IllustrationRIGHT PILLAR POST EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT NOISE. MJS
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
What owners actually said
190 reportsRADIO FAILED. *YC
VEHICLE MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN VEHICLE HITS A BUMP.
TIRE WORN OUT (GENERAL P205/65R15). YH
BATTERY FAILED. NLM
SERVO VALVE BODY PISTON FAILED TO OPERATE. NLM
WINDSHIELD FAILED. MJS
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED TO STOP CAR, THE ENGINE ROARS AND CAR ACCELERATES. REQUIRES ADDITITIONAL EFFORT TO STOP CAR AND THE ENGINE RACES UNTIL CAR IS PUT INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK. PROCESSOR FAILED COMPLETELY ON 12/19/98 AND WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT.
WHILE DRIVING BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO FORM A VIOLENT MANEUVER IN THE ROAD, CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BEFORE THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DRIVER NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLICKER WHENEVER GOING OVER ANY KIND OF BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO FORM A VIOLENT MANEUVER IN THE ROAD, CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE AHEAD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BEFORE THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DRIVER NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLICKER WHENEVER GOING OVER ANY KIND OF BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED FROM HERTZ RENTAL CAR COMPANY. *AK
THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL UNIT DESIGN IS POOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE SPEED AFTER THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED.
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.