NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
61 reports8,000 miles · Apr 15, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE POLICE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE POLICE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ACCORDINGLY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY OF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AT LEAST THREE TIMES PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 8,000. UPDATED 05/19/10. *LJ
NHTSA ODI #10325861
23,000 miles · Mar 24, 2010
SeatsFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGERS SEAT SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE C…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGERS SEAT SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,000. UPDATED 05/11/10. *LJ
NHTSA ODI #10321732
21,000 miles · Mar 12, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A GRINDING NOISE AND THE FRONT BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A GRINDING NOISE AND THE FRONT BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,050. UPDATED 05/06/10. *LJ UPDATED 06/18/10.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10319277
12,200 miles · Feb 27, 2010
Power Train
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE AND STOPPED ON A HILL THE CAR WILL ROLL BACK WHEN YOU REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BREAK EVEN WHEN IN DRIVE. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. YOU NEED TO USE BOTH FEET WHEN ON A HILL, ONE ON THE BRAKE AND THE OTHER ON THE GAS TO AVOID ROLLING BACK INTO ANOTHER CAR. WHEN THE LOCAL D…
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE AND STOPPED ON A HILL THE CAR WILL ROLL BACK WHEN YOU REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BREAK EVEN WHEN IN DRIVE. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. YOU NEED TO USE BOTH FEET WHEN ON A HILL, ONE ON THE BRAKE AND THE OTHER ON THE GAS TO AVOID ROLLING BACK INTO ANOTHER CAR. WHEN THE LOCAL DEALER WAS IN BUSINESS THEY INDICATED THIS WAS NORMAL. AT THIS TIME I HAVE NO LOCAL MERCURY DEALER TO REVIEW THIS SITUATION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10314800
44,980 miles · Nov 25, 2009
Vehicle Speed Control
ON A 2008 MERCURY SABLE, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS BEEN FULLY OR NEAR FULLY DEPRESSED, IT HAS BECOME CAUGHT UNDER THE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RACE EVEN WHEN ALL PRESSURE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10293524
Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2009
Air BagsCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED,THE CONSUMERS WIFE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER CHEST AND FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, NO CONCLUSION HAS BEEN MADE REGA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED,THE CONSUMERS WIFE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER CHEST AND FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, NO CONCLUSION HAS BEEN MADE REGARDING THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/13/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/15/09.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10283882
3,000 miles · Aug 10, 2009
Electrical System
HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE IS DEFECTIVE IN SUNLIGHT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS COMPOSED OF GRAY BACKGROUND WITH SILVER NUMERALS ON TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER AND GREEN LED READOUT OF ODOMETER, DIRECTION, AND MILES TO EMPTY. SUNLIGHT WASHES OUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKING IT UNREADABLE. DRIVER MUST SHADE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LEAN…
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HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE IS DEFECTIVE IN SUNLIGHT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS COMPOSED OF GRAY BACKGROUND WITH SILVER NUMERALS ON TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER AND GREEN LED READOUT OF ODOMETER, DIRECTION, AND MILES TO EMPTY. SUNLIGHT WASHES OUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKING IT UNREADABLE. DRIVER MUST SHADE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LEAN CLOSE TO DETERMINE DATA THUS TAKING ATTENTION FROM ROADWAY, AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PRACTICE ON HIGH-SPEED, MULTIPLE-LANE HIGHWAYS. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, EVEN THIS EFFORT IS FRUITLESS. MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM BUT STATES IT IS NOT THEIR POLICY TO REENGINEERING SUCH DEFECTS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10279887
Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2008
Latches/locks/linkages
LTR FROM CONSUMER RE PROBLEM WITH THE HOOD LATCH ON HIS 2008 MERCURY SABLE. *NJ THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED BECAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE WAS LOCATED BELOW THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE HANDLE. WHEN PUSHING ON THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL, TO SET OR RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE, HIS SHOE WOULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HOOD LE…
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LTR FROM CONSUMER RE PROBLEM WITH THE HOOD LATCH ON HIS 2008 MERCURY SABLE. *NJ THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED BECAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE WAS LOCATED BELOW THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE HANDLE. WHEN PUSHING ON THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL, TO SET OR RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE, HIS SHOE WOULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HOOD LEASE HANDLE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10252408
3,883 miles · May 5, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH NO WARNING AND BURNED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10226651
15 miles · Apr 25, 2008
Electrical System
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. HE STATED THAT IN THE MORNINGS HE CANNOT SEE HOW FAST HE IS DRIVING, BUT IN THE EVENINGS, WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, HE CAN SEE THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOT…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. HE STATED THAT IN THE MORNINGS HE CANNOT SEE HOW FAST HE IS DRIVING, BUT IN THE EVENINGS, WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, HE CAN SEE THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN UPDATED 05/19/08. *JB UPDATED 07/30/08. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10225723
NHTSA investigations
1PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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