2003 Mercury Sable Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sable years
- About as many complaints as other years 8th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 201 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercury Sable. That ranks 8th out of 14 Sable model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (47 complaints, 23%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 201owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mercury Sable problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 47 | 23% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 30 | 15% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 14% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 20 | 10% | 50,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 9% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 18 | 9% | 36,250 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 6% | 101,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 5% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 5% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 4% | 29,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 8 | 4% | 118,478 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 1% | 26,343 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | 10,113 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 1% | 157,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 1% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 4,461 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 164,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 8 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 164,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 105,029 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 175,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mercury Sable recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain vehicles, the air filter paper in these vehicles can smolder or burn.
Risk: This can lead to damage to the air induction system on these vehicles and/or an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air filter element. Owner notification began on march 10, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles are being recalled to correct a problem with a malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring. This malfunctioning could render the stop lamps inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. This could cause confusion to a following driver, which could lead to a crash.
Risk: In addition, if the switch and/or associated wiring fail in the open position, the brake lights will not actuate and the driver will not be able to shift the vehicle out of "park" if they fail in the closed position, the brake lights will remain on, which will not allow the speed control to be activated. This could also cause the battery to discharge.
Fix: Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. Owner notification is expected to begin on april 5, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 212, "windshield mounting." the windshields may potentially exhibit increased wind noise, water leakage, and squeaks and rattles.
Risk: Potential loss of windshield retention may also reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace these windshields. Owner notification began on march 31, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford/mercury at 1-800-392-3673.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Speed control cable damage (PE12033) — opened Oct 24, 2012, closed Jun 26, 2013.
- Front Suspension Coil Spring Fracture (EA08018) — opened Aug 28, 2008, closed Jun 30, 2011.
- Engine stalling ffv (DP06005) — opened Dec 4, 2006, closed Dec 28, 2007.
- Brake light switch failure (RQ03008) — opened Oct 23, 2003, closed Mar 5, 2004, led to recall 04V106000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Sable. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle coasted to the side of the road and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury sable. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle decelerated independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic…
Idriving under normal conditions on a city street in 2003 merc sable with 33k miles. While in motion, the transmission fails with no forward or reverse working or any other mechanical warnings.( no transmission codes on obdii. I was immediately able to coast into a drugstore parking lot. Car towed…
So sorry to bother you. I have a mercury sable 03 which has been accelerating by itself because the throttle cable gets stuck. I saw an article that said my year taurus and sable have this problem as well as saw that all those in the junk yard have the exact same problem. In the article it said…
I was driving my car on a city street and the car started accelerating on its own and i tried to brake but my brakes would not work. I had to put both feet on the break to slam hard enough to try to get it to slow down even a little. I found out that the throttle cable got stuck and could not go…
Other Mercury Sable years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Sable | 20 | 0 |
| 2008 Sable | 61 | 1 |
| 2006 Sable | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Sable | 83 | 0 |
| 2004 Sable | 52 | 1 |
| 2003 | 201 | 3 |
| 2002 Sable | 440 | 3 |
| 2001 Sable | 430 | 8 |
| 2000 Sable | 464 | 7 |
| 1999 Sable | 258 | 5 |
| 1998 Sable | 190 | 2 |
| 1997 Sable | 228 | 3 |
| 1996 Sable | 304 | 5 |
| 1995 Sable | 350 | 5 |
See all Mercury Sable problems by year, every Mercury model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Mercury models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mercury Sable?
Owners most often report suspension, power train, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 47 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mercury Sable?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Mercury Sable a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sable model years, the 2003 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.