1997 Mercury Sable

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH COOLING SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO STOP AND LOCK UP. *AK

• 12/28/2000· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  ACCELERATOR STICKS IN WIDE OPEN POSITION. APPEARS TO BE FREEZING SIMILAR TO NHTSA 97V074. WIFE HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT AT HIGH SPEED TODAY.*AK

• 12/21/1999· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH HIGH SURGE / ENGINE ACELERATION. PROBLEM OCCURS IN STOP/GO TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR AT A STOP POSTION. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 12/17/1998· SEAT BELTS

  THE METAL MALE BUCKLE CAME APART IN TWO PIECES. NO WARNING OR EVIDENCE OF BREAKAGE, NOT THE RECEPTICLE. SCHEDULED FOR DEALER INSPECTION . PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 12/16/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO TACHOMETER NEEDLE REGISTERING TOO HIGH, SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND OIL SMELL. *AK

• 12/15/1998· VISIBILITY

  THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HEATER CORE. THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED HEATER CORE THREE TIMES. THE HEATER CORE LEAKS WATER IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

• 12/15/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE IN NOVEMBER. IT WENT OUT AGAIN IN MAY. AND AGAIN IN OCTOBER. AND IT IS LEAKING AGAIN TODAY 12-15-98.

• 12/14/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  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

• 12/11/2008· POWER TRAIN

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE WAS INFORMED BY A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V097000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE CONTACT STILL HAS THE VEHICLE, BUT IS AFRAID TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,840. UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO DISCOVERED OIL LEAKING IN THE TRANSAXLE AREA. UPDATED 01/05/09. *JB

• 12/11/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A SIDE STREET AND NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS HESITATING. VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE OF PROBLEM. *AK

• 12/10/2002· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ENGAGE FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE TO MOVE DIDN'T WORK. DEALER FIXED THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

• 12/07/1998· VISIBILITY

  AT 55,000 MILES THE HEATER CORE HAS PREMATURELY MALFUNCTIONED AND IS LEAKING. WAS REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT ALSO LEAKS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *ML

• 12/07/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE OR SLOWING DOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

• 12/06/2001· STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  WHILE GEAR SHIFT INDICATED VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL ENGINE SURGED AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO AN UNKNOWN SPEED BEFORE CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ALSO, POWER STEERING AND POWER ASSIST BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE DURING THIS INCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

• 12/04/2006· SUSPENSION

  WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 TO WORK, VEHICLE BEGAN RIDING VERY ROUGH. I COULD FEEL EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. GOT TO WORK AND DISCOVERED VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN ALL THE WAY ON THE LEFT REAR AND MOST OF THE WAY ON THE RIGHT REAR. CAUSE WAS BROKEN LEFT REAR COIL SPRING. *JB

• 12/03/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHENEVER USING THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS, FINGERS WOULD GET CUT. CRUISE CONTROL HAVE VERY SHARP EDGES THAT CUT DEEPLY WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. *AK

• 12/02/2002· EQUIPMENT

  CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN CHANGING THE TIRE THE JACK COLLAPSE AND COULD HAD CAUSE INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

• 11/30/2010· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  CONSTANTLY HAVING TO SERVICE BRAKES ON MY 1997 MERCURY SABLE. I HAVE HAD BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZE UP TO THE POINT THE WHEEL WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH AND I CURRENTLY HAVE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ABOUT 2 YEARS THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY MODEL AND FROM A SAFETY POINT OF VIEW IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO PUT ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF BRAKE LINES THAT WILL LEAK RUST OR OTHERWISE FAIL PREMATURELY. *TR

• 11/30/2000· VISIBILITY

  WHEN ENGINE WARM, IF HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER/DEFROSTER TURNED ON AND AIMED AT WINDSHIELD CAUSES WARM, HUMID AIR TO CONDENSE ON GLASS PREVENTING FORWARD VISIBILITY AT ANY SPEED. NOTIFIED DEALER AFTER INITIAL OCCURRENCE...EXCHANGED POLLEN FILTER. NO CHANGE. *AK

• 11/30/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC DUE TO 2 WIRES IN FUEL PUMP THAT GOT CAUGHT UNDERNEATH A CLAMP, CAUSING WIRES TO FRAY AND SHORT CIRCUIT AND BLOW FUSE, RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD.*AK

• 11/25/2001· SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  THE SEAT BELT ALWAYS LOCKS UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE BELT ALWAYS JAMS AND MERCURY DEALERSHIP WON'T DO A THING SINCE ITS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY UNLESS YOU GOT $200.00. I HEARD FORD HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THEIR OTHER FORD/MERCURY PRODUCTS, WHICH MY CAR ISN'T UNDER RECALL. ON THE ENGINE LIGHT MATTER. IF YOU FORGET TO PUT ON THE GAS CAP OR RADITIOR CAP ON OR SOMETHING VERY MINOR. THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON. I NOTICED THIS WILL HAPPEN ALSO WITH MY DAD'S TAURUS ALSO. I HAVE HEARD THIS HAPPENS TO ALL 1995 OR NEWER CARS. THING IS MOST PEOPLE SEE THE ENGINE LIGHT ON AND GO RIGHT TO THE MECHANIC WHICH CAN BE COSTLY IN REPAIRS IF REALLY THE REPAIR IS NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE ITS SOMETHING MINOR LIKE A GAS CAP NOT TIGHTENED. MAYBE THE AUTO COMPANY'S FOUND A NEW WAY TO RIP US OFF? WHAT DO U THINK? *AK

• 11/22/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

• 11/21/2004· SUSPENSION

  BROKEN RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING OBSERVED WHILE SERVICING BRAKE SYSTEM. SEVERE CLUNKING SOUND RADIATED THROUGH VEHICLE FOR 3-5 DAYS PRIOR TO SERVICE.*AK

• 11/18/2006· TIRES,WHEELS,EQUIPMENT

  (LOCATION) STATE: MICHIGAN. CITY: WARREN: ZIP CODE: 48092. LOCATION: ELEVEN MILE ROAD & DEQUINDRE ROAD CROSS SECTION NEAR SEVEN ELEVEN GAS STATION. (DESCRIPTION OF THE INCIDENT): FRONT PASSENGER RIGHT SIDE WHEELS AND TIRES ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF FROM THE INTEGRATED VEHICLE. *NM

• 11/18/2002· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE INSIDE COURTESY LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

• 11/16/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILS PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC, WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY DENIED IT UNTIL I MADE MANAGER DRIVE W/ME THEY REBUILT IT FREE, AFTER FIGHTING WITH THEM, I DID NOT HAVE THE CAR A WEEK. THEY REBUILT IT, 1 YR LATER HAPPENED AGAIN, SAID CANNOT FIND ANYTHING, TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER, SAID THEY ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION IN THESE DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER TOO STRONG FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THEY KNOW THEY MADE A MISTAKE. OIL IS BLACK, THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RECALL BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECALL THE CAR. *AK

• 11/13/2000· AIR BAGS

  THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAS EXPERIENCED FALSE DEPLOYMENT ON 2 OCCASIONS, ON ONE OCCASION INJURING THE DRIVER. *SLC

• 11/13/1996· EQUIPMENT

  AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM INOPERATIVE.

• 11/10/1998· EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY

  WHEN DRIVING AND PUTTING ON THE HEATER OR DEFROSTER, THERE IS HOT HEAT BLOWING OUT AND FOGS UP THE WINDSHIELD, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE. ALSO, WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNALS, THEY DON'T WORK. *AK

• 11/09/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING ONLY IN WET CONDITIONS VEHICLE WOULD STALL/SHUT DOWN WITHOUT CAUSE; VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND CONDITION COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *AK

• 11/04/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

• 11/04/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN ENGINE IS ON/VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING.

• 11/03/2000· SEAT BELTS

  DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

• 11/03/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING HEAVY EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANT TO FEEL SICK AND ALMOST PASSED OUT, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. EARIER REPLACED THE CATALITIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED THE FUMES TO ENTER INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK

• 11/01/2000· SEAT BELTS

  DASH SEATBELT INDICATOR LIGHT ONLY GOES OUT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME AND THE SAFTEY BELT DOES NOT LOCK TIGHTLY AT ALL TIMES. *AK

• 10/29/1999· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY. YH

• 10/28/2004· SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,TIRES

  THIS WAS A FAILURE THAT FORTUNATELY WAS CAUGHT BEFORE A CRASH. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED LAST DECEMBER. FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED IT THERE WAS A CLUNKING SOUND THAT CAME FROM UNDER THE FRONT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER MY HUSBAND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS MOVING BACK AND FORTH (FRONT TO BACK) WHEN THE CAR WOULD START OUT AND BACK UP. HE CONTINUED TO MONITOR IT FOR A FEW DAYS WHEN IT STARTED TO SOUND IF IT WERE WHIRRING AND GRINDING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. HE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR PLACE, FISHER AUTO BODY AND REPAIR IN SOMERSET. THERE THEY FOUND THE FOLLOWING, THE FRONT STRUTS WERE BAD, THE DRIVER SIDE WAS LEAKING AND HAD LITTLE FUNCTION, THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS WEAK; THE FRONT SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY MOUNT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND HAD SEPERATED; THE REAR MOTOR MOUNT WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED; THE REAR SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (TO CURE THE CLUNKING); THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING HAD GONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (TO REPAIR THE WHIRRING SOUND), PLUS STRUT MOUNT, CUSHION, ETC. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS NEARLY $1600. ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT THE WEAK STRUTS ALLOWED THE SUBFRAME TO SLAM TO THE GROUND ON HILLS OR SHARP GULLEYS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT MOUNTS BREAKING, THEY WERE CLEARLY NOT DESIGNED TO STAND UP IN THE LONG RUN. THE SAME DESIGN WAS USED ON THE 93 TAURUS FOR INSTANCE AND YOU RECALLED THE REAR MOUNTS AND REQUIRED A BEEFED UP MOUNTING PLATE AND DESIGN. YOU SHOULD FORCE FORD (MERCURY) TO DO THE SAME WITH THIS CAR. *AK

• 10/22/1998· EQUIPMENT

  CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING. VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, AND THE DEALER FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. IN TURN, THE DEALER CREATED ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS RUST ON THE OVERFLOW TANK. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

• 10/20/2016· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  YES I HAVE A USED CAR AND THE DASH FROM THE HEAT HAS ROSE OFF OR HAS BUCKELED UP AND I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPANY WELL APPARENTLY IT IS OBSOLETE AND IT IS HARD TO COME BY SO I CANT DRIVE WITHOUT A DASH AND I CANT GET ONE EITHER

• 10/17/2002· STEERING

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE GOES THROW A PUDDLE OFF WATER THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. DEALER CONTACTED. TS

• 10/12/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

  WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS DOWN TO A HALF A TANK OF GAS GAS GUAGE INDICATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS ON EMPTY. ALSO THE FUEL GAUGE COMES ON. DEALER CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/09/2008· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  I HAVE READ DOZENS OF EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM POSTED ON THIS SITE. IT APPEARS THAT MERCURY NEEDS TO MAKE A RECALL. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO MY BRAKE PEDAL RELEASED THE PRESSURE I HAD ON IT AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TOOK IT INTO THE BRAKE SHOP AND HAD MY HOSES, CALIPERS, AND BREAK LINES ALL COMPLETELY REPLACED. WITHIN 6 MONTHS, THE EXACT SAME THING HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. I DO NOT HAVE $500 TO SPEND EVERY SIX MONTHS ON A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

• 10/09/2000· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION BLEW APART. CRACK IN CASE MAY HAVE OCCURRED FIRST, CAUSING INTERNAL PROBLEMS (STILL HAD FLUID) OR TRANSMISSION BLOWING APART MAY HAVE CAUSED CRACK IN CASE (PER REPAIRMAN).

• 10/06/2004· POWER TRAINCrash

  WHEN ON A INCLINE, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE TO REVERSE GEAR. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *JB THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE.

• 10/04/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE FREEZE PLUGS CONTINUOUSLY RUST OUT CAUSING THE COOLANT TO BE BROWN MAKING THE ENGINE OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS WORKED ON (2) MONTHS AGO WITH THE PROBLEM REOCCURING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *MR

• 09/30/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

• 09/27/2007· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE PLASTIC STRIPS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE LINE TO THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE VEHICLE WAS COLLECTING WATER THAT DID NOT EVAPORATE. AS A RESULT, THE TWO BRAKE LINES THAT DELIVERED OIL TO THE REAR BRAKES CORRODED AND ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TWO MAIN LINES FROM THE BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE REAR TIRES. THE LINES WERE FLUSHED FIVE TIMES AFTER THE REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIR COST $567.13. MORE RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER AGAIN AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THROUGH A STOP SIGN AT 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP 150 YARDS LATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY AND THE LINES HAD TO REPLACED AGAIN AT THE COST OF $611.45. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,431. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

• 09/27/2004· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

• 09/23/1999· POWER TRAIN

  FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED MY BRAND NEW 1997 MERCURY SABLE I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANS AT APPROX 31,600 MILES. NOW THE COOLER LINE IS LEAKING EXTREMELY BAD. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT AND NEED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS 49,000 MILES SO 18,000 MILES AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, AGAIN I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PLEASE ADVISE.

• 09/22/1999· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V103000. CONTACTED DEALER & TOOK VEHICLE IN ON DATE GIVEN. WAS CHARGED FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS BY MECHANIC. *AK