Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 228 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Mercury Sable. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 228 · page 1 of 10
YES I HAVE A USED CAR AND THE DASH FROM THE HEAT HAS ROSE OFF OR HAS BUCKELED UP AND I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPANY WELL APPARENTLY IT IS OBSOLETE AND IT IS HARD TO COME BY SO I CANT DRIVE WITHOUT A DASH AND I CANT GET ONE EITHER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SAFETY INSPECTION, WHERE THE MECHANIC NOTIFIED HER THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND THE BALL JOINTS WERE DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD INCREASE ABNORMALLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY PULL FORWARD AS IF IT WERE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. AS THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP, SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AS A PRECAUTION AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE SUB FRAME THAT HOLDS THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION TOGETHER WAS DETACHED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO RUST. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE; HOWEVER, DURING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COVERED WITH RUST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR RELATED WARRANTIES AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
CONSTANTLY HAVING TO SERVICE BRAKES ON MY 1997 MERCURY SABLE. I HAVE HAD BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZE UP TO THE POINT THE WHEEL WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH AND I CURRENTLY HAVE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ABOUT 2 YEARS THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY MODEL AND FROM A SAFETY POINT OF VIEW IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO PUT ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF BRAKE LINES THAT WILL LEAK RUST OR OTHERWISE FAIL PREMATURELY. *TR
I BOUGHT AND ARE DRIVING A 1997 MERCURY SABLE WITH 84K MILES AND IT IS A DANGER TO BE IN. THE REAR SPRINGS ARE BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FORD WAS RECALLING AND FIXING THIS PROBLEM IN SIMILAR AND LIKE YEARS OF TAURUS'S AND SABLES. MINE THEY CLAIM DOES NOT QUALIFY. THE 1997 IS THE SAME CAR AS A 1998 AND 1999 THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED RECALL REPLACEMENTS ON... I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM OR HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT FORD IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE . *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE WAS INFORMED BY A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V097000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE CONTACT STILL HAS THE VEHICLE, BUT IS AFRAID TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,840. UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO DISCOVERED OIL LEAKING IN THE TRANSAXLE AREA. UPDATED 01/05/09. *JB
I HAVE READ DOZENS OF EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM POSTED ON THIS SITE. IT APPEARS THAT MERCURY NEEDS TO MAKE A RECALL. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO MY BRAKE PEDAL RELEASED THE PRESSURE I HAD ON IT AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TOOK IT INTO THE BRAKE SHOP AND HAD MY HOSES, CALIPERS, AND BREAK LINES ALL COMPLETELY REPLACED. WITHIN 6 MONTHS, THE EXACT SAME THING HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. I DO NOT HAVE $500 TO SPEND EVERY SIX MONTHS ON A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOOSENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING AND DRAINING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY OPEN RECALLS AND THEY WERE UNAWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V097000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. IN COLD WEATHER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL SHUT, BUT NOT LATCH UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN 3-4 MILES WITH THE HEATER ON FULL BLAST. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED FOR THE PAST TWO WINTERS. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS THE CONTACT'S RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS SHUT, ONE OF THE TRIM PANELS DETACHES FROM THE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THE PLASTIC ATTACHMENTS (CHRISTMAS TREE). HE WAS INFORMED NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT HARMFUL. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOES NOT LATCH BECAUSE THE PLASTIC MECHANISM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAS TO MANUALLY WORK THE DOOR HANDLE TO REACTIVATE THE LATCH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE, AND THAT THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE TAKEN APART AND RELUBRICATED AT HIS EXPENSE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 04/21/08 *BF
CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE, WHEN IT DID MOVE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. WHEN I REMOVED TIRE, FOUND COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN AND PUNCTURED TIRE. VERY THANKFUL IT HAPPENED IN DRIVEWAY. OTHER MODEL YEARS ARE COVERED BY RECALL, COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING FOR 1997. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER TIRES. THE DAY AFTER THE CONTACT PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE FLATTENED. THE TIRE DEALER REPAIRED THE VALVE. THE PURCHASE DATE, POWERTRAIN, AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 138,707.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE PLASTIC STRIPS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE LINE TO THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE VEHICLE WAS COLLECTING WATER THAT DID NOT EVAPORATE. AS A RESULT, THE TWO BRAKE LINES THAT DELIVERED OIL TO THE REAR BRAKES CORRODED AND ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TWO MAIN LINES FROM THE BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE REAR TIRES. THE LINES WERE FLUSHED FIVE TIMES AFTER THE REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIR COST $567.13. MORE RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER AGAIN AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THROUGH A STOP SIGN AT 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP 150 YARDS LATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY AND THE LINES HAD TO REPLACED AGAIN AT THE COST OF $611.45. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,431. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AND DESTROYED THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR. HE STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WAS TO PLACE IT IN PARK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND IS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,000. UPDATED 12/31/07 *BF UPDATED *JB
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 1997 MERCURY SABLE AT 20 MPH HE FELT A WOBBLE. THE CONTACT STATED IF THE WOBBLE CAME FROM THE FRONT TIRE IT WOULD CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THE CONTACT THIS WAS DUE TO A BELT SEPARATION IN THE TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRE. TIRE TREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED THREE TIMES WITH THE FRONT TIRES AND FOUR OCCURRENCES INVOLVED THE REAR TIRES. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTINENTAL AND THE MODEL AMERI-TECH. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD AN ODOMETER READING OF 86,000 MILES. THE TIRES FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.*AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED INVOICES FOR ALL THE TIRE REPAIRS AND STATES HE WENT TO DIFFERENT DEALERS BECAUSE HE WAS INFORMED TO DO SO BY GENERAL TIRES. UPDATE 4/24/07 *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE PURCHASED A SET OF FIRESTONE TIRES THAT DID NOT LAST LONGER THAN 10 DAYS. WHEN SHE RETURNED THE TIRES TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T GET AN ALIGNMENT WHEN SHE PURCHASED THE TIRES. *AK UPDATED 01/31/07. *JB
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 TO WORK, VEHICLE BEGAN RIDING VERY ROUGH. I COULD FEEL EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. GOT TO WORK AND DISCOVERED VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN ALL THE WAY ON THE LEFT REAR AND MOST OF THE WAY ON THE RIGHT REAR. CAUSE WAS BROKEN LEFT REAR COIL SPRING. *JB
(LOCATION) STATE: MICHIGAN. CITY: WARREN: ZIP CODE: 48092. LOCATION: ELEVEN MILE ROAD & DEQUINDRE ROAD CROSS SECTION NEAR SEVEN ELEVEN GAS STATION. (DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT): FRONT PASSENGER RIGHT SIDE WHEELS AND TIRES ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF FROM THE INTEGRATED VEHICLE. *NM
REAR RIGHT COIL SPRING SNAPPED WHILE GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP. *NM
BALL JOINT AND TIE-ROD REPLACEMENTS NEEDED VERY FREQUENTLY (1-2 TIMES A YEAR). ON BOTH A 1997 SABLE WAGON AND 1999 SABLE SEDAN. EACH VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL BALL JOINTS AND TIE-RODS REPLACED, SOME COVERED BY MFG AS THE FREQUENCY WAS SO OFTEN. EACH TIME WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BALL-JOINT AND/OR TIE-ROD, ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO "SAFETY" REQUIREMENTS. IF THIS IS THE CASE THAN THE FREQUENCY HAS ME CONCERNED THAT IF THE 'ISSUE" WAS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME THERE COULD BE AN INJURY OR DEATH. THE 1997 SABLE WAGON WENT IN FOR A STARTER REPLACEMENT TODAY 3/16/06 AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE LOWER OUTER TIE-ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIE-ROD WAS REPLACED 11K MILES AGO ON 12/3/04 AND THE CAR WAS INSPECTED ON 12/5/05. *JB
VEHICLE SLOW TO UP SHIFT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO LOWEST GEAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 23 MPH. LOUD ROARING! AFTER PLACING IN PARK; PUTTING INTO DRIVE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO FIRST GEAR, BUT WILL NOT CHANGE INTO HIGHER GEAR. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINED BOTH BRAKE LINES BELOW THE FRONT DRIVER DOOR WERE RUSTED CAUSING THE LINES TO BREAK OPEN. THE RUST WAS CAUSED FROM TWO PLASTIC STRIPS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. WHEN PARKING THE CAR THE SHIFTER INDICATES IT IS IN PARK, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY IN REVERSE. THERE IS A RECALL #96V166000, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON 9-6-05. *AK *MR
DT: FORD MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON 1997. FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND WENT PASS THE BASE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS SHREDDED. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING A VERY SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. FORD WAS RECALLING THE 1999 - 2001 MODELS UNDER RECALL 04S17, THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO THE 1997. MODEL. *AK *JB
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 .