RoadVitals

1988 Mercury Sable Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission 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.
19
Latest Jan 13, 2004
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.
15%
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.
2
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 automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 19 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 transmission

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

BrakesTransmission
Filed Jan 13, 2004

INITIALLY THE GEARS WERE SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. CURRENTLY, THE CONSUMER CANNOT SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MUST BE REBUILT. *AK . THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT HIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY DEFECT DESIGN IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSED SLIPPAGE WHILE OPERATING. *CB SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE DISC BRAKE SEPARATED FROM THE ROTOR RING WHILE DRIVING. AFTER SEEKING ASSISTANCE, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ROTOR, HOWEVER HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED.*JB

NHTSA ID
10050139
Mileage
144,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering+2 more
Filed Sep 26, 2002

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. CURRENTLY IN THE VEHICLE RADIO LIGHT AND DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENLY COMES ON. HORN ALSO HONKS AS I DRIVE . STEERING WHEEL FEELS WOBBLY AND THERE ARE POPPING NOISES COME FROM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT LUMBAR BUTTON IS STUCK. TIRES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES IN THE FRONT. ELECTRIC WINDOWS FAILED THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE WHOLE DEAL IS THAT THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING WHEN YOUR DRIVING AT55 MPH; THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. MR

NHTSA ID
767752
Incident
Sep 25, 2002
Transmission
Filed Mar 6, 2001

AXOD TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
882197
ElectricalEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Mar 13, 2000

POWER STEERING LEAKS STARTED IN 1995 AFTER THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND THE AUTOMOBILE WAS TAKEN IN MANY TIMES TO REPAIR THE LEAKS TO NO AVAIL. HOSES AND LINES WERE REPLACED TWICE, SEALS WERE REPLACED ON PS PUMP, AND FINALLY IN 1998 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NON FORD DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION. THE MONEY SPENT WAS WELL OVER $2100.00 TO FINALLY REPAIR THE LEAKS. THIS INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH WERE A RECALL ITEM AND I PAID FOR THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY OR RECALL PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE LED TO THE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES FOR REPAIRS. THE LATEST PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND THE ESTIMATE IS FOR $1000.00. THE HEADGASKET SECRET WARRANTY ONLY COVERS THROUGH DEC. 1998. I HAVE YET TO TALLY ALL REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT I AM SURE IT IS WELL OVER $5000.00 OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION REPLACED, ALTERNATOR, TWO POWER STEERING PUMPS, RACK AND PINION, RADIATOR, TWO HEAD GASKET FAILURES, EXCESSIVE BRAKE JOBS EVER SINCE THE RECALL OF THE ROTORS, ALMOST YEARLY AFTER THIS RECALL. NUMEROUS VACUUM LEAKS UNDER THE DASH AND ONE AGAIN LAST WEEK. TWO SETS OF POWER STEERING LINES. THE CAR NEVER STAYS RUNNING WHEN IT IS HOT. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE THROTTLE CABLE STUCK WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THEN BROKE AFTER DRIVING IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. THE REAR ALIGNMENT BOLTS ARE FROZEN. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALWAYS LEAKED EXCESSIVELY. FROZEN CALIPERS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
720073
Incident
Aug 19, 1997
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 1999

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
841283
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
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
EngineTransmission
Filed Feb 2, 1999
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING, AND THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR MOUNTS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IN ADDITION, WHEN CONSUMER TRIED START VEHICLE UP, VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
834378
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
EngineTransmission
Filed Jan 29, 1999

RECALL MFR 38S36/ 98V323000 PROBLEM IN FRONT RATHER THAN REAR. DEALER CONTACTED,AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO COMPLIANCE WITH RECALL. ALSO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 1/15/99. PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
834283
Incident
Sep 16, 1998
Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 1998
Crash reported

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT WITH HER SIX- YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OVER FRONT SEAT AND SHIFT GEAR FROM OUT OF PARK. NO KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, VEHICLE MOVED FROM GARAGE OUT INTO THE STREET AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT COULD NOT HAPPEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
826678
Incident
Jul 29, 1998
Transmission
Filed Nov 17, 1997

TRANSMISSION FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
605599
Transmission
Filed Dec 20, 1996

WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
806611
Incident
Dec 1, 1996
Heating & air conditioningElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Aug 6, 1996

TRANSMISSION CONVERTER BYPASS SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STUMBLE. *DH

NHTSA ID
507123
Incident
Mar 1, 1993
Transmission
Filed Jan 16, 1996

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ALREADY EVERY 40K MILES.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
977568
Incident
Jan 12, 1996
Transmission
Filed Nov 29, 1995

TRANSMISSON PROBLEMS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
975718
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+4 more
Filed Sep 7, 1995

REAR AXLE SEALS FAILED PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
484872
Incident
Sep 7, 1995
Transmission
Filed Aug 30, 1995

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE TRANSMISSION BLEW HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT . TT

NHTSA ID
971334
Transmission
Filed May 22, 1995

AXOD TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *AW

NHTSA ID
486361
Incident
Apr 1, 1993
Transmission
Filed Apr 25, 1995

TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER 36,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
964317
Incident
Apr 13, 1995
SteeringTransmission
Filed Feb 27, 1995

THE RIGHT INNER TIE ROD IS BROKEN, THE TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE OVERHAUL # AXO6. TT

NHTSA ID
960602
Incident
Aug 1, 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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .