2001 Mercury Sable recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner 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!

  Feb 16, 2022
• SteeringFire

  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.

  Feb 8, 2020 · 130,000 miles
• 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 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.

  Mar 25, 2019 · 113,000 miles
• 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 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.…

  Nov 20, 2018 · 40,200 miles
• Engine

  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…

  Feb 11, 2019 · 180,000 miles
• 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 WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

  Dec 24, 2009 · 60,000 miles
• 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.

  Jul 1, 2016 · 164,000 miles
• Electronic stability control (esc)Crash

  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.

  Jun 18, 2016 · 145,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• Speed control cable damageClosed

  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…

  PE12033 · opened Oct 24, 2012 · closed Jun 26, 2013
• REAR COIL SPRING FRACTUREClosed

  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…

  EA06002 · opened Jan 24, 2006 · closed Feb 5, 2007
• REAR COIL SPRING FRACTUREClosed

  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…

  PE05054 · opened Sep 27, 2005 · closed Jan 24, 2006
• BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATIONClosed

  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…

  RP03001 · opened Oct 31, 2003 · closed Mar 23, 2004
• BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILUREClosedLed to recall 04V106000

  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…

  RQ03008 · opened Oct 23, 2003 · closed Mar 5, 2004
• FRONTAL AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT IN CRASHClosed

  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.

  EA03010 · opened Jul 2, 2003 · closed Jun 23, 2004
• FRONTAL AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT IN CRASHClosed

  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.

  PE03002 · opened Jan 6, 2003 · closed Jul 2, 2003
• BRAKE/ACCEL PEDAL SEPARATIONClosedLed to recall 02V266000
  PE02035 · opened Mar 15, 2002 · closed Oct 22, 2002