1997 Mercury Sable Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission and cooling-system trouble, followed by concerns about unintended engine revving or sticking acceleration around stops, and rusty brake lines. Many reports come in between roughly 40,000 and 100,000 miles, and several describe problems that appeared gradually and were confirmed only after repeat dealer visits, while a number of others describe sudden failures such as a lost pedal or a blown head gasket.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, loses forward or reverse gear, leaks

   • 35 complaints (15%)
   • median 81,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2008

   Complaints describe transmissions that would move in reverse but not forward, drop out of drive into reverse on an incline, or downshift on their own while cruising. Some owners paid for rebuilds or replacements and had the same symptoms return within months. Others describe the shift lever showing park while the vehicle was actually in reverse, which some had traced to a shifter cable that a dealer replaced. One owner reported fluid leaking onto the catalytic converter. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 110,000 miles, with some failures in the 70,000 to 90,000 mile range.

   Recall 97V097000Recall 96V1660002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the transmission checked by an independent shop, including fluid condition, shift cable and gear position; ask whether the recall for the servo cover or park pawl was done on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About a year back I had transmission problem on my Sable at 70,000 miles. It would move in reverse but no forward motion. The vehicle was towed and the transmission was rebuilt at cottman transmission at the cost of over $2000 and loss of vehicle use for a week. A month later, it failed with exactly similar symptoms. It was towed to the same facility and repaired under warranty in four days. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10013755, filed 2003-04, 70,000 miles

   “At about 100,000 easy highway miles, we had to replace the torque converter, then the entire transmission, plus for the last two years minor engine repairs to the tune of about $350 every other month, the window won't go down anymore, and now--4 months after the transmission replacement--we have lost overdrive and the engine light is on, again! We have never had a car with this many problems, and will never buy a ford/Mercury anything again. Our suburban was more reliable.”

   NHTSA complaint #10016444, filed 2003-04, 100,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Engine revs or surges when braking to a stop

   • 25 complaints (11%)
   • median 53,894 mi at 6.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2012

   Owners describe the engine speed climbing or the vehicle pushing forward while they are braking for a light or stop sign, sometimes requiring hard, repeated pedal pressure. Some reports describe the vehicle accelerating when the pedal was not pressed, and one describes the pedal going to the floor while the car picked up speed. Dealers were sometimes unable to reproduce or diagnose it; in one case a mechanic disconnected the cruise control as a precaution. Reported at low speeds around stops and parking, from roughly 20,000 to 80,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Road-test with several stops at operating temperature and watch the tachometer; ask whether the idle control valve, throttle linkage and cruise control cable have been checked or serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had 5 occurrences of engine surging when slowing down to a light or stop sign and applying the brakes. The surge is so strong that the brakes must be repeatedly pressed down hard to stop and held down to their maximum capability. In 3 of the 5 occurrences in heavy traffic, rear end collisions were avoided by mere inches.”

   NHTSA complaint #10025337, filed 2003-07, 64,788 miles

   “Intermittently when the vehicle stopped at a light or a stop sign there would be a problem with resuming driving. The gas pedal will be depressed and the vehicle will not move. After a considerable amount of time the vehicle would respond. Dealer has examined the vehicle twice for this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10065006, filed 2004-03, 43,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Rusty brake lines and brake fluid loss

   • 17 complaints (7%)
   • median 58,431 mi at 9.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2012

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor and brake fluid leaking, with shops finding the metal lines from the master cylinder toward the rear rusted through. Two owners said the plastic strips holding the lines underneath collected water that did not drain, and one had the lines replaced twice within about two years. Another report describes a seized caliper that made the wheel too hot to touch. Spread from about 40,000 to 100,000 miles, often on older vehicles in rust-belt conditions.

   What to check: Ask for a brake-line inspection on a lift, especially under the driver door and along the rear routing; look for wet spots, pitting or heavy surface rust and ask when the lines were last replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Constantly having to service brakes on my 1997 Mercury Sable. I have had brake calipers seize up to the point the wheel was too hot to touch and I currently have brake lines rusted out for the second time in about 2 years this is simply unacceptable for such an expensive luxury model and from a safety point of view it is unacceptable to put anything in the way of brake lines that will leak rust or otherwise fail prematurely.”

   NHTSA complaint #10368440, filed 2010-11, 159,000 miles

   “Wife was just returning with neighbor, whom she had just dropped off, when she was turning into our driveway. She stepped on the brakes & the pedal went all the way to the floor & the brake system light came on. When I came home, it was obvious what had happened as there was brake fluid all over the driveway. I had car towed the next morning to hammonasset ford, Mercury, lincoln dealership in madison, ct. After inspecting the car today the dealer service dept. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10033206, filed 2003-08, 50,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Broken front or rear coil springs

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe coil springs breaking and, in several cases, the broken end contacting or puncturing a tire. Owners reported the car dropping onto one corner, a clunking noise beforehand, or a tire blowing out when the spring gave way. Several note that other model years were covered by a spring recall while their vehicle was not. Reported from about 60,000 to 160,000 miles, often noticed at low speed or while parked.

   What to check: Have the springs inspected for breaks and the strut mounts checked; on a test drive listen for clunking over bumps and look at the tire sidewalls for cuts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought and are driving a 1997 Mercury Sable with 84k miles and it is a danger to be in. The rear springs are broken in several places. I have been told that ford was recalling and fixing this problem in similar and like years of taurus's and sables. Mine they claim does not qualify. The 1997 is the same car as a 1998 and 1999 that they have provided recall replacements on... I wonder how many other people have had this problem or have been in accident because of this problem that ford is obviously aware .”

   NHTSA complaint #10329054, filed 2010-05, 84,234 miles

   “While attempting to move my car. I put it in gear and heard a big clunk, the car dropped on the left and I heard my tire blow out. It was the left front coil spring , when it broke the broken spring stabbed my tire. I am sure that if I had been driving down the road, this would have caused quite an accident. Not only was this a big expense for me to fix. I am afraid to drive my car, because I can't help but wonder about the other (right) side and also the back springs. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to stay safe in my vehicle? …”

   NHTSA complaint #10082425, filed 2004-07, 67,220 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Head gasket failure and repeat heater core leaks

   • 22 complaints (10%)
   • median 65,200 mi at 6.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2008

   Complaints describe coolant loss, overheating, steam inside the cabin through the defroster and repeated heater core replacements, with one owner told the head gasket was warped. Another report describes a misfire code that persisted and later ended in a blown head gasket and engine replacement. Some note that a coolant recovery bottle cracked and leaked. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 90,000 miles, sometimes within a short time after a cooling-system repair.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check coolant level and condition, look for residue or fogging at the windshield vents, and ask whether the heater core or head gasket has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a 1997 Mercury Sable in july 1977 from don jackson spartan lincoln Mercury dealer. I have had continuous trouble with the transmission, the brakes, the plastic bucket holding reserve antifreeze (cracked and leaked antifreeze) and now the windshield wipers work when they want to work (intermittently and steadily). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10003211, filed 2003-01, 34 miles

   “My husband and I own a 1993 Mercury Sable wagon. We purchased it used 3 years ago. It currently has 44,000 miles on it. At approximately. 43,000 miles ( a month ago) it blew the head gasket. I am aware that ford extended the warranty on 1994-1996 models of the ford taurus and Mercury Sable for this same problem. My ford dealer stated to us that this head gasket blowing has been a consistent problem on the 3.8 engines, which ours has. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10008495, filed 2003-03, 43,635 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is worth the cost on this model year, with attention to the transmission, brake lines, coil springs and cooling system. Service records showing recent cooling-system and transmission work are more useful than mileage alone.

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.