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1988 Mercury SableProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 126 owner complaints about the 1988 Mercury Sable, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.

60
CarFlaw IndexSolid year33% below the Sable median · #16 of 22 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Free fix at dealersOwner complaints12632 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem29Engine and engine cooling

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 13, 2004. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Mercury Sable has problems

126 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 cooling294
Electrical system2614
Steering238
Power train222
Structure140
Seat belts80
Vehicle speed control71
Fuel system, gasoline61
Seats50
8 other systems253

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

1988 Mercury Sable recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

Recall 98V-323 · Dec 16, 1998 · 2,697,000 vehicles

Risk. IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

Recall 93V-106 · Jun 23, 1993 · 1,610,000 vehicles

Risk. IF ONE OF THE REAR CORNERS DROPS, ONLY MINOR INDICATIONS OF A MALFUNCTION SUCH AS A CLUNKING NOISE OR SLIGHT CHANGE IN STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT ARE NOTICEABLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Wheels

Recall 92V-065 · May 11, 1992 · 654,000 vehicles

Risk. THERE IS A DANGER OF AIR DEPRIVATION, HYPERTHERMIA,AND/OR PANIC RESPONSE TO A CHILD WHO HAS LOCKED HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO THECOMPARTMENT, WITH THE POSSIBILITY…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Disc: rotor

Recall 91V-134 · Aug 6, 1991 · 325,000 vehicles

Risk. SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Seats

Recall 91V-036 · Mar 4, 1991 · 278,000 vehicles

Risk. POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION MAY BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR THAT COULD RESULT IN A FIREIN THE SEAT CUSHION…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercury.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Sable year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sable median. How we score

'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
20 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Mercury Sable, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODSDP95004 · closed Aug 30, 1995
    No recall
  2. THROTTLE STICKINGEA90042 · closed Dec 31, 1991
    No recall
  3. BRAKE DISC HUB SEPARATIONSEA90045 · closed Sep 12, 1991
    Led to recall 91V-134
  4. STORAGE COMPAR SUFFOCATIONEA91042 · closed May 21, 1992
    Led to recall 92V-065
  5. SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAILEA92040 · closed Jun 30, 1993
    Led to recall 93V-106
  6. BROKEN TIE RODSEA94008 · closed Feb 27, 1995
    No recall
  7. HEAD REST DROPSPE89006 · closed Jun 26, 1989
    No recall
  8. SPEED CONTROL FAILUREPE90019 · closed Mar 27, 1990
    No recall
  9. THROTTLE STICKINGPE90066 · closed Aug 31, 1990
    No recall
  10. BRAKE DISC HUB FAILUREPE90071 · closed Jun 28, 1990
    No recall
  11. DOOR HANDLES BREAKAGEPE91036 · closed May 22, 1991
    No recall
  12. STORAGE COMPAR SUFFOCATIONPE91108 · closed Oct 28, 1991
    No recall
  13. FIRES IN IGNITION SWITCHPE91128 · closed Jan 27, 1992
    No recall
  14. ENGINE MOUNT FAILUREPE92014 · closed Jun 25, 1992
    No recall
  15. POWER STEERING LEAKS/FIRESPE92044 · closed Aug 31, 1992
    No recall
  16. SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAILPE92056 · closed Nov 30, 1992
    No recall
  17. BROKEN TIE RODSPE93058 · closed Feb 16, 1994
    No recall
  18. UNDERBODY FUEL LINE FAILSPE93065 · closed Nov 30, 1993
    No recall
  19. POLYCAST ROAD WHEEL CRACKSPE93100 · closed Jun 30, 1994
    No recall
  20. REAR LOWER SUBFRAME ASSEMBLYRQ97009 · closed Feb 16, 1999
    Led to recall 93V-106
In owners' words

What Sable owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN INTO DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *YH
Complaint 897570 · Oct 10, 2001
CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, MANUFACTURER'S RECALL #98S36/NHTSA #98V323000, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED, AND DEALER DID NOT REPLACE WHAT WAS SAID TO BE REPLACED IN THE LETTER. *AK
Complaint 834602 · Feb 8, 1999
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Complaint 834378 · Feb 2, 1999

Own a 1988 Sable?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.