IllustrationTHE ENGINE ON MY SABLE WAGON ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AFTER IT IS PUT INTO PARK, AND MANY TIMES BEFORE I TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS!
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 reportsCONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE SHUT OFF. IT WOULD RESTART AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TOO THE DEALER, AND THEY PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE…
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CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE SHUT OFF. IT WOULD RESTART AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TOO THE DEALER, AND THEY PUT IT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
MY 1998 MERCURY SABLE WITH 3.0 LITER ENGINE APPARENTLY IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NO ENGINE BRAKING WHEN COASTING. THE ENGINE COMPUTER PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE. OTHER HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS OCCURS WITH OTHER FORD TAURUS' AND SABLES. THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN EXCESSIVE SPEED BUILDING UP WHEN GOING DOWNHILL - ESPE…
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MY 1998 MERCURY SABLE WITH 3.0 LITER ENGINE APPARENTLY IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NO ENGINE BRAKING WHEN COASTING. THE ENGINE COMPUTER PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE. OTHER HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS OCCURS WITH OTHER FORD TAURUS' AND SABLES. THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN EXCESSIVE SPEED BUILDING UP WHEN GOING DOWNHILL - ESPECIALLY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. *NM
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
PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH MANY MERCURY/FORD CARS AND TRUCKS. FAULTY DOOR SENSORS INDICATE UNSAFE CONDITION (DOORS NOT CLOSE/LATCH). TWO VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONDITIONS RESULT FROM THIS FALSE INDICATION: *JB (A) THE DRIVER IGNORES THE FALSE INDICATOR WHICH PUTS THE DRIVER AND ALL OCCUPANTS AT RISK WHEN AN ACTUAL UNSAFE CONDITION DO…
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PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH MANY MERCURY/FORD CARS AND TRUCKS. FAULTY DOOR SENSORS INDICATE UNSAFE CONDITION (DOORS NOT CLOSE/LATCH). TWO VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONDITIONS RESULT FROM THIS FALSE INDICATION: *JB (A) THE DRIVER IGNORES THE FALSE INDICATOR WHICH PUTS THE DRIVER AND ALL OCCUPANTS AT RISK WHEN AN ACTUAL UNSAFE CONDITION DOES EXIST. (B) THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AND CANNOT BE EXTINGUISHED. THIS RESTRICTS NIGHT TIME VISIBILITY AND CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION TO EXIST. (C) THE DRIVER'S DOOR CANNOT BE LOCKED. THIS PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SECURITY ISSUE TO THE DRIVER. THESE FAULTY SENSORS (OR FAULTY DESIGN) HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN MERCURY/FORD PRODUCTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. *JB
THIS IS THE 2ND YEAR IN A ROW THAT I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED BECAUSE IT IS GETTING SOMETHING IN IT FROM THE ENGINE AND THEN BLOCKING THE HEATER CORE. MY MECHANIC (A NEGHBOR) INDICATED THAT HE HAS STARTED SEEING THIS PROBLEM IN A LOT OF SABLES & TARAUSES AT 4 YEARS OR MORE.*AK
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE BROADSIDE. MY CAR'S FRONT END WAS TOTALED, ALONG WITH THE FRAME CRACKING. WHAT DID NOT HAPPEN WAS THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOST. *JB
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
THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT APPEARS AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED SINCE IT WAS BROKE. AS A RESULT, IT IMPAIRED THE CONSUMER'S VISION AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND HIS PREGNANT FIANCE' WAS WEN…
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THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT APPEARS AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED SINCE IT WAS BROKE. AS A RESULT, IT IMPAIRED THE CONSUMER'S VISION AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND HIS PREGNANT FIANCE' WAS WENT INTO EARLY LABOR. *PH
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, CALLED A TOW TRUCK, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED.*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.