2001 Mercury Sable
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Mercury › Sable › 2001
These records cover every 2001 Mercury Sable. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
9 recalls name the 2001 Mercury Sable. Newest first.
Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.
On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, the front…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If this occurs, the tire may rupture resulting in a rapid air loss, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install protective spring shields. in addition, ford IS extending the warranty coverage of the front coil springs in all other states, for fracture only, up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. if the vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until july 31, 2005. if either front coil spring fractures, dealers will replace both front springs at no charge to the owner. an interim notice was sent to owners on august 2, 2004. parts are now available for the 2000-2001 my vehicles and owners were sent a letter on january 10, 2005, advising them to bring in their vehicles for repair parts are expected to be available for the 1999 my vehicles by the end of february 2005 and owners of these vehicles will be notified then. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Certain passenger vehicles are being recalled to correct a problem with a malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring. this malfunctioning could render the stop lamps inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. this could cause confusion to a following driver, which could lead to a crash.
Risk and remedy
Risk
In addition, if the switch and/or associated wiring fail in the open position, the brake lights will not actuate and the driver will not be able to shift the vehicle out of "park" if they fail in the closed position, the brake lights will remain on, which will not allow the speed control to be activated. this could also cause the battery to discharge.
Remedy
Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. owner notification IS expected to begin on april 5, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable padels are being recalled in order to adjust the brake and accelerator pedals to a minimum of 50 mm of lateral separation. simultaneous application of both the brake and accelerator pedals could result in an increase in engine rpm.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This could result in a customer experiencing an "unintended vehicle speed increase" or a perceived "unable to stop" condition.
Remedy
Owners will be instructed as to the proper way to set the position of the pedals and to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the spacing between the brake and accelerator pedals measured. if the spacing IS found to be less than 50 mm, the dealer will adjust the pedals to increase the distance between them to greater than 50 mm. owner notification began october 28, 2002. owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. a switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. owner notification began august 20, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Vehicle description: passenger cars. the seat belt buckle tongue may not fully eject from the buckle assembly when the release button IS pushed slowly. this condition could also result in a partial latch of the tongue in the buckle.
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the vehicle occupant may not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver and right front passenger seat belt buckles. owner notification began may 4, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals. if the grease from the adjustable pedal assembly enters the stop lamp switch, it can contaminate the contacts leading to carbon build up, and potentially, a short circuit.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A short circuit could lead to either the brake lamps staying on, or to a loss of brake lamp function, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch and wipe down the adjustable pedal assembly to remove excess grease. owner notification began march 22, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the affected expedition/navigator owner guides do not identify the locations of seating positions equipped with tether anchorages, and do not provide instructions for securing…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with owner guide inserts revised to provide the required information, and instructions for affixing these inserts to their owner guides. customers will also be advised that if they prefer, their dealer will affix the inserts to their owner guides.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the child safety seat anchor latch (iso-fix anchor) fasteners do not have adequate residual torque. the anchors are secured to the floor pan with a reinforcement plate that has two studs that extend upward through the floor pan and the iso-fix anchor. the sealer on the floor pan could cause a soft joint and…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The anchor may not hold the child safety seat in position during an accident, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant of the child safety seat.
Remedy
Dealers will remove and re-install the bracket nut using a torque retention material (red loctite). owner notification began september 11, 2000. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Owner complaints
430 complaints32 involved a crash7 involved a fire30 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Vehicle speed control
Lately my car has been over accelerating to about 4,000 rpm’s at random moments. I almost got into a wreck today and I was driving 30 mph. I’ve cleaned the throttle body and the idle air control valve and still the same issue. The car only has 113,000 miles on it but now I’m too scared to even drive it!
- Steering · Suspension · Wheels
I got in my car started to drive and heard something snap then smoke came from the hood and the car pulled hard right. I immediately stopped and parked the car. The coil spring broke and dug into my front passenger tire and it pulled the axle out of the cv joint.i was in allentown,pa. On a main road in the city. Feb.8,2020.
- Service brakes
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The failure occurred without warning. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with full force to get the vehicle to eventually stop. The dealer was not contacted. The…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The failure occurred without warning. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with full force to get the vehicle to eventually stop. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v266000 (service brakes). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 113,000.
- Service brakes
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 40 mph, the brake warning indicator illuminated. Also, while approaching a red light with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 40 mph, the brake warning indicator illuminated. Also, while approaching a red light with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact powered off and restarted the engine while at a red light and was able to drive home. The vehicle was later towed to helfman ford (located at 12220 southwest fwy, stafford, tx 77477, (281) 240-3673) where it was diagnosed that there was a faulty brake sensor that needed a brake master cylinder replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 40,200. The vin was not available.
- Engine · Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 50 mph on the highway, the accelerator pedal suddenly dropped down and the vehicle accelerated to 120 mph. The contact shifted into neutral, but the rpms continued revving at maximum capacity. When the vehicle started to slow down, the…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 50 mph on the highway, the accelerator pedal suddenly dropped down and the vehicle accelerated to 120 mph. The contact shifted into neutral, but the rpms continued revving at maximum capacity. When the vehicle started to slow down, the contact turned off the engine. The vehicle eventually came to a rolling stop on the side of the road. The contact waited ten minutes and attempted to restart the vehicle, but the engine revved up again; therefore, the contact quickly turned the vehicle back off. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. Future ford of sacramento (4625 madison ave, sacramento, ca 95841, (916) 473-1047) stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 180,000.
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 5 mph, the vehicle brushed against a curb and the side impact air bag deployed. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to terry's ford of peotone (363 s harlem ave, peotone, il 60468, 708-258-9200) and was not diagnosed, but it…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 5 mph, the vehicle brushed against a curb and the side impact air bag deployed. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to terry's ford of peotone (363 s harlem ave, peotone, il 60468, 708-258-9200) and was not diagnosed, but it was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The vin was not available.
- Vehicle speed control
Sudden acceleration and continued high rpms. Accelerates without depressing accelerator pedal. This IS a known issue for mercury sable / ford taurus 2000-2003 and I just discovered a recall was done in 2013 by ford. The cause IS a malfunctioning of the throttle body and/crusie control cables.
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Power train · Vehicle speed control
Transmission issues included a near death experience when faulty cruise control wiring / functionality caused automatic transmission to rev to to high rpms. Was unable to shift to neutral gear and was forced to jump from vehicle to avoid potentially fatal wreck. Brake pads burned through to the calipers when trying to brake.
- Vehicle speed control
I haven't had this car vary lone and I was driving close to my home in witch I live in the tn. Smoky mountains. The roads are curvy I had just pulled out from a tee intersection and a car came fast up behind me so I stepped on it and that IS when the throttle stuck so I kicked it fast and hard…
I haven't had this car vary lone and I was driving close to my home in witch I live in the tn. Smoky mountains. The roads are curvy I had just pulled out from a tee intersection and a car came fast up behind me so I stepped on it and that IS when the throttle stuck so I kicked it fast and hard and it freed up. If this had been in a different situation I may have wrecked the car. So I started to do some research on this and found recalls so I did a vin# check and found out the recalls for this car were done and all this happened on 11-19-2016 so on 11-21-2016 I had to go out and I stopped by a dealer to check on my findings and I was told the same thing and at that point I went to check on a new throttle cable and maybe the part that was put on to fix the problem and that the parts would need to be ordered and thats when I found out that it wasn't the cable that was the problem that later ford had found that it was the throttle body that was causing the problem and of course that was never reveled because that part IS a 400.00 part and the cable was a 100.00 part. So this needs to be recalled again. My car has 154500 miles. nhtsa ' vehicle speed control problems 2001 mercury sable nhtsa ' vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal problems 2001 mercury sable close investigation subject : speed control cable damage date investigation opened: oct 24, 2012 date investigation closed: jun 26, 2013 nhtsa action number: pe12033 component(s): vehicle speed control all products associated with this investigation expand details close 10 associated documents expand manufacturer: ford motor company
- Suspension · Vehicle speed control
My 17 year old was driving the 2001 mercury sable and came to a complete stop at a light on a busy intersection however, the car automatically accelerated even with his foot on the brake. the acceleration stuck and fortunately he was able to control the vehicle without hitting anyone and causing…
My 17 year old was driving the 2001 mercury sable and came to a complete stop at a light on a busy intersection however, the car automatically accelerated even with his foot on the brake. the acceleration stuck and fortunately he was able to control the vehicle without hitting anyone and causing an accident but immediately managed to get it to an open lot to shut the car off. Had someone look at it, and it was the throttle cable that snapped. it IS only temporarily fixed at this time. Also, when driving in areas where there IS any type of small bump, such as the end of our driveway, the front end suspension just isn't there. it hits extremely hard. *tr
- Engine
Throttle got stuck forcing car to accelerate even when not touching the gas pedal. Thankfully the brakes worked and I was able to stop the car and put it into park, at which point the engine revved to 4000 rpm. Once the car was turned off, it let off some white smoke with a burning oil smell.…
Throttle got stuck forcing car to accelerate even when not touching the gas pedal. Thankfully the brakes worked and I was able to stop the car and put it into park, at which point the engine revved to 4000 rpm. Once the car was turned off, it let off some white smoke with a burning oil smell. According to my mechanic, the speed control cable collar fractured. I was on the highway when this happened, doing 65 miles per hour.
- Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral to slow it down, but the engine continued to rev at a high rpm.…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral to slow it down, but the engine continued to rev at a high rpm. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
- Suspension
Front coil springs both broken and replaced. Rear coil spring brole and punctured tire causing the vehicle to become stranded.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting
For over ten (10) years the headlights (but not the side driving lights) have been going off (for about 3 minutes) and then coming back on. this does not occur every time the lights come on and seems to be more frequent in the summer time when it IS warm or hot outside. The date below IS just…
For over ten (10) years the headlights (but not the side driving lights) have been going off (for about 3 minutes) and then coming back on. this does not occur every time the lights come on and seems to be more frequent in the summer time when it IS warm or hot outside. The date below IS just approximately when this problem started and IS not the only date/'time it has occurred, it has occurred sporadically but continuously since that date.
- Fuel/propulsion system · Vehicle speed control
While driving the sable at approximately 25 mi. Per hr.(clear road,dry conditions)in congested traffic conditions. Going through a set of traffic lights,luckily the light had just turned green,,the vehicle suddenly surged up to 3000 rpm. Fortunately,going through the lights, my foot was near the…
While driving the sable at approximately 25 mi. Per hr.(clear road,dry conditions)in congested traffic conditions. Going through a set of traffic lights,luckily the light had just turned green,,the vehicle suddenly surged up to 3000 rpm. Fortunately,going through the lights, my foot was near the brake pedal. When I heard and felt the acceleration ,i immediately hit the brake and kept my right foot on it as the vehicle continued to push forward with full brakes applied. Luckily the vehicle was under the brakes control,while still revvvving, I put the vehicle into neutral and pulled over,tuned ignition off. The front disc brakes were smoking. Opened hood,noticed nothing unusual, this IS the only report of this incident.will seek immediate cure today. This IS my 66 y.o. Girl friend car.she IS now horrified to use it! november 5,2015.
- Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated unintentionally when driving. On another occasion, while at a stop light, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that firm pressure had to be applied to the brake pedal to keep the vehicle…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated unintentionally when driving. On another occasion, while at a stop light, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that firm pressure had to be applied to the brake pedal to keep the vehicle from lunging forward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 164,000.
- Power train · Suspension
My mechanic advised that the coil spring IS lacking a cover and IS rusting and may break. my transmission "slips" and "revs" at random. both of these items are supposedly under recall, but ford will not honor the recalls.
- Vehicle speed control
While under acceleration 50%-75% the throttle cable can slide out of the cable retainer and keep the throttle from returning to idle leading to the throttle being stuck open resulting in speeds over 100mph if no action IS taken.
- Steering · Structure › Body · Suspension
The engine cradle/frame supporting the engine & transmission and suspension and steering assemblies failed due to excessive corrosion causing the rear mount at the body connection on both sides to separate and drop about 3" causing a loss of steering. The drop of the cradle and engine and…
The engine cradle/frame supporting the engine & transmission and suspension and steering assemblies failed due to excessive corrosion causing the rear mount at the body connection on both sides to separate and drop about 3" causing a loss of steering. The drop of the cradle and engine and transmission pulled down on the steering shaft universal joint under the dash causing the steering to bind up and also causing the entire steering and suspension geometry to fail. the vehicle was not garaged, was purchased new by me, was not in involved in any flood damage, was not in close proximity to salt water and the undercarriage was sprayed each time I frequently washed the vechicle. the engine cradle in addition to the rear mount failure has extensive rust and corrosion thruout the structure. As someone who pays attention to my vehicle I began to notice rust/corrosion on the engine cradle about 5 years after purchasing the vehicle and have searched the internet for similar complaints without finding any. I'm wirtting this after finally seeing a complaint on a 2001 ford taurus cradle/frame failure and think this dangerous condition should be made public. thankfully I was going at a slow speed and was able to veer the vehicle to the side of the road. Had I been traveling at highway speed the event would have been catastrophic not only to me but others on the road also. Loved my vehicle it runs great and was looking foward to more miles with it, unfortunately the repair would be a major undertaking and expense and my sable IS to head to the junk yard on a flatbed.
- Air bags · Seats
I was on my way home from work around 9AM the driver seat side air bag deployed for absolutely no reason.
- Structure › Body
The front driver door will not shut in cold temperatures. as I was trying to leave for work the door would not latch shut. ended up holding the door shut while driving down the road. I went and bought a ratchet strap to secure the door in place as it IS often cold in wisconsin.
- Engine and engine cooling · Fuel/propulsion system · Suspension
Something drastically wrong with the radiator system, antifreeze IS always brown, have it changed and in 1 day it turns brown. the windows have been broken in this car since 2005, the two front windows do not go up and down, I don't feel safe without the windows working. there IS something wrong…
Something drastically wrong with the radiator system, antifreeze IS always brown, have it changed and in 1 day it turns brown. the windows have been broken in this car since 2005, the two front windows do not go up and down, I don't feel safe without the windows working. there IS something wrong with the suspension and I constantly have to put air into my tires and tires wear out quickly because suspension IS messed up. windshield washer has not worked since 2003. if it was built with pride like the company says it IS, it would be a nice car. falls apart too easily. I need help. *Tr
- Vehicle speed control
I was driving along the highway at approximately 45 mph when suddenly accelerator sped up to a high rate of speed. could not slow down when braking. Car continued to accelerate. could not get car to slow down no matter what I tried. had to turn car off to come to a stop. the local wichita falls…
I was driving along the highway at approximately 45 mph when suddenly accelerator sped up to a high rate of speed. could not slow down when braking. Car continued to accelerate. could not get car to slow down no matter what I tried. had to turn car off to come to a stop. the local wichita falls ford company says there IS recall for this problem, but I have read all over the net that it IS a problem ford motor company said that it would fix. called ford motor co. Headquarters and they said there IS no recall issued for this problem and they will not fix it. I should not have to pay for this when ford knows it IS an ongoing problem. I am 73 years old and do not have money for this kind of repair. *tr
- Vehicle speed control
Going to work and going up a steep hill on a windy 2 lane highway and topped the hill at approximately 40 mph and when I let off the throttle the throttle pedal returned but the speed stayed at 40 mph and at 4000 rpm. I punched and released the throttle pedal and it went to 6000 rpm and didn't…
Going to work and going up a steep hill on a windy 2 lane highway and topped the hill at approximately 40 mph and when I let off the throttle the throttle pedal returned but the speed stayed at 40 mph and at 4000 rpm. I punched and released the throttle pedal and it went to 6000 rpm and didn't return. I stepped on the brakes and slowed the vehicle a little but not much. I was coming up on a turn at a high rate of speed and had to shift in to neutral and shut the car off. I coasted to the side of the road and raised the hood. I seen that where the throttle cable and the cruise control cable went in to the mounting bracket that the cruise control cable was hanging out the side of the grey plastic holder that holds it into the mounting bracket. The grey plastic guide holder had broke and the cable had slipped out of the holder and wasn't able to go back in when the throttle was open thus left the throttle half open. I was able to manually slide it back into the grey plastic guide holder and put wire on it to safely get it home. The holder needs to either be metal or a better grade of plastic. The grey plastic guide holder IS also the same as the one on the throttle cable. I'm sure its going to break soon also. Thank you. *tr
- Air bags
TL* the contact owned a 2001 mercury sable. The contact's vehicle was struck head on by another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a head injury, but no medical attention was received. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vin and speed were not available. The failure mileage was 33,000.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Speed control cable damage
On June 21, 2013, Ford initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 13B04 to address a concern with Speed Control Cable damage in certain model year (MY) 2000 through 2003 Taurus and Sable vehicles equipped with 3.0L 4V Duratec engines and built at the Chicago assembly plant.In the dealer letter for the program, Ford…
On June 21, 2013, Ford initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 13B04 to address a concern with Speed Control Cable damage in certain model year (MY) 2000 through 2003 Taurus and Sable vehicles equipped with 3.0L 4V Duratec engines and built at the Chicago assembly plant.In the dealer letter for the program, Ford indicates that the Speed Control Cables on affected vehicles may be susceptible to damage or becoming partially disconnected during under hood vehicle maintenance (e.g., replacing a battery or changing the air filter) and that a damaged Speed Control Cable could interfere with the throttle's full return to idle when the accelerator pedal is released.Ford's program instructs dealers to inspect the Speed Control Cables and replace any with any portion of either collar retention tab missing.Dealers will install a Collar Reinforcement Clip at the Speed Control Cable collar in all vehicles. Figure 1 shows the location of the Speed Control Cable in the engine compartment and the proximity of the battery and air filter.The failure mode of the cable assembly is associated with the plastic collar used to secure the cable to a bracket near the throttle body (Figure 2).Damage to one or both retention tabs used to secure the cable ferrule within the collar may allow the ferrule to become disconnected from the collar when the throttle is opened during accelerator pedal application.Additional examples of Speed Control Cables with damaged collar retention tabs and partial ferrule displacement are shown in Figures 3 through 5.If the displacement pulls the ferrule completely out of the collar, the ferrule end may contact the face of the collar when the accelerator pedal is released and the throttle is returning to idle (Figure 6).This results in a throttle stuck at approximately 26-29% open.Testing conducted at NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center found that brake booster vacuum may become depleted, resulting in reduced brake effectiveness, if the brake is applied repeatedly when the throttle is stuck at this position.Drivers who experienced this condition have reported being surprised that the engine speed did not drop as expected and in some cases misjudged the degree of braking required to slow the vehicle.Some drivers reported difficulty in braking the vehicle and responded by shifting to neutral or turning the engine off.One minor crash occurred when the vehicle contacted a roadside fence post after the driver responded to the stuck throttle by shifting the car to neutral, turning the engine off and coasting to the side of a roadway with no shoulder, resulting in approximately $400 damage to the vehicle.There were four crashes reported which were attributed to increased stopping distance caused by the increased engine power and/or reduced brake effectiveness, including two of the complaints to ODI.In one crash reported to ODI (VOQ 10516101), the subject vehicle allegedly hit the back end of a truck at approximately 40 mph causing about $2000 damage.In the other crash complaint to ODI (VOQ 10501834), the subject vehicle side-swiped a vehicle as the driver was unable to stop in time and attempted to maneuver around a line of vehicles stopped at a traffic light.When the tow truck driver subsequently started the incident vehicle, the engine was still racing and it was verified that the Speed Control Cable ferrule was stuck on the collar.After further investigation, ODI does not consider the crashes reported in VOQs 10456249 and 10159399 to be related to the Speed Control Cable problem.
- Rear coil spring fracture
Odi's analysis identified a high complaint rate for the rear coil springs in the salt belt states (approximately 250 per 100,000 vehicles).approximately 59 percent of the complaints alleged that the coil spring failure caused damage to the adjacent rear tire, with about half of these (30 percent of total complaints)…
Odi's analysis identified a high complaint rate for the rear coil springs in the salt belt states (approximately 250 per 100,000 vehicles).approximately 59 percent of the complaints alleged that the coil spring failure caused damage to the adjacent rear tire, with about half of these (30 percent of total complaints) alleging that the damage resulted in air loss.because air loss from a rear tire can result in changes in vehicle handling characteristics, odi examined field data, test data and interviewed consumers to assess the safety consequences of such failures in the subject vehicle population.analysis of all available field data did not identify any crashes or injuries resulting from the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.vrtc testing conducted to simulate a coil spring induced rear tire failure did not result in a loss of vehicle control.when interviewed by odi, none of the consumers who experienced incidents of tire air loss due to the alleged defect indicated that the failures caused a loss of vehicle control.tire damage resulting from the alleged defect has involved rubbing/abrasive wear of the inner tire sidewall with the potential for air loss from pin-hole sized leaks in the wear groove.there IS no evidence that the alleged defect has caused any sudden, catastrophic tire failures in either straight or turning maneuvers.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation IS closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see document file for additional information regarding this resume.
- Rear coil spring fracture
The office of defect investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation, pe05-054, based on 131 vehicle owner questionnaires related to alleged rear coil spring fractures.since opening the investigation there have been an additional sixty-three (63) complaints alleging rear coil spring fracture.an analysis of the…
The office of defect investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation, pe05-054, based on 131 vehicle owner questionnaires related to alleged rear coil spring fractures.since opening the investigation there have been an additional sixty-three (63) complaints alleging rear coil spring fracture.an analysis of the vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) submitted to odi reveals that 42% of the complainants allege that the adjacent tire was punctured as result of a rear coil spring fracture. Additionally, an analysis of the complaint data received by odi from ford reveals the following: there were a total of 553 unique vehicle complaints of coil spring fracture. 30% of the complaints allege that the rear coil spring fracture resulted in the adjacent tire being punctured. An engineering analysis (ea06-002) IS being opened to further examine the potential safety implications of the rear coil spring fractures as related to tire punctures.
- Brake/accelerator pedal application
Ms. Rodman reported that after her vehicle was inspected for the recall, her mother experienced a sudden acceleration and crashed the sable into a light pole.previously nhtsa had conducted an investigation for this issue (pe02-035) that resulted in the recall (02v-266) of 369,000 my 2000-2002 taurus and sable vehicles…
Ms. Rodman reported that after her vehicle was inspected for the recall, her mother experienced a sudden acceleration and crashed the sable into a light pole.previously nhtsa had conducted an investigation for this issue (pe02-035) that resulted in the recall (02v-266) of 369,000 my 2000-2002 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with adjustable brake and accelerator pedals to insure that the separation between the pedals was at least 50mm..a review of odi's database for complaints regarding recall 02v-266 did not identify any recall remedy complaints other than the petitioner's.ms. Rodman?s vehicle was inspected by odi using ford?s special tool and her vehicle was found to exceed 50mm.also, the lateral movement of the pedals was found not to be excessive relative to other comparable taurus and sable vehicles.therefore, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order requiring ford to provide a different remedy for this defect.in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.for additional information concerning this analysis, please refer to the federal register notice dated march 23, 2004 (vol 69, no 56, pages 13619-13620).
- Brake light switch failure
Ford conducted a recall in march, 2001 to correct a defect affecting the brake light switch in my 2000 through early-2001 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with power adjustable pedals (recall 01v-078).rq03-008 was opened to investigate complaints concerning the remedy and scope of 01v-078.odi's analysis identified…
Ford conducted a recall in march, 2001 to correct a defect affecting the brake light switch in my 2000 through early-2001 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with power adjustable pedals (recall 01v-078).rq03-008 was opened to investigate complaints concerning the remedy and scope of 01v-078.odi's analysis identified concerns with post-repair failures in recalled vehicles,failures in my 2001-02 vehicles with adjustable pedals that were not included in recall 01v-078, and failures in my 2000 vehicles with fixed pedals.(note: the manufacturer failure data in this resume includes all crashes and injuries, but the complaint information IS limited to my 2001-02 vehicles that were not included in the scope of recall 01v-078.)on march 1, 2004, ford notified nhtsa of a safety defect in my 2000 through early-2003 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals and my 2000 subject vehicles equipped with fixed pedals (recall 04v-106).the notification identified three factors contributing to brake light circuit failures:(1) continuing grease contamination issues that prompted 01v-078; (2) misalignment of the booster rod pin and the brake light switch; and (3) wire assembly fatigue.the first two conditions were limited to vehicles with adjustable pedals and the latter condition affected vehicles with fixed pedals.ford will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the brake light switch and associated wiring replaced with a re-designed brake light switch and wiring assembly.
- Frontal air bag non-deployment in crash
This investigation identified a total of 427 reports alleging non-deployment of the frontal air bags.of the 427 reports, two incidents (fatal crashes) have been identified as severe frontal crashes in which the frontal air bags did not deploy.a defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency…
This investigation identified a total of 427 reports alleging non-deployment of the frontal air bags.of the 427 reports, two incidents (fatal crashes) have been identified as severe frontal crashes in which the frontal air bags did not deploy.a defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation IS closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached summary report.
- Frontal air bag non-deployment in crash
Ford motor company has identified 260 reports alleging frontal air bag non-deployment for any (severity) frontal or near-frontal crash on model year 2000-2001 ford taurus and mercury sable vehicles.additional crash reports are contained in nhtsa's fatality analysis reporting system (fars) database.the single odi…
Ford motor company has identified 260 reports alleging frontal air bag non-deployment for any (severity) frontal or near-frontal crash on model year 2000-2001 ford taurus and mercury sable vehicles.additional crash reports are contained in nhtsa's fatality analysis reporting system (fars) database.the single odi report listed in the report summary IS nhtsa's special crash investigation's case no. Ca00-020 that involved a high-speed crash non-deployment involving a driver fatality and front passenger injury.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea03-010) and odi will collect additional information on certain crash reports and conduct further study of this issue.
- Brake/accel pedal separation
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10205033Safety recall 04S17 - Front coil springs - requests for recall service action
- 10183769For 1999-2001 Taurus or Sable vehicles Safety Recall 04S17 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where the front coil springs could potentially fracture. A fractured front coil spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire. If a front coil spring should fracture and come in contact with a tire, the tire may rupture resulting in rapid air loss, which could increase the risk of a crash without warning.
- 10177863This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended.
- 10156863Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition
- 10155551Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition
- 10058102Mercury/ford: safety recall regarding front coil springs can fracture on vehicles operating for extended periods in high corrosion areas. Model 1999-01 taurus, sable.
- 10056656Mercury/ford: front coil springs can fracture, after operating, for an extended period of time, in high corrosion areas, move move past spring seat and contact rupture front tire, resulting rapid air loss. Model 1999-2001 taurus, sable.
- 10052600Ford: see document search button for owner letter. Speed control cable IS susceptible to damage and can disconnect during hood maintenance and also interfere with full throttle return to idle after releasing accelerator pedal. Models 2000-2003 taurus, sable.
- 10019382Camshaft tick noise - 3.0L 4V engine only.
- 10018746Buck/jerk and miss during drive cycle above 3000 rpm - no dtc - 3.0L 2V gas and ffv engine.
- 10018742Power window concerns - service tip.
- 10018738Power lock concerns - service tip.
- 10017916Surge, idle roll, rough idle only when the engine cooling fans are operating.
- 10017860Malfunction indicator lamp coming on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0171, p0172, p0174 and/or p0175 (fuel system too rich or lean).
- 10016808Erratic fluid level reading on transaxle dipstick-leaks-4f50n, AX4N, AX4S transaxle.
- 10014663Rke inoperative.
- 10014165Aluminum corrosion - service tip.
- 10014138Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013395Grunting noise from front power window glass IS powered to the full up position.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10013116Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service tips. Various models including 2004 f-series.
- 10013080Headliner grab handles loosen.
- 10013060Climate control a/c service tech tips.
- 10012969Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p0133, p1131 or p2195.
- 10012954Safety belt web stop button service.
- 10011159Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10011149Water in the blower case or on the passenger side floor, an inoperative climate control blower motor, a motor that operates on high speed only, and/or a blower motor resistor failure. Vehicles built 5/1/2001 to 12/15/2003.
- 10009321Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns.
- 10008596Lack of a/c cooling.
- 10008580Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock.
- 10008314Erratic operation of the cool/warm function of the temperature control system - repair procedure for stratification (secondary) temperature blend door.
- 10008304Engine-gear driven synchronizers-incorrect installation-camshaft position synchronizer (cmp) installation tool correct application.
- 10008272Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on with multiple diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs).
- 10008252Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401. Additional symptoms may include runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy.
- 10008217Ticking noise from left cylinder head with warm engine.
- 10008183Groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector IS in park with the vehicle parked on an incline. This bulletin updates previous bulletin 17358, dated 11/01/2003 to include 2005 models.
- 10007360Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401. Additional symptoms may include runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy.
- 10007358Lower engine oil leaks 3.0L 2V vulcan engine. Diagnostic service tips.
Every Mercury Sable model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.