2001 Mercury Sable problems
The 2001 Mercury Sable has 528 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (42%) concerns suspension. Next are cruise control (12%) and brakes (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 528 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Suspension 42% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 42 and 11
- Injuries and deaths
- 31 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 68,000 miles 373 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 27 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 40 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 84 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 64 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 78 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 26 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 24 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 11 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 6 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 5 |
| 200k+ miles | 8 |
What the data shows
Of the 373 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 68,000 miles. For suspension specifically, the median reported mileage is about 74,000 miles (191 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 42 complaints mention a crash; 11 complaints mention a fire; 31 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 18 model years of the Mercury Sable with enough data (259 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 8 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Dt: the contact's vehicle was hit in the front at 50-60 MPH while making a left hand turn. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. The vehicle was totaled. A police report taken. All four passengers sustained injuries;. The contact had a fractured spine, and the others sustained bruising and whiplash. The vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic to determine why the airbags did not deploy.
While driving at 35 MPH consumer was notified by a passing motorist that trunk was on fire. Upon inspection, it had been determined that fire started in the rear tail light. One of the occupants sustained third degree burns. Ford advised that the cause of the problem is unknown. *nlm
Dt: consumer was driving through parking lot at low speed when the car suddenly accelerated at great speed. The consumer was unable to slow the vehicle down before it struck 2 vehicles, and sped over a 3 1/2 foot high wall where it went over and came to a rest. Upon inspection, the attending police officer discovered a broken throttle cable which he believed caused the vehicle to act the way that it did. The car was totaled. Currently awaiting insurance report.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle slid into a gravel road and flipped over. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact was unconscious after the crash and has sustained some minor bruises and cuts. A police report is available if needed. The failure mileage was 167,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral to slow it down, but the engine continued to rev at a high RPM. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.