Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags 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 Oct 13, 2015
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 190 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.
11
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 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 airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 13, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AT AN INTERSECTION WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK AND FACE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.
NHTSA ID
10781703
Incident
Oct 10, 2015
Mileage
179,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 8, 2005
Crash reported
DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS, CAUSING THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER TO HIT A WALL ON THE RAMP. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA ID
10117659
Incident
Apr 2, 2005
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical+1 more
Filed Aug 5, 2004
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OVERDRIVE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THIS CAUSED THE SPEEDOMETER TO DROP TO ZERO, AND THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. ALSO, HORN BECAME INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
NHTSA ID
10087325
Incident
Jul 25, 2004
Mileage
89,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 27, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE BROADSIDE. MY CAR'S FRONT END WAS TOTALED, ALONG WITH THE FRAME CRACKING. WHAT DID NOT HAPPEN WAS THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOST. *JB
NHTSA ID
10055009
Incident
Dec 7, 2003
Mileage
97,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Nov 12, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE AIRBAGS AND SHOULDER HARNESS BOTH FAILED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AT HIGHWAY SPEED RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. *LA
NHTSA ID
10046792
Incident
Nov 9, 2003
Mileage
92,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 18, 2002
CONSUMER STATES AIR BAGS DEPLOYED W/O WARNING WHILE PARKING VEHICLE. DRIVER'S BAG DID NOT DEPLOY COMPLETELY. MR
NHTSA ID
8021175
Incident
Jun 1, 2002
Airbags
Filed Feb 1, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AND DRIVER WAS INJURED. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ID
8003441
Airbags
Filed Jan 25, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER SIDE. DRIVER WAS INJURED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *YH
NHTSA ID
8002896
Incident
Oct 25, 2001
AirbagsEngineInterior & seats
Filed Aug 16, 2001
Crash reported
MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE AIR BAG DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERN ABOUT DRIVING AROUND IN A VEHICLE I THOUGHT WAS SAFE. ME AND MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE LOST OUR LIVES TO THAT 18 WHEEL TRUCK. THE TRUCK STRUCK BOTH THE FRON AND REAR OF MY 1998 SABLE AND THE BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT STATED TO ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER ON A CALL BACK AND THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY CAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I HAD THIS CAR TESTED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED IT. IT HAD SOME ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS OF WHICH I HELD ON TO THE INVOICES . I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT. IT UNDETERMINE IF THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. BUT I CAN SAY IT HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHICH MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE AIR BAG SENSORS.*AK
NHTSA ID
750576
Incident
Jul 16, 1999
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Feb 9, 2001
Crash reported
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. PEDAL WENTDOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. WAS TRAVELING 40MPH. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK BLOWN 5 AMP FUSE (RADIO,RCC,IPC CIRCUTE) WERE FOUND AFTER THE ACCIDENT. *YH
NHTSA ID
880284
Incident
Jan 15, 2001
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Mar 15, 2000
Crash reported2 injuries reported
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING OVER 50 MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND IN BETWEEN TWO 18 WHEELERS.THE 18 WHEELER ON RIGHT HAND SIDE HIT VEHICLE ON SIDE. THEN, PUSHED VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER 18 WHEELER ON LEFT SIDE. THEN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT A PICKUP TRUCK WITH FRONT END. UPON HITTING MEDIAN, BUMPER BROKE IN HALF. ALSO, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY,CAUSING INJURIES *AK
NHTSA ID
858570
Incident
Mar 4, 2000
Airbags
Filed Nov 30, 1999
Crash reported
WHILE DRIVNG AT 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA ID
850067
Incident
Oct 3, 1999
Airbags
Filed Jul 6, 1999
CONSUMER REQUEST THAT DEALER INSTALL A ON/OFF SWITCH FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DEARLER WILL NOT CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION. *YC
NHTSA ID
546540
Airbags
Filed Dec 16, 1998
Crash reported
WHILE DRIVING BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO FORM A VIOLENT MANEUVER IN THE ROAD, CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BEFORE THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DRIVER NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLICKER WHENEVER GOING OVER ANY KIND OF BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED FROM HERTZ RENTAL CAR COMPANY. *AK
NHTSA ID
832358
Incident
Sep 30, 1998
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