IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING, POWER WINDOWS, AND RADIO WILL QUIT WORKING , CONSUMER CAN HEAR A CLICKING SOUND UNDER DASH, EVERYTHING COMES BACK ON WITHOUT NOTICE. *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 reportsVEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC DUE TO 2 WIRES IN FUEL PUMP THAT GOT CAUGHT UNDERNEATH A CLAMP, CAUSING WIRES TO FRAY AND SHORT CIRCUIT AND BLOW FUSE, RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD.*AK
WHEN ENGINE WARM, IF HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER/DEFROSTER TURNED ON AND AIMED AT WINDSHIELD CAUSES WARM, HUMID AIR TO CONDENSE ON GLASS PREVENTING FORWARD VISIBILITY AT ANY SPEED. NOTIFIED DEALER AFTER INITIAL OCCURRENCE...EXCHANGED POLLEN FILTER. NO CHANGE. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAS EXPERIENCED FALSE DEPLOYMENT ON 2 OCCASIONS, ON ONE OCCASION INJURING THE DRIVER. *SLC
DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
DASH SEATBELT INDICATOR LIGHT ONLY GOES OUT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME AND THE SAFTEY BELT DOES NOT LOCK TIGHTLY AT ALL TIMES. *AK
TRANSMISSION BLEW APART. CRACK IN CASE MAY HAVE OCCURRED FIRST, CAUSING INTERNAL PROBLEMS (STILL HAD FLUID) OR TRANSMISSION BLOWING APART MAY HAVE CAUSED CRACK IN CASE (PER REPAIRMAN).
BRAKES WENT OUT WHILE TRAVELING 10-15MPH. EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO STOP. THIS WAS FIRST TIME THAT CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. DEALER WILL BE INFORMED.*AK
BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUG 1999- BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN SEPT 1999 FOR THE TRANSMISSION. SHIFTING VERY HARD INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAD CAR FOR AWEEK OR SO CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN RE-OCCURING FOR OVER 3 MONTHE BROUGHT BACK INTO DEALER. HAD CAR ANOTHER WEEK AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THAT THEY AJUSTE…
Read full complaint
BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUG 1999- BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN SEPT 1999 FOR THE TRANSMISSION. SHIFTING VERY HARD INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAD CAR FOR AWEEK OR SO CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN RE-OCCURING FOR OVER 3 MONTHE BROUGHT BACK INTO DEALER. HAD CAR ANOTHER WEEK AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THAT THEY AJUSTED THE IDOL ( HAS BEEN STALLING AS WELL) AND DID A FEW OTHER MINOR THINGS.. NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT'S NOW WORSE THEN BEFORE.. .. WHAT DO I DO ... I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND AM HAVING REPEATED TROUBLE WITH THIS PROBLEM? SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN SEEING HOW THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR .. I DON'T FEEL THAT IS RIGHT..... ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE IS GREATLY APPERICATED. THANK YOU...
ON TWO OCCASIONS DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. WHEN VEHICLE DROVE OVER A SMALL BUMP. (REFER TO ODI # 864201) *ET
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.