IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH WHEN COULD LET ACCELERATOR GO AND VEHICLE WILL NOT DECELERATE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND PROBLEM WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. *AK A LOCAL SERVICE STATION DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE IDLER CONTROL AND REPLACED IT. *SLC
1997 Mercury Sable
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Mercury Sable do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 201.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sable years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 49 of 228 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 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports5 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
228 reportsI PURCHASED MERCURY SABLE IN JULY 1999 AS A NEW VEHICLE (DEALER DEMO). I EXPERIENCED FIRST PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO DURING TWO SEPARATE WEEKS AND THOUGHT NO MORE ABOUT IT UNTIL THIS MONTH. I LEFT CHURCH AND WENT UP A SLIGHT INCLINE TO A STOP SIGN; WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND TRIED TO PULL OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, THE CA…
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I PURCHASED MERCURY SABLE IN JULY 1999 AS A NEW VEHICLE (DEALER DEMO). I EXPERIENCED FIRST PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO DURING TWO SEPARATE WEEKS AND THOUGHT NO MORE ABOUT IT UNTIL THIS MONTH. I LEFT CHURCH AND WENT UP A SLIGHT INCLINE TO A STOP SIGN; WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND TRIED TO PULL OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS. I BRAKED AND LOOKED TO BE SURE I HAD NOT SOMEHOW PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL; IT WAS IN DRIVE. I AGAIN TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR CONTINUED BACKWARD, HALF WAY DOWN THE BLOCK. I PUSHED HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKED FORWARD. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, I SAT AT A RED LIGHT ON FLAT LAND AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL, IT REVVED UP BUT DID NOT MOVE. I BRAKED, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THEN BACK IN DRIVE AND IT JERKED FORWARD. WHEN I TOOK IT TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD ON TARA BOULEVARD IN JONESBORO, GEORGIA, THE SERVICE MANAGER QUOTED A PRICE OF MORE THAN $2,500. TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. ON A CAR ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES!!!! I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING TROUBLE WITH FORD TRANSMISSIONS. MY SON IN LAW, JOSEPH KAIGLER, HAS A 2001 TAURUS WHICH HE RETURNED AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED. PLEASE HELP! SHORT OF PAYING $2,500, IS THERE ANOTHER REMEDY I MAY GAIN.*AK
VEHICLE IS REVVING WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. MPH DOES NOT MOVE, BUT RPMS GO UP, POSSIBLY DUE TO BANDS WITHIN TRANSMISSION THAT ARE SLIPPING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER HAS HAD TIE RODS CHANGED BECAUSE THEY WERE BROKEN, THIS CAUSED STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK
THE FLOOR PAN UNDER OUR CAR THAT HOLDS OUR REAR SUSPENSION AND WHEELS IN PLACE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE SLOWED TO 30 MPH, TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT. DEALER FOUND METAL SHAVINGS. *AK
VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER 14 TIMES FOR LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE SINCE SHORTLY AFER PURCHASE. CURRENTLY, WARRANTYHAS EXPIRED. DEALER FINDS SHAVINGS OF MOTOR ARE GETTING INTO RADIATOR. VEHICLE ALSO HAS A ANTI-FREEZE SMELL. *AK THE DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE METAL PARTICLES CHIPPING OFF THE ENGINE CAUSED DAMAGE T…
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VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER 14 TIMES FOR LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE SINCE SHORTLY AFER PURCHASE. CURRENTLY, WARRANTYHAS EXPIRED. DEALER FINDS SHAVINGS OF MOTOR ARE GETTING INTO RADIATOR. VEHICLE ALSO HAS A ANTI-FREEZE SMELL. *AK THE DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE METAL PARTICLES CHIPPING OFF THE ENGINE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR CORE ( BAD ANTI FREEZE ODER). *YH
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHICH PREVENTED CLUTCH FROM GOING INTO GEAR. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER.*AK THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR WAS BROKEN. THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE. *YH
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, CAUSING SEAT BELTS TO GRAB OR TO BE TOO LOOSE. RETRACTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, CAUSING FRONT TIRE TO WEAR OUT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Official recalls
398V028000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Feb 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED.
Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.
97V097000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 9, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 5, 1996
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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.