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Mercury SableYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 5,379 NHTSA owner complaints across 23 model years, the Mercury Sable years to avoid are 1993, and the strongest years are 1986, 2004, 2005 and 2008. The Sable has 46 safety recalls on record.

Mercury Sable
Years to avoid'93Use caution: 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002Best years'86 '04 '05 '08Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints5,379Top: Engine and engine coolingSafety recalls461986–2009 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: David Brooks, CC BY 2.0.

Best & worst years

Mercury Sable years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sable median. Tap a year for its full report.

'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'08'09
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2009Not rated–/10020 complaints · 0 recalls2008Best76/10061 complaints · 1 recall2006Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2005Best75/10083 complaints · 0 recalls2004Best82/10052 complaints · 1 recall2003Solid54/100201 complaints · 3 recalls2002Caution34/100440 complaints · 3 recalls2001Caution34/100430 complaints · 8 recalls2000Caution33/100464 complaints · 7 recalls1999Solid45/100258 complaints · 5 recalls1998Solid50/100190 complaints · 2 recalls1997Solid51/100228 complaints · 3 recalls1996Caution41/100304 complaints · 5 recalls1995Caution40/100350 complaints · 5 recalls1994Caution38/100387 complaints · 4 recalls1993Avoid27/100673 complaints · 6 recalls1992Caution41/100364 complaints · 4 recalls1991Solid51/100221 complaints · 4 recalls1990Solid53/100166 complaints · 5 recalls1989Caution41/100238 complaints · 6 recalls1988Solid60/100126 complaints · 5 recalls1987Best73/10076 complaints · 8 recalls1986Best82/10046 complaints · 8 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Mercury Sable problems

All model years combined: 5,379 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling120075
Suspension90011
Power train79627
Vehicle speed control50784
Electrical system43898
Service brakes, hydraulic39259
Structure33221
Steering31544
Visibility2709
22 other systems1395244
46 recalls

Mercury Sable recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

84%Air bags: frontal16V-247 · 2008 · Apr 26, 2016 · 695 vehicles–Springs: coil springs04V-332 · 1999–2001 · Jul 15, 2004 · 899,060 vehicles–Front assembly: power adjust04V-330 · 2004 · Jul 8, 2004 · 24,277 vehicles–Brake lights: switch04V-106 · 2000–2003 · Mar 2, 2004 · 938,789 vehicles–Engine and engine cooling04V-105 · 2003 · Mar 2, 2004 · 399,926 vehicles–Visibility: windshield03V-087 · 2002–2003 · Mar 10, 2003 · 67,894 vehicles–Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages02V-266 · 2000–2002 · Oct 2, 2002 · 369,614 vehicles–Cooling system: fan01V-390 · 1995 · Dec 21, 2001 · 695,260 vehicles–Windshield wiper/washer: motor01V-258 · 2000–2001 · Aug 8, 2001 · 1,083,000 vehicles–Front: buckle assembly01V-144 · 2001 · Apr 27, 2001 · 4,567 vehicles–Headlights: switch01V-075 · 2000 · Mar 12, 2001 · 74,000 vehicles–Tail lights: switch01V-078 · 2000–2001 · Mar 12, 2001 · 157,000 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 46 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

51 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Sable

  1. Speed control cable damagePE12033 · 2000–2003 · closed Jun 26, 2013
    No recall
  2. Stuck throttlePE12005 · 2004–2005 · closed Oct 22, 2012
    No recall
  3. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · 2008 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
  4. Front Suspension Coil Spring FractureEA08018 · 2002–2003 · closed Jun 30, 2011
    No recall
  5. ENGINE STALLING FFVDP06005 · 2003–2005 · closed Dec 28, 2007
    No recall
  6. REAR COIL SPRING FRACTUREEA06002 · 2000–2001 · closed Feb 5, 2007
    No recall
  7. REAR COIL SPRING FRACTUREPE05054 · 2000–2001 · closed Jan 24, 2006
    No recall
  8. FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTUREPE04044 · 1999–2000 · closed Aug 16, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-332
  9. BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATIONRP03001 · 2000–2002 · closed Mar 23, 2004
    No recall
  10. BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURERQ03008 · 2000–2003 · closed Mar 5, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-106