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2004 Mercury SableProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 52 owner complaints about the 2004 Mercury Sable, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2004 Mercury Sable
82
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years78% below the Sable median · #21 of 22 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints525 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 10, 2020. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Mercury Sable has problems

52 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
Vehicle speed control150
Power train121
Service brakes90
Exterior lighting70
Electrical system60
Seat belts31
Engine30
Seats31
Air bags21
8 other systems110

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

1 recall

2004 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

Front assembly: power adjust

Recall 04V-330 · Jul 8, 2004 · 24,277 vehicles

Risk. THE SEAT MAY NOT PERFORM AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.

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

2004 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
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Mercury Sable safety ratings

2004 Mercury Sable 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Mercury Sable, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE STALLING FFVDP06005 · closed Dec 28, 2007
    No recall
  2. Stuck throttlePE12005 · closed Oct 22, 2012
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sable owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF TO ABOVE 55 MPH AT LOCAL ROAD, WHEN PUT TO PARKING, THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING AT MORE THAN 3500 RPM, IT WAS CRAZY, NEARLY KILLED SOME KIDS.
Complaint 11043314 · Nov 4, 2017 · 2 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE RPMS INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND EXHIBITED RAPID ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY…
Complaint 10820421 · Jan 15, 2016 · 135,000 miles
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE KEEPS CONSTANT SPEED EVEN AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT'S LIKE A STUCK THROTTLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO APPLY BRAKE AND SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND STAMP ON THE ACCELERATOR. TRAFFIC HAD COME TO A STOP AND MY ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING AT 3500…
Complaint 10650321 · Oct 27, 2014 · 105,003 miles

Own a 2004 Sable?

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