RoadVitals

1988 Mercury Sable Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jul 15, 1999
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 126 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Jul 15, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE SUB-FRAME BODY MOUNT, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED (98V-323). MJS

NHTSA ID
547281
Incident
Jul 1, 1999
Body & structure
Filed May 4, 1999

REAR SUB-FRAME MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. BOLTS ON THE MOUNTS DROPPED OFF/BUSHINGS ALSO FELL OFF. BOTH WERE CORRODED/RUSTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
837400
Incident
Sep 3, 1997
Body & structureEngine
Filed Mar 1, 1999

AROUND JAN 20, 1999 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD PERTAINING TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SUB FRAME RETAINING BOLTS. WORK WAS DONE AT HERITAGE MOTORS IN SYRACUSE ON 1/29/99. HERITAGE NOTIFIED ME AT THE TIME THAT MY FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN AND RECOMMENDED THEY BE REPLACED. BECAUSE OF CONVENIENCE I TOOK THE CAR TO AZRIA REPAIR SERVICE. WHILE REPLACING THE MOTOR MOUNTS MR AZRIA OBSERVED THAT ONLY THE TWO REAR SUB FRAME BOLTS HAD BEEN REPLACED BY HERITAGE. HE SHOWED ME THAT ONE OF THE FRONT BOLTS WAS IN FACT ALREADY BROKEN AND THE OTHER FRONT BOLT WAS IN DANGEROUS CONDITION. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT DRILLING OR CUTTING ACCESS HOLES INTO THE FRAME IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE RUST-FROZEN NUTS AND BOLTS HOLDING THE SUB FRAME IN PLACE. HE SHOWED ME HOW REMOVAL OR AT LEAST LOOSENING OF THE SUB FRAME WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE MOUNTS. THE INACCESSIBLE AND FROZEN RETAINING BOLTS MADE HIS WORK UNNECESSARILY TIME CONSUMING AND COSTLY. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY AND I THEREFORE AUTHORIZED HIM TO REPLACE THE TWO REMAINING BOLTS AS WELL AS THE MOTOR MOUNTS. MY CONTENTION IS THAT HERITAGE SHOULD HAVE REPLACED ALL THE BOLTS (FRONT AND REAR) AS PART OF THE SAFETY RECALL SINCE ALL THE BOLTS WERE KNOWN TO BE IN DANGEROUS CONDITION AND POSED A HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR PERTAINING TO THOSE ITEMS WHICH WERE KNOWN BY FORD TO BE DEFECTIVE AND POSED A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE. I AM RETAINING THE ORIGINAL PARTS IN CASE ANYONE WISHES TO EXAMINE THEIR CONDITION. MY BILL FROM AZRIA SERVICE WAS $575.41

NHTSA ID
703903
Incident
Jan 29, 1999
Body & structureTransmission
Filed Feb 24, 1999

RUSTED BODY MOUNTS SEPARATED CAUSING SUBFRAME TO DROP/STEERING TO STIFFIN, REAPAIRED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

NHTSA ID
544125
Incident
Feb 17, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Aug 18, 1998

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BREAKS.

NHTSA ID
540110
Incident
Aug 15, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Aug 14, 1998

3 OF 4 INSIDE DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN OFF.

NHTSA ID
539845
Incident
Mar 12, 1996
Body & structureHeating & air conditioning
Filed May 21, 1998

PAINT ON HOOD, TRUNK LID AND ROOF HAS DISCOLORED SEVERLY.

NHTSA ID
535924
Body & structure
Filed May 30, 1997

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES FRONT AND BACK PASSENGERS' SIDE ARE INOPERATIVE, THEY BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
812599
Body & structureHeating & air conditioning
Filed Dec 30, 1996

THE REAR SUB-FRAME BOLT CAME OUT AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FALL ONTO THE STEERING AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *AK CONSUMER STATES ALSO NEED TO HAVE AIR CONDITION REPAIRED A LINE WAS RUBBED THROUGH.*JB

NHTSA ID
806896
Incident
Dec 14, 1996
Body & structure
Filed May 20, 1996

THE SUB-FRAME MOUNTS RUSTED AND DROPPED THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
984628
Incident
May 1, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Nov 2, 1995

THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES ON 3 OF THE FOUR DOORS AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
974437
Incident
May 1, 1995
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+4 more
Filed Sep 7, 1995

REAR AXLE SEALS FAILED PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
484872
Incident
Sep 7, 1995
Body & structure
Filed Jul 31, 1995

3 INSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE OFF, DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID
484624
Incident
May 1, 1995
Body & structureEngineSteering
Filed Apr 25, 1995

POWER STEERING HOSES WERE STRETXHED/STRAINED, CAUSINGMPOWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DENSE SMOKE. TT

NHTSA ID
964347
Incident
Jul 5, 1994

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Engine29Electrical23Steering23Transmission19Interior & seats9Seat belts9Fuel system8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .