Mercury Sable Problems by Year
NHTSA has 3,082 owner complaints and 30 safety recalls on file for the Mercury Sable, across 14 model years (1995–2009). The 2000 model year has the most complaints (464). The most reported problem area overall is suspension.
Mercury Sable years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Sable year: 2000, 2001, 2002. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2000 Sable: 464 complaints, 7 recalls
- 2002 Sable: 440 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2001 Sable: 430 complaints, 8 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2006 Sable: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2009 Sable: 20 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2004 Sable: 52 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Mercury Sable problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 784 | 13 | 5 |
| Power Train problems | 416 | 13 | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 398 | 14 | 63 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 368 | 12 | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 232 | 13 | 47 |
| Electrical System problems | 193 | 12 | 3 |
| Air Bags problems | 168 | 12 | 98 |
| Visibility problems | 165 | 12 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 143 | 12 | 9 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 141 | 10 | 1 |
| Structure problems | 141 | 13 | 5 |
| Seat Belts problems | 100 | 11 | 10 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 79 | 12 | 3 |
| Tires | 65 | 10 | 3 |
| Equipment | 58 | 10 | 0 |
| Engine | 42 | 10 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 36 | 11 | 4 |
| Interior Lighting | 25 | 9 | 1 |
| Seats | 25 | 10 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 24 | 10 | 1 |
| Wheels | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mercury Sable problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2002: suspension (239) · vehicle speed control (56)
- 2001: suspension (204) · vehicle speed control (61)
- 2000: suspension (158) · vehicle speed control (71) · service brakes, hydraulic (62) · exterior lighting (54)
- 1996: power train (69) · engine and engine cooling (60)
- 1995: engine and engine cooling (132) · power train (93)
All Mercury Sable model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Sable | 20 | 0 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Sable | 61 | 1 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Sable | 1 | 0 | — | Electronic Stability Control (esc) | |
| 2005 Sable | 83 | 0 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Sable | 52 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Sable | 201 | 3 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Sable | 440 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Sable | 430 | 8 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Sable | 464 | 7 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Sable | 258 | 5 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 Sable | 190 | 2 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1997 Sable | 228 | 3 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1996 Sable | 304 | 5 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 1995 Sable | 350 | 5 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
More from Mercury: all Mercury models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Sable years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2000 (464), 2001 (430), 2002 (440) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Sable year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercury Sable?
Suspension, with 784 complaints across 13 model years.
How many recalls does the Mercury Sable have?
30 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.