AI Damage2009 Mercury Sable: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mercury Sable filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 20
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 15% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 10% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 5% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 5 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (15% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (15% of all).
- Seats: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 20 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 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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 vehicle landed in an embankment and then stalled. A passenger sustained head injuries as a result. The vehicle had not yet been diagnosed for the accelerator failure. The vehicle was repaired for the body damage. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercury sable. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, crashing into and embankment and continuing into a golf course. The contact sustained lacerations from the crash. The front passenger's head impacted the windshield, resulting in a contusion.
This is a definite safety hazard, both for bodily injury and for a car fire. There should be a recall.
While cruising on interstate highways, on three occasions, the engine has quit running. The first incident occurred october 12, 2012 with about 18,000 miles on odometer.the second incident occurred during may, 2014 with about 34,000 miles on odometer.
The trunk door hydraulics failed. This occurred 1 week after the car was a year old in 2010. When opening trunk it comes down on your head. Manufacturer would not replace nor would dealer the hydraulic lifts on the trunk.
When the contact turned the steering wheel while driving 15 mph, the vehicle felt as if it would stall and an abnormal noise was heard. The traction control warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but could not be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
Another time all of a sudden the fuel gauge marked empty and I had just filled it a few miles before that.
While pulling into a parking space at 2 mph, the vehicle accelerated on its own. The failures occurred intermittently for three years. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failures. The manufacturer was notified. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 22,300.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,257 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sable has 216 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 20, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
- Sable 198646 sources
- Sable 198776 sources
- Sable 1988126 sources
- Sable 1989238 sources
- Sable 1990166 sources
- Sable 1991221 sources
- Sable 1992364 sources
- Sable 1993674 sources
- Sable 1994387 sources
- Sable 1995350 sources
- Sable 1996304 sources
- Sable 1997228 sources
- Sable 1998190 sources
- Sable 1999258 sources
- Sable 2000464 sources
- Sable 2001430 sources
- Sable 2002440 sources
- Sable 2003201 sources
- Sable 200452 sources
- Sable 200583 sources
- Sable 200861 sources
- Sable 999913 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercury Sable?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, vehicle speed control, powertrain. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (15%), warning lights, check engine (15%), stalls while driving (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Mercury Sable?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Mercury Sable from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
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.