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 1997 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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
WHEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE A CLICKING UNDER THE DASH WILL OCCUR, AT THE SAME TIME MY SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND GO OFF, WHEN IT GOES OFF I LOSE MY POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, STEREO AND WINDOW OPENER. THE ODDEST THING IS EVERYTHING IS FULLY RESTORED WHEN IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE POWER STEERING/POWER WINDOWS AND ABS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. *AK (AUTOMATIC POSITION LEVER MODULE) THE RADIO HAD GONE ON AND OFF AS WELL. *SC *JB
I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED THAT SABLE WAS A BAD CAR AFTER THE ENGINE OF MY MOTHER'S '87 SABLE EXPLODED, CAUGHT FIRE AND BUSTED THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE CAR BESIDE THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE (1993). LUCKILY SHE WAS NOT IN THE CAR. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OFF AND SITTING IN PARK FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I BOUGHT MY 97 SABLE IN 2001. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH SO MANY CONSTANT PROBLEMS. I SPEND ABOUT $1200 A YEAR FIXING IT CONTINUALLY. I'M CURRENTLY HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO GOING OUT WHILE IN REVERSE OR WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE. THE WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WON'T MOVE UP OR DOWN UNLESS THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER PRESS THE BUTTONS AT THE SAME TIME. THE INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON, SO WE HAVE TO UNPLUG THE FUSE TO GET IT TO GO OFF. THE SEAT BELT SAFETY LIGHT AND THE WINDOW BUTTON LIGHTS KEEP CLICKING ON AND OFF. ONCE AGAIN, THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN EVEN THOUGH THE POWER STEERING FLUID IS AT THE RIGHT LEVEL. I HAVE TO GET THE WHEELS ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. THE CAR ALWAYS MAKES A HUMMING NOISE AND DOES NOT BLOCK OUT THE SOUND OF WIND. THE SHOULDER STRAPS OF SEAT BELTS ALWAY LOCK INTO PLACE TOO TIGHT. NAME THE PROBLEM... I'VE PROBABLY BEEN THROUGH IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD/ MERCURY AGAIN EVEN IF IT IS THE #1 SELLING CAR.
DURING RAINY WEATHER, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SPLASHES WATER INTO THE ENGINE FAN BELT ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE FAN BELT TO SLIP AND SQUEAL. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILS TO TURN RESULTING IN HARD STEERING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, THE GENERATOR FAILS TO TURN RESULTING IN BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEELWELL BAFFLE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED BY THE MFG DOES NOT ADEQUATELY SHIELD THE FAN BELT ASSEMBLY FROM RAIN WATER INTRUSION. A TEMPORARY, THOUGHT INADEQUATE FIX, IS TO APPLY "BELT DRESSING" TO THE FAN BELT. REF COMPLAINT #551260. *AK
1997 MERCURY SABLE. *NLM
THE MOST RECENT PROBLEMS ARE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. FIRST, ALL OF THE PASSENGER POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED. THEY CAN ONLY BE CONTROLLED BY THE DRIVER SIDE PANEL. SECOND, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE DOORS ARE SECURELY CLOSED, THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WILL REMAIN ON BETWEEN 20 SECONDS AND SEVERAL HOURS. THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON BY ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO WORK. AN AUDIBLE CLICKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD FROM UNDER THE DASH. THE CLICK IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND MADE WHEN MANUALLY OPERATING THE SWITCH. THIRD, THIS STARTED ON SUNDAY, 01/19/03, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS OFF. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND THE DAYTIME LIGHTS ONLY, THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR CAME ON. WHEN I TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS ON, THE INDICATOR WENT OFF. WHEN I TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS OFF, THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR CAME BACK ON. THE HIGHBEAM INDICATOR EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN WITHIN 5 OR 10 MINUTES. PREVIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE INCLUDED FRONT END SUSPENSION RELATED FAILURES AND AN OIL PAN THAT SPRUNG A LEAK IN DECEMBER 2001 AT AROUND 78K MILES. THE OIL PAN SPRUNG ANOTHER LEAK IN DECEMBER 2002. THE SERVICE DEALER ATTRIBUTED THE LEAK TO THE SAME PROBLEM AND ANOTHER FAILURE WITH THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. I AGREED TO THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH REPAIR AND TOLD THEM THAT IF THE OIL PAN GASKET FAILED A 2ND TIME (ORIGINAL CAUSE OF LEAK IN 2001), THAT IT WAS DUE TO POOR REPAIR WORK. THEY TIGHTENED THE BOLTS TO THE OIL PAN. THE WINTER WEATHER HAS HAMPERED MY EFFORTS TO CHECK FOR THE LEAK. ALTHOUGH I NO LONGER SMELL BURNING OIL.
CAR OVERHEATED, TAKEN TO MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED BLOWN HEADGASKET - RETOOLED HEADGASKET. ALSO REPLACED WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, PLUGS, PLUG WIRES, COIL, THERMOSTAT, SINCE HEADGASKET PROBLEM - CAR HAS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED CONSTANTLY. STILL HAS CYLINDER 1 MISFIRE. CAR IS 5 YRS OLD. SEEMS LIKE EXCESSIVE PRBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT NEW.
CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED AS A BAD FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS NEVER NEEDED, THEN THE PROBELM WAS DISCOVERED TO BE A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS.*JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 TO 55 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED. NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. TOOK TO A MECHANIC STATED WIRES IN THE GAS TANK SHORTED OUT AND BLEW A BIG FUSE AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. MECHANIC STATED IF TANK HAD NOT BEEN FULL OF GAS THIS COULD HAVE IGNITED A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
STARTED CAR, PROCEEDED TO LEAVE PARKING LOT AND SABLE STALLED. UNABLE TO RESTART. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. FIRST ATTEMPT AT REPAIR REPLACED FUSE TO FUEL PUMP. LEFT DEALERSHIP AND VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN, 3 MILES AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO SAME DEALERSHIP. INVOICE 177076 READS "PREVIOUS REPAIR AS STATED ON RO-FUSE BLOWN. FOUND UND FAULTY SENDER AND PUMP TO FUEL TANK. PERFORMED MED EXTENSIVE TESTS TO REVEAL PROBLEM. REMOVED FUEL TANK FROM VEHICLE AND TESTED SENDER UNIT AND PUMP ASSEMBLY. FOUND CHAFFED WIRES INSIDE FUEL CELL WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. REPAIR PARTS AND REASSEMBLED TANK TO VEHICLE. RETESTED AND PARTS SEEM TO BE WORKING AS DESIGNED."
VEHECLE WAS PARKED IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE. FIRE/SMOLDERING DETECTED AT ABOUT 0130. FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOST. VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP BY THE INSUANCE COMPANY, HOWEVER WE DO HAVE A VIDEO SHOWING THE DAMAGE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING, POWER WINDOWS, AND RADIO WILL QUIT WORKING , CONSUMER CAN HEAR A CLICKING SOUND UNDER DASH, EVERYTHING COMES BACK ON WITHOUT NOTICE. *SLC
FUEL PUMP WIRE WITHIN FUEL TANK WHICH WAS RUBBING ON THE OUTGOING METAL SUPPLY LINE SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A FUSE TO BLOW OUT. ALSO, COULD LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FUEL TANK FIRE/EXPLOSION. *AK
A LOOSE GROUND WIRE WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO IDLE ROUGH. *MJS
UPON DRIVING DURING RAIN OR DAMP WEATHER STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, THE BATTERY LIGHT FLASHES AND THE FAN BELT MAKES NOISE. YH
THATS IT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 45,000, THE WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT SOON AFTER PURCHASED, THE INTERIOR ELECTRICAL WENT OUT SOON AFTER PURCHASE ALSO THE POWER SEAT QUIT WORKING.
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO TACHOMETER NEEDLE REGISTERING TOO HIGH, SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND OIL SMELL. *AK
BATTERY FAILED. *YC
BATTERY FAILED. *YC
PCM HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. NLM
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
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