Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mercury Sable submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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 27, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE INTERIOR AND FLOOR TO BE SOAKED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
WIRE HARNESS FAILURE IN RUBBER BOOTS FROM BODY OF CAR TO REAR LIFT GATE ON STATION WAGON MODEL. INSULATION CRACKING AND WIRE BREAKING COMPLETELY IN FLEXIBLE RUBBER BOOT CAUSES ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, BACK UP LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER, OPEN LIFT GATE AND OPEN REAR WINDOW SAFETY SENSORS AND STEREO SPEAKERS. INSULATION AND WIRING WITHIN BOOT HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND FATIGUED. CLEAN BREAKS IN WIRES FROM OPENING AND CLOSING LIFT GATE ARE EVIDENT. WIRES WHERE INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CIRCUITS WHERE THAT INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH AND RESULTS IN "CONFUSING" OPERATION OF LIGHTS. IE PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON - PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT GOES OUT. BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T COME ON AT ALL. IE TURN ON REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT COMES ON. WIRING DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MULTIPLE INTERNAL COPPER STRANDS OR SUPPLE ENOUGH INSULATION TO PROVIDE NEEDED FLEXIBILITY DURING REGULAR OPENING AND CLOSING OF REAR LIFT GATE. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A LATENT SAFETY DEFECT. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE KNOWN DURING DESIGN THAT WIRING IN BOOT TO STATION WAGON LIFT GATE WOULD BE PRONE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WITH REGULAR USE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A WEBASTO HOLLANDIA 600 SUNROOF. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V124000(VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY). ONCE SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED TIME OF AVAILABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000. IT WAS SAID TO TAKE TWO WEESKS UNTIL PARTS WERE IN. NEVER RECIEVED PHONE CALL. IT HAS BEEN CLOSE TO TWO MONTHS. UPDATED 09/01/2011 *LN
HEATER/DEFROSTER FAN HAS FAILED. THIS ALSO PREVENTS THE A/C FROM CLEARING THE WINDSHIELD OF CONDENSATION. *TR
LEAKING CONNECTION BETWEEN WINDSHIELD WATER AND BLOWING MOTOR OF HEATING/VENTILATION CAUSING WINDOWS TO FOG UP AFTER STARTING AND BEGINNING DRIVING. WHEN OPENING THE BLOWER MOTOR COMPARTMENT YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATER SEE DRIPPING OUT. ALSO A SOAKING WET FLOOR WILL OCCUR RIGHT AFTER A SEVERE RAINSTORM. THIS IS A MAYOR SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO BAD VISIBILITY! *TR
I HAVEN'T HAD MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR A THE HEATER JUST SUDDENLY WENT OUT! I HAVE NO IDEA WHY BUT I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE THING IS THAT TRUE I M STILL PAYING ON THIS CAR ALSO! *TR
2002 MERCURY SABLE WATER LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT OF VEHICLE. THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR GETS WATER AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. BOTOR WORKS ON AND OFF. REFERENCE COMPLAINT # 101840014. ALSO FORD RELATED RECALL 03V087000.*TR
WATER LEAKED THROUGH WINDSHIELD COWL ONTO THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD AND CAUSING BLOWER FAN MOTOR TO SHORT OUT. FORD ADMITS THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN TSB 04-15-3. HAS CAUSED ME RESPIRATORY ISSUES DUE TO BUILD UP OF MOLD IN DASH AND CARPETING. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 MERCURY SABLE THAT WHEN EVER IT RAINED STARTED TO GET WATER LEAKAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AS A RESULT OF THE LEAK MY FAN BLOWER BURNT OUT COSTING $180.00. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A SILENT RECALL. THEY CLAIMED THE FIX WAS FREE UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY COVERAGE UNDER TSB-03-15-6. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO INTO THE DEALER AND HE DID A WATER LEAK TEST AND IT SHOWED THAT I NEEDED A "RAIN HAT ASSEMBLY AND WEATHER STRIPS" AT A COST TO ME OF $289.00 AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE BULLETINS. I DISAGREED WITH HIM, HOWEVER WHAT CHOICE WOULD I HAVE IF IT RAINED AGAIN I WOULD BE OUT ANOTHER $180.00 FOR A BLOWER MOTOR. REFERENCE RECALL NUMBER 03V087000 AND COMPLAINTS ALSO REPORTED WILLIAM FORD, 10184014 AND JIM COLLINS, 10184756. *JB
GOT CAUGHT IN A RAIN/SLEET/ICE STORM WHILE ON A TRIP. THE DEFROSTER BLOWER MOTOR QUIT, CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO ICE UP BEFORE WE COULD GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. A REAL WHITE-KNUCKLE EXPERIENCE! *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED DEFROSTED BLOWER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED. WHILE DRIVING THE BLOWER STOPPED WORKING AND WILL NOT WORK TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION TWICE. HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE BY THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE COST. SHE MADE ONE TEMPORARY REPAIR. CURRENTLY, SHE ORDERED THE PART AND WAS WAITING FOR ITS ARRIVAL SO SHE COULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM HERSELF.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES WATER WENT INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE BLOWER MOTOR TO RUST. AS A RESULT OF THE RUST, THE DEFROSTER NO LONGER WORKED. IT WAS NOT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSED BY WATER DAMAGE. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WATER WAS COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND LEAKING INTO THE BRAKE AREA. IT WAS COMING DOWN BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. WHEN IT RAINED THERE WOULD BE WATER IN THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE FIRST TIME THEY CLEARED OUT SOME LEAVES. THE SECOND TIME THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRACK ON THE SUN ROOF. THIRD TIME, THE DEALER CLAIMED THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER WAS OFFERING NO FREE REMEDY. THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT BRAKES. THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB
WE HAVE A LOT OF HUMIDITY HERE WHERE I LIVE, AND I NEEDED TO USE THE DEFROST MODE ON MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE WITH 41K MILES, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO GET WARM AIR TO COME OUT. I TRIED A FEW DIFFERENT DAYS BEFORE I REPORTED IT TO MY DEALER FOR SERVICE. WHEN I TOOK IT IN, THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND GASKET AND THE BLEND AIR DOOR MOTOR. IT COST ME $237. I TRIED IT THE NEXT MORNING--NO DEFROST. THEY HAD TO ORDER ANOTHER MOTOR. *NM
THE AIR BLEND DOOR ON MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE BROKE FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAPPENS TO MANY FORD CUSTOMERS. THIS TIME WHEN IT BROKE, THE HVAC SYSTEM WAS STUCK ON HEATING. HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO BECOME STUCK IN A/C MODE WHICH WOULD PRESENT A PROBLEM IN THE WINTER IF ATTEMPTING TO DEFOG OR DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. MY DEALER FIXED THE DEFECTIVE PART THE LAST TWO TIMES, AND I'M SURE THEY'LL FIX IT AGAIN.
DT: CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD LEAKED, WHICH, IN TURN, BLEW OUT AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR. THE LEAK STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES. FORD SENT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION A LETTER STATING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN , AND THE DEALERS SHOULD CONTACT THE CONSUMER, SHE FOUND THAT INFORMATION ONLINE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED, AND THE DEALER NEVER DISCLOSED THIS INFORMATION. WHEN THE LEAK STARTED SHE DID CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER, AND THEY TOLD HER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE WINDSHIELD LEAKED WHENEVER IT RAINED. THE PROBLEM WAS THE MOUNTING BRACKETS ACCORDING TO THE LETTER ONLINE. CONSUMER STILL HAD THE BLOWER MOTOR TO SHOW THE WATER DAMAGE.*AK
I FOUND ON YOUR SITE RECALL #03V087000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELDS IN THE 2002 MERCURY SABLES. I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY 2002 SABLE SO I CALLED FORD AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY SEARCHED BY MY VIN #[XXX] AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES RECALLED ON THAT PROBLEM. MY WINDSHIELD HAS A LOT OF AIR NOISE COMING IN WHILE DRIVING AND IT LEAKS AND AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THE WINDSHIELD BUZZES AND VIBRATES. I DID NOT OWN THE CAR WHEN THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF MORE OF THEM SHOULD OF BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES WITH MY PROBLEM BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE NHTSA AWARE OF THE PROBLEM INCASE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME AND THEIR SABLES WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON ONE OF THE FIRST "COLD" DAYS THIS FALL, MY WIFE HAD THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW IMPLODE INTO THE BACK SEAT. THERE WAS NO APPARENT PROJECTILE, NO FOREWARNING OTHER THAN A LIGHT CRACKLING NOISE BEFORE THE GLASS RAINED INTO THE CAR.*AK
FAULTY HEATER BLOWER MOTOR. CONTROL RESISTOR BURNT OUT.*AK
WINDSHIELD ON 2002 MERCURY SABLE IS DEFECTIVE. *MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE AREA OF THE GLOVE BOX. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. THE PROBLEM WOULD SEEM TO GET WORSE DURING COLD WEATHER. (RATTLING AND WHISTLING) THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WOULD STAY LIT AFTER THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO REOPEN THE VEHICLE AND STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL A FEW TIMES BEFORE THE BRAKES WOULD GO OUT. (THIS WAS AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM) THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ON RECALL WHICH WAS #04106000, BUT THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT. THE WINDSHIELD RECALL #03V087000. *SC *JB
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V087000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD MOUNTING. THE VEHICLE HAS SEVERE NOISE FROM THE WINDOWS. ALSO THE WINDOWS SQUEAK AND RATTLE SEVERELY. THE RECALL DID NOT COVER CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. *AK *NM
COWL OF WINDSHIELD LEAKING ALOT OF WATER IN FRONT PASSANGER SIDE. ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING LEADING TO VISIBILITY PROBLEMS, FOGGING WINDOWS AND INABILITY TO DRIVE SAFELY ALSO LOSS OF HEAT IN VERY COLD WEATHER. *AK
COWL AT BASE OF WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER INTO BLOWER MOTOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF HEAT AND FRONT DEFROST CAPABILITY LEADING TO VISIBILITY ISSUES, FOGGING OF WINDOWS AND INABILITY TO DRIVE VEHICLE SAFELY. *LA
CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD RECALL 03V087000 REPAIRS PERFORMED. BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE PUTTING CONSUMER ON A WAITING LIST, AND WILL CONTACT HER WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THE DEALERSHIP NEVER CALLED. IT HAD BEEN A YEAR.*AK
I OWN A 2002 MERCURY SABLE STATION WAGON,PURCHASED IN JAN. 2002. IN EARLY MARCH,2003, I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE (COMPLIANCE RECALL #03C03) FROM MERCURY. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MERCURY DEALER, TOOK MY CAR IN AND THE DEALER TOOK INFORMATION FROM THE CAR AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN THE REPLACEMENT PARTS CAME IN. WE RESTRICTED USE OF OUR NEW CAR DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS, UNTIL IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. TODAY IS JULY 14, 2003, AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE STILL NOT ARRIVED AT OUR DEALERS, FOUR MONTHS LATER. WE HAVE NOT HAD FULL USE OF OUR NEW CAR FOR FOUR MONTHS BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE (WINDSHIELD PARTS). ALL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT MERCURY HAVE BEEN IN VAIN. CAN SOMEBODY HELP US?*AK
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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