IllustrationBRAKES LINE LEAKING FLUID DUE TO CORROSION OF METAL,LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID WHEN BRAKES WERE PUT ON. *JB
1998 Mercury Sable
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 45 of 190 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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
28 crash reports3 fire reports15 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
28 reportsMY BRAKE LINE[METAL],RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH. 1.NO INDICATION OF BRAKE FAILURE. 2.SEVERAL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DROVE MY CAR TO THE GROCERY STORE,THANKFULLY THIS IS WHERE THE BRAKES GAVE OUT. 3.MERCURY DEALERSHIP REPLACED LINE FOR ABOUT $275.*AK
IN 1998 I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY SABLE. STOPPING DISTANCE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE SINCE NEW. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CHECKED AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IN PANIC STOPS IT FEELS AS IF ONLY THE REAR WHEELS ARE BRAKING. NOW, AFTER 95,000 MILES I HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND REAR ROTORS ONCE, BUT THE ORIGINAL FR…
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IN 1998 I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY SABLE. STOPPING DISTANCE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE SINCE NEW. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CHECKED AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IN PANIC STOPS IT FEELS AS IF ONLY THE REAR WHEELS ARE BRAKING. NOW, AFTER 95,000 MILES I HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND REAR ROTORS ONCE, BUT THE ORIGINAL FRONT PADS ARE STILL ON THE CAR - JUST NOW NEEDING REPLACEMENT. FRONT ROTORS EXCELLENT - NO OUTER RIDGE. OBVIOUSLY, FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING EFFECTIVELY - NORMALLY FRONT BRAKES PROVIDE ABOUT 60% OF BRAKING POWER. ON NOVEMBER 19 2004 I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR IN A CHAIN-REACTION PANIC STOP. BODY DAMAGE IS NOW REPAIRED, BUT I HESITATE TO PUT IT BACK IN SERVICE WITHOUT DETERMINING AND REPAIRING THE BRAKE PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I WROTE FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM YEARS AGO BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO RECORD THAT I EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT INADEQUATE BRAKING. CAR WAS CHECKED AT BRAKEMASTERS, BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WITH MILLIONS OF SABLES AND TAURUSES BUILT BY FORD, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE THE ONLY CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REAR-END COLLISIONS WITH THE OWNERS NEVER REALIZING THAT THEY HAD A BRAKING PROBLEM? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING, SO I CAN REPAIR THE PROBLEM!*AK
IN 1998 I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY SABLE. STOPPING DISTANCE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE SINCE NEW. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CHECKED AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IN PANIC STOPS IT FEELS AS IF ONLY THE REAR WHEELS ARE BRAKING. NOW, AFTER 95,000 MILES I HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND REAR ROTORS ONCE, BUT THE ORIGINAL…
Read full complaint
IN 1998 I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY SABLE. STOPPING DISTANCE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE SINCE NEW. RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CHECKED AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IN PANIC STOPS IT FEELS AS IF ONLY THE REAR WHEELS ARE BRAKING. NOW, AFTER 95,000 MILES I HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND REAR ROTORS ONCE, BUT THE ORIGINAL FRONT PADS ARE STILL ON THE CAR - JUST NOW NEEDING REPLACEMENT. FRONT ROTORS EXCELLENT - NO OUTER RIDGE. OBVIOUSLY, FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING EFFECTIVELY - NORMALLY FRONT BRAKES PROVIDE ABOUT 60& OF BRAKING POWER. ON NOVEMBER 19 I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR IN A CHAIN-REACTION PANIC STOP. BODY DAMAGE IS NOW REPAIRED, BUT I HESITATE TO PUT IT BACK IN SERVICE WITHOUT DETERMINING AND REPAIRING THE BRAKE PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I WROTE FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM YEARS AGO BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO RECORD THAT I EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT INADEQUATE BRAKING. CAR WAS CHECKED AT BRAKEMASTERS, BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WITH MILLIONS OF SABLES AND TAURUSES BUILT BY FORD, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE THE ONLY CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WONDER HOW MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REAR-END COLLISIONS WITH THE OWNERS NEVER REALIZING THAT THEY HAD A BRAKING PROBLEM? *AK
CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND BRAKES FAILED. ALSO, INTERIOR LIGHT STAYED ON. *AK
THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO ACCELERATE WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
NAR 05/28/2003 *MR FAILURE IN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *CB
ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PART. *SCC
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR FOOT IS TAKING OF GAS PEDAL TO BRAKE, IT WILL ACCELERATE.HAS TO APPLY A LOT OF PRESSURE TO BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS CAUSES BRAKES AND ROTORS TO WARP. REPLACED PART; HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
Official recalls
298V198000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Aug 25, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SEAT TRACKS. THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS HEAT TREATMENT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE STUD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STUD IS CRACKED, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND STUD ASSEMBLY.
98V028000 · 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.
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.