Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Sable, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension239
- Vehicle speed control56
- Visibility26
- Air bags24
- Power train23
- Engine and engine cooling20
- Service brakes, hydraulic18
- Electrical system17
- Structure13
- Exterior lighting13
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 22 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 2002 Sable vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 9 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Mercury Sable failed the safety check 2.05% of the time — 2% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 101,318 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS MALFUNCTIONING COULD RENDER THE STOP LAMPS INOPERABLE OR CAUSE THEM TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION TO A FOLLOWING DRIVER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING." THE WINDSHIELDS MAY POTENTIALLY EXHIBIT INCREASED WIND NOISE, WATER LEAKAGE, AND SQUEAKS AND RATTLES.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PADELS ARE BEING RECALLED IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO A MINIMUM OF 50 MM OF LATERAL SEPARATION. SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercury told its dealers about the 2002 Mercury Sable: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637926 | VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 4/8/2002 WILL NO LONGER BE EQUIPPED WITH THE FUEL PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE (SHRADER VALVE). *TT |
| 637813 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0L 2V ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A ROUGH RUN CONDITION AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0316 AFTER A HOT RESTART. *TT |
| 637730 | SUBJECT REGARDING A WATER LEAK CONDITION AT THE COWL AREA OF THE VEHICLE. *TT |
| 637571 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B1213, B1342, B1601, B2431. *TT |
| 637556 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AX4N/4F50N TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A SHUDDER DURING A 3-4 SHIFT. *TT |
| 636382 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0L 2V ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A RUNS ROUGH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0316 AFTER A HOT SOAK RESTART. *TT |
| 636368 | CONCERNS WITH FUEL GAUGE NOT READING FULL AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK. *TT |
| 636310 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0L 2V ENGINE MAY EHXIBIT A RUNS ROUGH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0316 AFTER HOT SOAK RESTART. *TT |
| 636256 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0L 4V ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION WITH A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0191 (FUEL RAIL PRESSURE SENSOR CIRCUIT PERFORMANCE) IN MEMORY. *TT |
| 636229 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A ROUGH ENGINE IDLE, ENGINE IDLE ROUGHNESS OR IDLE RPM DIP WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0191 OR 1-2 UPSHIFT. *TT |
| 636110 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT FUEL DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171, P0172, P0174, P0175 OR MASS AIR FLOW DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0102, P0103, P0112, P0113. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 636049 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES PROPER PROCEDURES FOR PREPARATION OF SERVICE SHEET METAL PARTS COATED WITH ELECTRO DEPOSITION PRIMER (E-COAT). *TT |
| 630589 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A DURATEC ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE ENGINE DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF MICROSCOPIC INTERNAL CRACKS IN A BATCH OF INTAKE VALVES. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630356 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A PARK PULLOUT CLUNK NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO ANOTHER GEAR POSITION. *TT |
| 630351 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A GROAN/BUZZ/VIBRATION WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN PARK. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 628158 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE HEATER HOSE CLAMP MAY BE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED ONTHE HEATER HOSES LEADING TO AND FROM THE HEATER CORE. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 625820 | SOME VEHICLESMAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT STICKING/BINDING IGNITION KEY LOCK CYLINDER AT OR NEAR THE START POSITION. *JG |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 625693 | INFORMATION ON PRE DELIVERY TEMPORARY FAST IDLE. *TT |
| 625669 | 2002 TAURUS/SABLE HEATER HOSE CLAMPS UPGRADE PRIOR TO SALE. *NLM |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Speed control cable damage
Front Suspension Coil Spring Fracture
BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATION
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation