AI DamageMercury Sable: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercury Sable across 25 model years: 5,394 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9999 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 61 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 83 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 201 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 440 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 430 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 464 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 258 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 190 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 228 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 304 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 350 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 387 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 674 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 364 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 221 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 166 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 238 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 126 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 76 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 6% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1,205 complaints (22% of all), 10 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 900 complaints (17% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 800 complaints (15% of all), 15 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 509 complaints (9% of all), 82 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 444 complaints (8% of all), 64 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1986
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1986–2005named in 5 complaints
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2008–2009
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1988–1995named in 59 complaints
- automatic, 3-speed 1986
- automatic, 4-speed 1986–2005
- automatic, 6-speed 2008–2009
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5,394 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1,205 | 10 | 0 |
| Suspension | 900 | 7 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 800 | 15 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 509 | 82 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 444 | 64 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 441 | 5 | 0 |
| Structure | 333 | 10 | 0 |
| Steering | 315 | 13 | 0 |
| Visibility | 276 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 264 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 237 | 139 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 202 | 21 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 170 | 6 | 0 |
| Equipment | 133 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact's son sustained injuries to the left side that struck the driverâs side window, and the front of the head from possibly striking the steering wheel, a slight concussion, injury to the left arm, neck and back. The contact's son was referred to a doctor who was a specialist with spinal cord injuries.
The air bags did not deploy. The driver does not remember if there was any warning light illuminated on the vehicle. The crash caused damage to the front bumper and pushed in the front grill and hit the radiator of the vehicle. There were no injuries reported. A police report was filed.
The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt did not lock, which forced the contact to strike the steering wheel during the crash. The contact sustained a concussion, back, and neck injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed.
While attempting to park the vehicle, it experienced unintended acceleration. As a result, the vehicle jumped a curb and struck a metal table outside. The vehicle would not stop even with the brake pedal depressed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop where the vehicle was repaired.
Unintended acceleration resulting in an accident car rev'd on it's own and bolted forward while at a full stop at a red light and hit the car in front of it . Car was driven in twice and towed in once to the local ford dealership ,over the course of the 2 years prior to the accident ,with the same complaint.
While driving 35 mph, the brakes failed. Due to the brake failure, the vehicle was involved in a crash at an intersection with an oncoming vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and passenger sustained injuries to the back and face that required medical attention. A police report was filed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.