1990 Mercury Sable Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the rear subframe or engine-mount structures coming loose or corroded, steering that suddenly binds or will not return, and automatic transmissions that stop shifting after warm-up. Many complaints are tied to older vehicles with high mileage and to recall notices that owners say did not cover their car or did not correct the problem. Electrical complaints center on lights that dim or flicker and connectors or wiring that melt.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Rear subframe / body mounts corroded or broken

   • 17 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 9.0 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2008

   Complaints describe the rear subframe mounts rusting through or detaching, in some cases letting the engine and transmission drop and drag; owners say steering then becomes very difficult to control. Several report the car was repaired under a recall but the mount failed again, and others were told their vehicle was not included because of where it was registered or its VIN. Dealers in the complaints generally either performed the recall repair or declined it based on coverage. Reported across the sample without a clear mileage pattern, most often on cars in long-term use; several complaints mention corrosion.

   Recall 98V323000

   What to check: Have the underside inspected for rust at the rear subframe mounts and ask for written confirmation that recall 98V323000 was completed; look for prior repair work around the mounts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Please help me I am mentally disabled with a family and this is what is happening to me -please help me. The frame on my car broke and fell down while my wife was coming home from work. The dealer verified the recall and got us a loaner but said it would cost 25.00 a day its been 10 days and monday august 7th I was told that my car wasn't fixable because of the excess corrosion and it was fifty fifty that I would have no car and a rental bill please help me im at the point where I just can't stand even thinking about it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #726964, filed 2000-08

   “Vehicle was traveling at 15 MPH or less when both rear & front subframes disconnected. Dealer notifed and informed consume r that rear subframes would be repaired under manufacturer's recll, but front would be repaired at consumer's expense. Consumer would like to know why can the same recall on the rear no be applied to the front when condition are the same. Can NHTSA help in this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #847057, filed 1999-09
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission will not shift or slips

   • 11 complaints (7%)
   • median 79,625 mi at 17.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1996–2008

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission stopping gear engagement, holding a gear, or revving without moving, sometimes only once the engine is warm and sometimes after sitting. Several owners say the forward clutch piston is aluminum and cracks, with one transmission shop reporting a steel replacement part. In other cases the transmission seized outright or had to be replaced, and dealers in the complaints often could not duplicate the problem. Reported at mileages ranging from roughly 50,000 to over 200,000 in the sample, with some failures appearing after warm-up.

   What to check: Test drive long enough for the engine to reach normal temperature and check that shifts are firm and predictable; ask whether the transmission has been rebuilt and whether the forward clutch piston was replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car cruised just fine 25 miles to town, got all my stuff done in town, pulled up to a stop sign on a hill and the car would not move, engine ran just fine, the transmission would not shift into gear, car only has 110k on it, had to roll back off the road and stop, park gear worked, after an hour car still would not shift into gear, 4 days later I went out to try it again and the thing went into all gears and took off.”

   NHTSA complaint #10225219, filed 2008-04, 109,250 miles

   “We have replaced the transmission in this car 3 times one at 95, one at 125 and one at 200000. I reviewed the recall notices on this make and model and ther e are 104 pages which I have printed out. To date, we have only been notified of about 5 recalls. On the recall pages there are transmission defects. Which we were never notified. Of. I have contacted ford/Mercury on this and told that no recalls were made on the transmission. Please adivse what I should do. …”

   NHTSA complaint #723201, filed 2000-05
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering binds or will not return

   • 16 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 6.8 yrs old
   • filed 1995–2002

   Drivers describe the steering wheel locking or refusing to turn back to center during turns, sometimes forcing the car to continue straight. In several complaints the cause was traced to the rack and pinion or an inner tie rod that broke with rust inside the socket, and some attribute it to a cracked power steering pump or engine mounts shifting the engine. Dealers in the complaints either could not duplicate the problem or replaced the affected part. Reported at ordinary in-town and highway speeds, typically on well-used vehicles.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock-to-lock while stopped and listen for clicking, and have the inner tie rods, rack, and engine mounts checked for play or rust during a pre-purchase inspection.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When wife was driving vehicle she tried to make a left turn and at the middle of the road with oncoming trafic, the steering wheel locked up and did not turn, forcing the vehicle to go straight, but at the last minute the consumer's wife pulled to left and handled vehicle. Dealer was contacted.”

   NHTSA complaint #832217, filed 1998-12

   “Consumer was following a right curve at 40 MPH when steering froze up, halfway around, could not turn or move steering. Consumer continued off road, and applied brakes in order to stop vehicle. Defect was due to faulty rack and pinion steering. Also, midas told him that there was a specific problem with rack and pinion. Consumer was aware of another Sable 1990 that was involved in a crash due to failure of rack and pinion, and killed the passenger in other vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #881695, filed 2001-02
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine mounts breaking (clunking, vibration)

   • 19 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 9.0 yrs old
   • filed 1995–2008

   Owners report a clunk or jolt at the front when starting off or stopping, vibration felt through the car, and noise from the front while turning. Inspection typically found one or both engine or motor mounts broken, and in one complaint the failing mount cracked the power steering pump. Dealers in the complaints replaced mounts, though some owners said the vehicle was outside any recall coverage. Reported after months of gradually worsening noise and vibration, typically on higher-mileage cars.

   What to check: Listen for a clunk when shifting from park to drive and when accelerating from a stop, and have the engine and transmission mounts inspected for cracking or separation.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle has had a history of engine mount failures. Two were replaced by previous owner, and currently one by consumer . Dealer notified and informed consumer that vehicle was not under a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #833415, filed 1999-01
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Lights dim or flicker; wiring and switch overheating

   • 7 complaints (4%)
   • typically at 6.8 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1999

   Complaints describe interior and headlights dimming or going on and off intermittently, warning lamps such as the check engine, air bag, and brake lights behaving erratically, and a headlight switch or connector that melted and shorted, once shutting off all lighting at night. One owner reported smoke from under the dash at the ignition switch wiring. In several complaints the alternator was replaced without solving it. Mostly reported on older vehicles; the sample does not show a consistent mileage window.

   Recall 89V171000Recall 92V113000

   What to check: Check that all exterior and interior lamps work steadily at idle and with accessories on, look for darkened or melted headlight switch connectors, and ask whether the autolamp sensor module was addressed under recall 89V171000.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Problem started with a siezed ignition switch in september 1998. Replaced switch. In augaust 1999 switch begain to fail. I had to wiggle the key to get my digital instruments to function (intermittant). On about 14 aug. 99 I wiggled the switch and smoke rolled up from under the dash. I was able to turn off the ignition switch before the wireing ignited. When I checked to see what smoked I saw a purple/white wire to the ignition switch with its insulation melted off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #710655, filed 1999-08

Buying note. On this model year the structural and steering complaints are the ones worth prioritizing: get an underside inspection for subframe corrosion and confirm any recall work in writing before buying. A warm-up test drive for transmission behavior and a check of engine mounts and lamp wiring will also tell you a lot about a specific car.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.