Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 71 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.
The 25 most recent of 71, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 500 OR MORE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
I WAS IN A PARKING LOT OF A STORE, STARTED MY CAR, HEADED OUT ONTO A CITY STREET, TURNED RIGHT. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE TOOK OFF, STARTED SPEEDING UP. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, IT SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN A LITTLE, BUT THE BRAKE FELT LIKE AIR AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS BRAKING CORRECTLY. LUCKILY, I HAD A GREEN LIGHT, WENT THROUGH THAT, KEPT BRAKING. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT THEN WOULD NOT STOP COMPLETELY, SURGED A LITTLE MORE; I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT; BRAKED AGAIN, MY CAR KEPT GOING AT SLOW SPEED; I PULLED ON MY PARKING BRAKE, NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN, I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, WHICH STOPPED IT. THEN I PULLED OUT THE KEY. I CALLED THE MECHANIC I USE. HE SENT A TOW TRUCK TO ME. MY CAR IS AT THE MECHANICS NOW.
I DROVE THE CAR HOME AFTER PURCHASING IT AND IT WAS WOBBLING AND I PULLED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE MECHANIC SIAD A WHEEL BEARING IS BROKEN ON A TIRE.
THIS SABLE HAD THE STUCK THROTTLE PROBLEM RECALL PERFORMED IN OCTOBER 2013. YESTERDAY, A DANGEROUS ACCELERATION CONDITION OCCURRED. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING EVEN AFTER TAKING ALL PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I ENTERED AN ON RAMP AND ACCELERATED TO JOIN WITH TRAFFIC. EVEN AFTER COMPLETELY REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING TO OVER 75 MILES AN HOUR. I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT HAD TO SHUT OFF THE IGNITION TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT IMMEDIATELY WENT TO 5500 RPM AND STARTED CUTTING OUT (MISFIRING- I ASSUME WAS CAUSED BY A REV LIMITER). I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AGAIN. AFTER TWO MORE TRIES STARTING, AND REVVING TO 5500 RPM, IT FINALLY STARTED AND IDLED AT 800 RPM. WHILE CLIMBING A HILL THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AGAIN, BUT AT 3000 RPM. I AGAIN HAD TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO STOP. WHEN I RESTARTED, IT REVVED TO 3000 RPM. I SHUT IT OFF AGAIN AND OPENED THE HOOD. I MANUALLY PULLED ON THE THROTTLE CABLE TO INSURE IT WAS NOT APPLYING PRESSURE. I THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AND IT IDLED AT 800 RPM. THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN OCTOBER 2013I HAVE THE SABLE AT A DEALER AT PRESENT TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE PROBLEM. AT NO TIME WAS CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING, I'M NOT SURE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. TURNING OFF THE IGNITION WAS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT ENGINE DAMAGE AND SLOW THE CAR TO AVOID A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT. I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER. THE RECALL (AT A DIFFERENT DEALER) WAS PERFORMED INCORRECTLY. THE CLIP WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY ACCORDING TO THE DEALER WHO NOW INSTALLED AND COMPLETED THE RECALL CORRECTLY! *TR
EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO REFUEL. UPON FUELING WE INTENDED TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP AS PLANNED. CAR STOPPED AT LIGHT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FOR 5-10 FEET. ENGINE MADE A REVVING SOUND AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. ALL FUELS LOOK GOOD AND THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES TOTAL BECAUSE IT WAS USED SPARINGLY BY PREVIOUS OWNER. NO LIGHTS OR INDICATION GAVE WARNING THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD LOSE POWER. WE ARE NOW SEEING ONLINE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED DEALER BUT KEPT GETTING HUNG UP ON. I AM A WIDOW WITH CHILDREN AND DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO JUST TOW THE CAR TO BE FIXED AS THIS WAS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED ON ACTUALLY TRAVELING TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN CHECK RECALL INFORMATION FOR US. *TR
I DROVE MY MERCURY SABLE 2000 TODAY. JUST SECONDS AFTER I GOT OFF FROM A HIGHWAY TO A LOCAL ROAD, MY FILLED MY CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE. I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP THE CAR IN A TRAFFIC LIGHT. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE RUSHED TO 4000RPM. I SWITCHED TO PARK GEAR AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, I TURNED ON THE CAR AGAIN BUT THE ENGINE RUSHED TO 4000RMP. HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. WAIT FOR A MINUTE AND TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN. SAME PROBLEM EXISTS. IN THE PARK POSITION, I HIT THE GAS PEDAL GENTLY AND THE ENGINE RUNNING BACK TO NORMAL. THEN I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR BACK HOME (~10MILES). IT WAS SO SCARY AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS PROBLEM WILL COME BACK AGAIN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GATE. THE CONTACT APPLIED CONSTANT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY FOUR CAR LENGTHS BEFORE STOPPING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,000. *TR UPDATED 04/10/13*LJ...UPDATED 04/25/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE GATE CRUSHED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE FRONT BUMPER TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE IRON GATE BENT ALMOST IN HALF TAKING IT OFF THE TRACK AND RENDERING IT INOPERABLE. UPDATED 06/04/2013 *JS
DRIVING VEHICLE ON INTERSTATE WITH A SPEED OF 75 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE CRUISE CONTROL SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. PUSHING THE OFF BUTTON FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT STOP THE ACCELERATION AS WELL AS PUSHING ON THE BRAKE. HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKE AND TAKE THE FIRST EXIT AVAILABLE, UPON STOPPING, THE VEHICLE STILL WANTED TO GO, PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN THE ENGINE RPM WOULD RACE TO OVER 4000 RPM AND AT THAT TIME THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. TRIED TO START, STARTED HARD BUT RPM WOULD RACE TO OVER 4000 RPM IN NEUTRAL WHEN STARTED. AFTER 5 OR 6 RESTARTS AND SHUT DOWNS IT FINALLY CAME OUT OF IT THIS, TOOK ABOUT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR OF TIME. DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL AFTER THAT FOR FEAR OF REPEAT. THIS HAD HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT WITH MY WIFE BUT COULD NOT REMEMBER HOW LONG AGO THE EVENT TOOK PLACE SO DID NOT LIST THE EVENT. *TR
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE THROTTLE STUCK AND CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT A VERY FAST SPEED. MECHANIC RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FINALLY REPLACED THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM CONTINUED. I HAD TWO TRIPS TO MECHANIC AND REPAIRED AND REPLACED MY GARAGE DOOR THREE TIMES BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. MILEAGE 93119. FINALLY GAVE UP AND TRADED CAR IN. *TR
DROVE THE CAR AWAY FROM THE DEALER AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE. STOPPED AND GOT GAS. THEN LEFT GAS STATION AND PROCEEDED ONTO THE CAPITAL BELTWAY. AFTER A COUPLE MILES THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE CAR STOPPED WAS TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED AT 4000 RPMS. THE CAR WAS THEN SHUT OFF AFTER GETTING IT STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD BACKED OUT OF THE SOCKET APPROXIMATELY A HALF INCH AND WEDGED OVER TO ONE SIDE HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE OPEN AT THE 4000 RPM LEVEL. NEITHER MYSELF OR MY MECHANIC HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED AND ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CABLE WAS PUSHED BACK OVER FROM THE SIDE AND IT POPPED BACK INTO PLACE. I CAN MANUALLY PULL THE CABLE BACK OUT AND THERE IS NO LOCKING DEVICE TO KEEP IT FROM COMING OUT AGAIN. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIND A NEW REPLACEMENT CABLE AND HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR PEACE OF MIND TO OPERATE THIS CAR. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FOR MY SON TO USE AT COLLEGE. HE HAS PRACTICALLY NO DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND I HATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I LET HIM DRIVE THE CAR HOME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS UP TO 4,000. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE UP TO 80 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REPLACED AN AIR CONTROL VALVE HIMSELF, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVING DOWN ROAD IN MY 2000 MERCURY SABLE ,STOPPED AT REDLIGHT,TRIED TO PULL OUT,CAR WOULD ONLY REV UP AND NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD JUST UP AND QUIT PULLING. WE WERE.STUCK IN MIDDLE OF ROAD ,WITH CARS PASSING AROUND US. WE.WAS IN DANGER OF GETTING HIT. WE HAD 100 MILES TO DRIVE ON FREEWAY TO GET HOME. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED THEN, WE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A PASSING CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS A LOT AND HAVE FOUND THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. *TT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE WAGON. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH USING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE. HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND TRIED TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BUT IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT A FASTER SPEED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS HE PULLED TO THE SIDE AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE FORCING HIM TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF A SECOND TIME. HE CALLED A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE FOR HALF AN HOUR HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN WORKING NORMALLY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM TO CALL NHTSA AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ALSO ADVISED HIM TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,980. UPDATED 03/02/11 *BF UPDATED 05/05/11
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECREASE IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION UPON RESTARTING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE BEFORE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. ONCE THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE RPMS CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL INCREASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A LOSE THROTTLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 127,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT RESISTANCE WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS NO POWER RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 05/27/09. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN ACCELERATOR CABLE. UPDATED 05/28/09.*JB
I HAVE A 2000 MERCURY SABLE WITH A SPEED CONTROL THAT CANNOT BE TURNED OFF EXCEPT BY STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE THE SPEED CONTROL WAS REACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING. I CANNOT GET ANY SATISFACTION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. *JB
THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT DISENGAGE (TURN OFF) WHILE IN MOTION UNLESS YOU TAP THE BRAKES, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CAR CRASH. *JB
DT: 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED OCCASIONALLY WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE WILL IDLE ROUGHLY AND THEN SHUT DOWN. WHILE AT THE LIGHT, HE HAS TO KEEP IT IDLING BY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED AT FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK
CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH/CONTROLLER - CANNOT DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL VIA ON/OFF SWITCH, ONLY BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. TAPPING THE BRAKES WILL DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE FUNCTION BUT WILL NOT TURN IT OFF. WE HAD A NEAR MISS OF AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. OEM MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS SITUATION BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.*JB
WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT FULL THROTTLE, EVEN WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AGAIN, AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. VEHICLE ACCELERATED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN THE FRONT AXLE BROKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY COULDN'T INDICATED WHY THE ACCELERATION FAILURE OCCURRED, EVEN WHEN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED.*AK CAR KEPT LUNGING AND HOPPING FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKES WERE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE D THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *BF *NM
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP IN TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED SPINAL CORD. *AK
I WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY,ALMOST STOPPED,CAR ACCELERATED EVEN THOUGH I WAS STOMPING DOWN ON THE BRAKE.I ENDED UP IN A GARAGE DOOR,CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY CAR,THEIR CAR AND GARAGE DOOR. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER,NOTHING WRONG.FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. THIS STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. THEN, CONSUMER REVERSED THE VEHICLE SLIGHTLY AND TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT BEFORE PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE AND ACCELERATING.*AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER STATED WE NEVER HEARD SOMETHING LIKE THIS. *AK
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