RoadVitals

1993 Mercury Sable Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
47
Latest Jan 15, 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.
7%
of 673 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.
1
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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 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 visibility

The 25 most recent of 47, in the owner's own words

BrakesEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR ALL THE ABOVE BUT COULD FIND IT IF NECESSARY. I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND, LIVING ON A SMALL PENSION AND SOCIAL SECURITY, DO NOT HAVE THGE MONEY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10068950
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
EnginePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Aug 29, 2002

CAR HAS STALLED SINCE FIRST DAY WHEN STOPPING AND UPON ACCELERATION ENGINE STALLS AND WON'T CRANK,ALSO HAD BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS,POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING,TACHOMETER NOT WORKING,WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS MISING WHEN BOUGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID
766419
Incident
Jul 25, 2002
EngineVisibility
Filed Apr 23, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID
565325
Incident
Jan 22, 2002
ElectricalEngineVisibility
Filed Sep 7, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
751862
Incident
Aug 25, 2001
Visibility
Filed Sep 6, 2001

WHEN TURNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS OFF THE STOP IN THE UP POSITION DOESN'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID
895828
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
EngineExterior lightingSteering+2 more
Filed Jul 12, 2001

WHENEVER VEHICLE WAS IN OVERDRIVE, IT WOULD JERK AND THEN STALL OUT WHEN TURNING CORNERS. THIS CAUSED POWER STEERING TO LOCK UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED.*AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, SO CONSUMER HAD THE HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND PAID FOR REPAIRS. TRANSMISSION IS NOW GOING OUT. RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END REPLACED, WAS CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP FAILED AND CAUSED A LEAK. HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
892615
Heating & air conditioningDriver assistanceEngine+2 more
Filed May 15, 2001

THE TRANSMISSION IS JUST ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR.THE AIR CONDITIONING NEVER WORKED VERY WELL. DECEMBER 1998 THE AIR CONDITIONING QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY. THE CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING IN 1996. ONE OF THE POWER WINDOWS QUIT WORKING IN 1997. THE HEADLINER NEAR THE BACK WINDSHIELD STARTED HANGING DOWN IN 1998. OUR LATEST PROBLEM IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED 11/1/98 AT A COST TO US OF $1,788.00. PLUS IT COST US OVER $100.00 TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE FORD COMPANY HASN'T DONE ANYTHING TO HELP US.

NHTSA ID
745389
Incident
Jun 5, 1997
Visibility
Filed Apr 10, 2001

WHILE CONSUMER WAS ADJUSTING REAR VIEW MIRROR ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CAME APART. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID
885554
Incident
Apr 10, 2001
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Feb 20, 2001
Fire reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF GARAGE, AND HEARD AN EXPLOSION COMING FROM GARAGE. WHEN HE WENT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, WINDOWS OF VEHICLE HAD SHATTERED ALL OVER GARAGE . VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE COMING FROM DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
880882
Incident
Feb 9, 2001
EngineVisibility
Filed Dec 11, 2000

FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AFTER EACH OIL CHANGE, A STRONG "BURNING OIL" SMELL IS EMITTED INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT (THE SMELL IS STRONGEST AT SLOW SPEEDS AND DURING IDLING). ALSO, A GREASY FILM BUILDS UP ON THE INTERIOR OF THE WINDSHIELD DURING THIS TIME. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DEALERS (INCLUDING MORANDE FORD AND TOWN & COUNTRY AUTO GROUP) AND NON-DEALER MECHANICS TRY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM (NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS DURING 1997 - 2000). NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
737625
Visibility
Filed Aug 1, 2000

JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THIS WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. WE WERE HAVING A DROUGHT HERE WHEN THE CARE WAS BOUGHT AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM SHOWED UP AS SOON AS THE FIRST RAINS HIT. THEY WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH AND SOMETIMES THEY STICK IN THE UP POSITION.

NHTSA ID
726335
Visibility
Filed Jun 22, 2000

WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEING ON, THEY TURNED ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES WITH THE SWITCH STILL IN THE OFF POSITION. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
864044
EngineVisibility
Filed May 19, 2000

BLOWN OR CRACKED HEAD GASKET RESULTED IN WATER POURING OUT THE MUFFLER, OTHER PARTS REPLACED WIPER, RADIATOR, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET

NHTSA ID
9001372
Incident
May 7, 2000
EngineVisibility
Filed May 10, 2000

METAL WIRE ATTACHMENT TO REAR WINDOW DEFOGER FELL OFF DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $ 800.00 TO REPLACE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW I HAD IT REPAIRED FOR $25.00 AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP . WHEN I NOTIFED DEALER ABOUT THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEADGASKET AND THE RECALLS ON THE 1994 AND 1995 MODELS AND ASKED IF THE SAME PARTS WERE USED I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I HOPE YOU CAN THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID
722513
Incident
May 8, 2000
Heating & air conditioningEngineVisibility
Filed May 10, 2000

CONSUMERS TRANSMISSION MOUNT WAS REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE, FORD HAS ONLY REPAIRED MOUNTS IN CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS (RECALL), FORD REFUSES TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER FOR THE REPLACEMENT. NLM

NHTSA ID
552223
Incident
Apr 3, 2000
Driver assistanceEngineVisibility
Filed Mar 14, 2000

CHRONIC COOLANT LEAK APPROX. HALF PT. MONTH-CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE-WATER LEAKS REAR WINDOW- RATTLES DURING BITTER WINTER WEATHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
720100
Incident
Jan 12, 1998
SteeringTransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 3, 2000

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING GOES OUT. CONSUMER WAS MAKING A LEFT AND HEARD A POPPING SOUND. ALSO, TRANSMISSION JERKS & SHAKES. POWER WINDOWS WON'T WORK WHEN IN REVERSE. CONSUMER HAS HAD CAR FOR 4 DAYS. THERE IS A EXTENDED WARRANTY, CONSUMER WILL TAKE BACK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID
856115
Incident
Feb 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jan 14, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
717347
Incident
Sep 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Jan 5, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE SHORTING OUT AND ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY AFTER FAILING TO WORK AT ALL DURING USE. CAN HEAR A CLICKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE WIPERS SWITCH ON AND OFF DURING USE. *AK

NHTSA ID
716896
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Visibility
Filed Dec 21, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPER STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION OR NOT OPERATING AT AL. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST IF REPAIRS WERE MADE. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE POOR VISIBILITY WHEN OCCURRING IN BAD WEATHER, AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ID
854211
Incident
Aug 15, 1997
Visibility
Filed Dec 21, 1999

THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION. THE WIPERS WILL NOT COME ON WHEN TURNING ON THE SWITCH. WIPERS ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
853662
Incident
Nov 26, 1999
Visibility
Filed Dec 2, 1999

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE STUCK IN THE UP POSITION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
853601
Visibility
Filed Nov 23, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE MOTOR. WIPER MOTOR REPLACED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
853265
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 1999

WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY TURNED ON WHINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL, AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE.. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP .*AK

NHTSA ID
849207
Incident
Sep 15, 1998
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 1999

WHEN OPERATING ON HIGH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STICK AND WILL NOT MOVE. OWNER HAS TO TURN THE WIPERS OFF AND TURN BACK ON IN ORDER TO WORK. WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
849153

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 .