Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1987 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED WHILE ON VACATION IN FLORDIA, I WHEN TO A AUTO SHOP AND BROUGHT A PUSH PULL 50 AMP SWITCH AND BY PASSED THE PARTS OF THE SWITCH THAT HAD MELTED. I REPLACED THE PUSH SWITCH A NUMBER OF TIMES, CHEAPER THEN GOING TO A DEALER AND GETTING ROBBED FOR PART THAT WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING LIGHT FOR DRIVER'S DOOR WILL ILLUMINATE. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL THEN UNLOCK ON ITS OWN. CAUSE OF PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
REPLACEMENT OF THREE FAILED RADIATORS SINCE PURCHASE.
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND VEHICLE STALLS. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAKAGE WITHIN THE VEHICLE, AND THERE IS A SHORT IN THE WIRES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR SERVICE, AND THEY CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH WIRES MELTED TOGETHER. IDENTICAL PROBLEM OF RECALL BUT NOT INCLUDED. *AK
KEY COMES OFF THE IGNITION WHILE VEHICLE IS WORKING WHILE FORWARD DRIVING POSITION, NEUTRAL AND BACKWARD POSITION.*AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITIONS SWITCH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN.
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNES TO BURN. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH BURNED OUT INTERNALLY, CAUSING WIRE IN STEERING COLUMN TO BURN; DIAGNOSED BY MECHANIC PERFORMING OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK *JB
CONSUMER STATED IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE, DUE TO FIRE. *AK *ET
WHILE DRIVING, TURN SIGNALS, HEATER FAN AND REAR DEFROSTER ALL WENT OUT AT ONCE, HEARD POPPING NOISE; IGNITION SWITCH AND HARNESS MELTED. *AK *JB
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, MELTING WIRES, CAUSING DASH LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER, AND TURN SIGNALS TO FAIL. *DH
SUDDEN LOSS OF SIGNALS, HAZARDS LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH BURNING OUT AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HEATER MOTOR. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH BURNED, CAUSING DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS TO FAIL. *DSH
HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH TWICE BECAUSE OF SHORTS. *AK
CAR STALLS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .