1995 Mercury Sable Clunk clunk clunk. Help!

TARA KRISTEN

MEMBER
1995 MERCURY SABLE

Noises problem
1995 Mercury Sable Front Wheel Drive 100000 miles

I have 2 problems.

One, since I bought my vehicle (used) there has been trouble with my front passenger brake. It clunks when I accelerate after sitting at a stop light or sign, no matter how long my foot was pressed down on the brake pedal. Not only can I hear it but I can feel it in my pedal on my foot through my shoe. I have, since buying the car, had a bit of work done, including 1 hub being replaced, front and back suspension and have had my rotors resurfaced and my pads are fine (can you say, I got ripped off?)

Anyway, I thought maybe after all of these repairs the clunking would be sure to go away and it hasn't. The worst part is some of the time the brake sticks and it grinds as it tries to let go when I'm trying to drive away from said light or sign and it smells like it's burning. Anyone have this trouble and what is the problem?

Two, in the last week my brake light on my dash has stayed on after I start my car. Now I know every dash light comes on when the vehicle is initially started but they all go off. My brake light stays on until I pull the brake release, it then makes a popping noise like air and goes off after 2 pulls. I will tell ya that recently when I had work done on my car after I left the shop my ABS light has been on constantly. They said it should go off, it hasn't. They checked it and said it is a censor and that my ABS nor my brakes are in jeopardy over the light being on but maybe it is?

The noise I described above (clunking) was occurring before the ABS light mishap. I'd appreciate any help I can get.

Thank you!

2 Replies

BILLYMAC

MECHANIC
2,204 POSTS

Hi tara and ty for such a detailed descriptive question. I hope the men will learn the proper way you have utilized for there questions. You have at the very least a bad caliper or even just a bad rubber brake hose. Which causes the caliper to stick and not release immediately hence the burning smell. Generally a problem that is only evident while brakes are being used, is always a brake problem. Have the calipers checked and the brake hoses. They may not be leaking but rather comeing apart from the inside causeing a restriction in the line and causeing uneven brake pressure. However their are more concerns for this problem you could possibly have a bad cv joint. You could possibly have a bad ball joint. Or a bad tierod end all this should be thouroughly inspected by a front end technician. Ty billymac