch - Motorcraft - Direct OE replacement


IIRC sable and taurus parts all cross over. Kind of like crown vic and town car for the most part.

 

[BurkGlocker]

I found it after I edited, that the transmission range sensor and neutral safety switch was the same thing, that the NSS was attached to the TRS. So, I found it, just have to search for something that is within my price range, especially for a car with almost 250K miles. Hopefully within a few months I can get a newer car instead of the rust bucket. Its been a good car, been to hell and back, especially since my sister in law owned it before, but it has served its purpose well enough.

BG

 

[TexasRedneck]

Well, if it's a 3.0.....1996-1999 FORD TAURUS 3.0 NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH: eBay Motors (item 180440867049 end time Jun-01-10 06:54:08 PDT)

 

[TexasRedneck]

Sable....

NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH mercury SABLE 97 96 95 94 93 1993: eBay Motors (item 110532467300 end time Jun-11-10 17:59:34 PDT)

 

[Texasjack]

OK, fair enough - I wasn't helping. Sorry. We've all owned a car like that. Mine was a '63 Buick; the wheels would occasionally fall off, the ignition switch went out (in a tunnel!), the windshield leaked (so I had little containers to catch water).

 

[TexasRedneck]

Tjack - don't beat yerself up too badly....I understood the humor, but I have a feeling we're dealin' w/someone right now frustrated w/trying to keep a clunker goin' he'd just as soon push off a cliff, but just can't yet. Been there myself - more than once - two divorces'll do a number on yer finances! Dave Ramsey talks about naming your clunkers....I would have, but "Piece of Shit" took longer to say than most of 'em would run!

One thing about it, though - sure made me appreciate havin' nice vehicles!

 

[BurkGlocker]

TexasJack: No, I took the humor as friendly and given from the heart. The car runs great when its on the road, still getting anywhere from 24-27 miles on the freeway at 75 mph (not bad for a 15 year old car!). I just would like all of the stuff to work while I am in it. When I pull up to the toll booth on the Oklahoma Tollway, I have to put the car into park just to roll down the windows. LOL I kept getting looks from the toll officer everytime I did it until I explained to her what the problem was.

But, I will try to keep 'Ol' Blue' running for as long as I can, even if I have to resort to duct tape to hold the doors and windows on. And I know it will, had a friend with an old Caddy who had the front and rear quarter panels duct taped onto the car but hell, the guy even put a fifth wheel hitch in the trunk as well, so he was nuts anyways. LOL

TexasRedneck: I know the feeling about the divorces. I've had two myself, and had to restart from the bottom both times, each time getting a car that was less than desirable. One was an '87 Honda hatchback, the other was an '80 Malibu stationwagon that I bought for $100. They both ran, but did little to help in the dating scene. I eventually stripped out the Malibu and turned it into a 'shaggin wagon' with horsepower. Had it until I loaned it to my brother one night and he totaled it in a roll over (which my brothers have wrecked a few of our vehicles, an '88 and '98 S-10 included in that list, plus dad's '98 GMC 1500, and no telling how many of their own; yeah, we're not lending them vehicles ever again). I saved the 383 and tranny and sold them to a buddy who put it in his pick-up and probably still has them, but I dunno, havent spoke to him in a few years.

Thanks guys for the help. Gonna get to the parts store today to get this thing running as close to tip-top as I can.

Rock on!

BG

 

[TexasRedneck]

BG - it's funny you mention the dating....I met my current wife while driving a heap, which was VERY cool! One thing I learned was to avoid materialistic wimmen - and that old Nissan was perfect for that. Nothing really wrong with it, just an old Nissan that ran well, but was about 12 years old. Most women looked at it and offered that we drive THEIR car for the date. "Schoolmarm" didn't - she got right in, complimented about how well it ran, and off we went to the movies. I figured she was a keeper.....<G> Needless to say, we drive cars a tad nicer now!

 

[BurkGlocker]

My wife and need to get something a little bigger than what we have now... Like a tour bus! Everytime we turn around we have our kids and everyone else's over at our house, and a '99 Grand Am or '96 Sable isnt going to cut it. My Dad lent us his '98 GMC Ext. Cab (yes, it still runs after two wrecks and almost 375K miles) to cart kids back and forth. We acquired two more kiddos for three weeks while my buddy gets ready to come back home from Edwards AFB, and while him and his old lady work things out. She has a bad habit of babying her two kids while mad-dogging his, where he shows equal impartiality towards all of them, so we decided it would be better for them if they stayed here, and they might as well, they're just like our own kids anyways. But now, I am just rambling. LOL, sorry.

BG

 

[Texasjack]

Two divorces? You fellas learn slow. One divorce was enough for me. When she got done cleaning out the house, I didn't even have a lightbulb left. Fortunately, she moved more than one broomstick flight away and my life improved immensely.

And, yes, she did take the better of the two vehicles.