Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 27 of 304 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Power Train. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports9 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
304 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainVehicle Speed Control
HIGH IDLE WHEN MOVING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD, AND IT WILL ALSO TRAVEL COUPLE FEET IF FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKES HARD. MANUFACTURER ISSUED A TSB, BUT IT DOES NOT CORRECT DEFECT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE LIQUID FILLED MOUNTS TO FAIL WHICH ALSO CAUSED EXHAUST LEAK AT MANIFOLD, TH…
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HIGH IDLE WHEN MOVING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD, AND IT WILL ALSO TRAVEL COUPLE FEET IF FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKES HARD. MANUFACTURER ISSUED A TSB, BUT IT DOES NOT CORRECT DEFECT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE LIQUID FILLED MOUNTS TO FAIL WHICH ALSO CAUSED EXHAUST LEAK AT MANIFOLD, THE TSB NUMBER IS 97-7-1, WHICH STATES THE PCM NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO AN INCORRECT SOFTWARE IDENTIFICATION BLOCK. DRIVE AND SERPENTINE BELTS FAILED. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #882211
Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE SHUDDERED, THEN STOPPED, ENGINE STILL RUNNING. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #881693
Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2001
Seat Belts
REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS BROKEN, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #880014
Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
StructureInjury
DESIGN OF DOOR HAS A SHARP POINT WHICH GASHED CONSUMER'S LEG. CONSUMER IS RESEARCHING FOR OTHER INCIDENTS TO BRING FORWARD TO MANUFACTURER. *AK
NHTSA ODI #879481
Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2001
Air Bags
DRIVE'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED HALF WAY, AND ALL THESE PARTICLES CAME FLYING EVERYWHERE. CONSUMER FELT AIRBAG EXPLODED. ALSO, NOTICED A HOLE THE SIZE OF A FIST IN PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG. *AK
NHTSA ODI #879322
Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingStructure
THE PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #559140
Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #739588
Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2001
Electrical System
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE WILL JUST DIE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #877986
Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 2000
TiresCrash
PE00 048; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER. LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. CIENTERA MEDALISC/BF GOODRICH,AND GOODYEAR P20565R15. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #876910
Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2000
Steering
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURNS CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTED THAT RIGHT HAND TIE ROD FAILED AT 25 THOUSAND MILES. ALSO, LEFT HAND SIDE TIE ROD FAILED AT 44 THOUSAND MILES DUE TO POOR OR NO LUBICATION. TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE PROVID…
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WHEN DRIVING AND UPON MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURNS CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTED THAT RIGHT HAND TIE ROD FAILED AT 25 THOUSAND MILES. ALSO, LEFT HAND SIDE TIE ROD FAILED AT 44 THOUSAND MILES DUE TO POOR OR NO LUBICATION. TIE RODS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 97-17-9 FROM AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 1997. THESE VEHICLES WERE INADVERTENLY EQUIPPED WITH AN 18-GALLON FUEL TANK RATHER THAN THE 16-GALLON AS SPECIFIED. THE 18-GALLON TANK HAS A SECOND VALVE LOCATION WHERE A SHIPPING PLUG SHOULD BE INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS SHIPPING PLUG IS DISPLACED, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT FUEL TANK.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL SHAFT MAY NOT BE FREE TO ROTATE AS INTENDED. IF THE PARK PAWL SHAFT DOES NOT ROTATE, IT WOULD PREVENT THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARK GEAR WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROTATION AND THOSE SHAFTS WITH RESTRICTED ROTATION WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHORTER SHAFT THAT WILL NOT RESTRICT ROTATION.
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WHEN THE ROLL PIN THAT RETAINS IT WAS INSTALLED DURING TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. IF THE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED, THE ROLL PIN MAY NOT HAVE LINED UP WITH THE GROOVE IN THE SHAFT AND HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AT ASSEMBLY. ALSO, A BURR COULD HAVE BEEN RAISED ON THE SHAFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PARK PAWL OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROLL PIN. IF THE ROLL PIN IS DAMAGED, BOTH THE ROLL PIN AND THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, OWNERS WILL BE REMINDED TO FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IN ADDITION TO PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK.
THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCH CAN MALFUNCTION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF THE SWITCH MALFUNTIONS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP WILL EITHER REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY OR FAIL TO LIGHT AS INTENDED WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL FALLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE WARNED OF A LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CONDITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCHES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1996 Mercury Sable Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year