RoadVitals

1998 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.
10
Latest Dec 17, 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.
5%
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.
0
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 1998 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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

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

Visibility
Filed Dec 17, 2004

THE CABIN AIR FILTER EQUIPMENT LEAKS RAINWATER INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS CREATES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN THE VEHICLE, HENCE CAUSING EXCESSIVE FOGGING OF THE WINDOW GLASS, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD, PRESENTING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLISION DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10104017
Incident
Dec 17, 2004
Mileage
91,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 1, 2000

FRONT WINDSHIELD WOULD FOGGED UP FIRST, AND THEN UNFOGGED WHEN USING DEFOGGER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONCERN, BUT UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
875875
Incident
Mar 15, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jul 31, 2000

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN GARAGE. WIFE STARTED CAR IN ORDER TO BACK OUT WHEN REAR WINDOW SHATTERED OR EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK GLASS EXPLODED OUTWARD COVERING THE INTIRE REAR HALF OF THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR. NO INJURIES. *YH

NHTSA ID
866321
Incident
Jul 29, 2000
Fuel systemVisibility
Filed Sep 8, 1999

WINDSHIELD--LINES IN GLASS. DASHBOARD--COVERING IS BUBBLED.

NHTSA ID
609115
Visibility
Filed Jul 23, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH EXTERIOR MIRROR POPPED OUT AND HIT THE WINDOW, AND THEN POPPED OUT INTO THE STREET. *AK

NHTSA ID
843170
Incident
Jul 22, 1999
Visibility
Filed May 25, 1999

WINDSHIELD HAS SWIRLS INSIDE OF GLASS. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. ALRIGHT DURING DAYLIGHT. HAS TO GO BACK TO DEALER ACCORDING TO GLASS CO. SWIRLS ARE GETTING WORSE DUE TO BEING MORE NOTICEABLE DURING THE DAY. *AK

NHTSA ID
838422
Incident
Mar 29, 1999
Visibility
Filed May 4, 1999

THE MERCURY SABLE HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE WINDSHIEL D. THE FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS LEAVES WATER ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE FRONT WINDOW IS PARTICULARILY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPPERS IT BRINGS THE WATER TO THE DRIVERS SIDE. AT TIMES YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDOW. THAT MINUTE THE VISION IS BLURRED THERE COULD BE AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY ACCIDENTS THERE HAVE BEEN AS A RESULT OF THIS DESIGN FLAW. THE REAR WINDOW IS NOT AS BAD BECAUSE YOU CAN TURN-ON THE REAR DEFOGGER. I PURCHASED A NEW SET OF WIPPERS

NHTSA ID
706231
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
608928
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WINDSHIELD FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
606420
Incident
Jul 10, 1998
Visibility
Filed Sep 28, 1998

REAR LEFT WINDOW EXPLODES AND SATTERS AND FALLS INTO CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH. POLICE REPORT STATES NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING CAUSING WINDOW TO BREAK. FORD REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
541754
Incident
Sep 4, 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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .