1999 Mercury Sable Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report front coil springs breaking, usually at low speed and often with tire damage, along with power steering fluid leaks traced to the rack and pinion assembly. Seat belts that will not pull out, retract or latch, and occasional loss of brake pedal pressure, account for most of the remaining reports. Complaints cluster roughly between 40,000 and 120,000 miles, and several owners describe difficulty getting recall work or repairs covered once the vehicle was older.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Front coil spring breakage

   • 37 complaints (14%)
   • median 72,826 mi at 5.8 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • filed 2003–2013

   Owners describe a front coil spring breaking with a loud pop, most often while backing out of a driveway or moving at low speed. In many complaints the broken spring drops onto the tire and damages or punctures it, and a few owners report the same failure on the other side afterwards. Some mention receiving a recall notice but finding parts unavailable, being told the vehicle was not covered, or having the spring break again after the recall repair was done. Reported from under 20,000 miles to over 150,000 miles, with many between about 40,000 and 75,000 miles and often at low speed or in cold, salted-road conditions.

   Recall 04V3320004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the front coil springs have been replaced or the recall work done, and inspect both front springs and their seats for corrosion or fresh breaks. Check the front tires for sidewall or tread damage that could have come from a broken spring.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my car when the passenger front spring broke and fell down puncturing the tire causing a blowout, luckily I was able to pull over without crashing. This was a very dangerous thing to happen and I was very lucky to escape without being seriously hurt.”

   NHTSA complaint #10078405, filed 2004-06, 59,960 miles

   “My 99 Sable gs has a recall on the front coil springs and ford will not replace them because it has exceeded the time frame. Which is ridiculous! I never even received a recall notice on the car we found the recall online. Also the rear coil springs are broken and the tires are messed up and ford won't recall them if salt is going to get in the front coil springs and make them crack then what makes you think that it won't get in the rear? We have small children and are worried about their safety. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10409255, filed 2011-06, 161,504 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Power steering fluid leaks and rack failure

   • 34 complaints (13%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2019

   Complaints describe power steering fluid loss traced to the rack and pinion, sometimes with a cracked housing or a plug that pushed out, leaving the car with manual steering and needing a tow. Owners also report pump noise, a steering wheel that felt loose, and a turning radius so wide that right turns were difficult. Repairs usually involved replacing the rack and pinion assembly. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 115,000 miles, with a few at higher mileage.

   What to check: Check the power steering fluid level and look for wetness around the rack, its boots and the lines, and ask whether the rack has been replaced. On a test drive, listen for pump noise and note whether the assist feels even through the whole turn.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle was loosing power steering fluid through the rack and pinion steering. The owner took the vehicle back to the dealer, and was informed that the fluid was leaking through the rack and pinion steering assembly. The turning radius was not adequate enough to make a right turn without the front of the vehicle entering the left lane of traffic on the road being turned onto.”

   NHTSA complaint #10114986, filed 2005-04, 66,765 miles

   “The steering rack failed with not visible indication of fluid loss. The plug on the rack blew-out without warning, causing the steering to become manual requiring vehicle towing. The car has been dutifully maintained with no indication of failure when inspected. Ford motor co. Has denied any responsibility.”

   NHTSA complaint #10061971, filed 2004-03, 37,800 miles
3. 3
   Seat belts

   Seat belts that will not pull out, latch or retract

   • 18 complaints (7%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2012

   Owners report front and rear seat belts that will not pull out of the retractor, will not retract, or whose buckles fail to latch, sometimes leaving a belt stuck in the anchorage. Several were told by the dealer that their vehicle was not included in the front seat belt anchorage recall, so nothing was repaired. In one collision complaint the buckle did not hold and the occupants moved forward into the dash. Reported from roughly 58,000 to 125,000 miles, often noticed when a passenger first tried to buckle up.

   Recall 99V250000Recall 98V198000

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, and latch and release every buckle, including the rear center belt. Ask whether the front anchorage recall was completed on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The rear seat belts shoulder belts do not retract at all. This is a serious safety problem. After talking to dealership the warranty is only for 5 years 50000 miles. So is ford saying that after this warranty is up on my 1999 Sable that my families life is worthless.. All seat belts should be warranted for the life of the car, not 5 years 50000 miles..shouldn't all satey related equipment in vehicles be warranted for life? There was a recall for the front shoulder belts on this vehicle. There should be a recall for the rear seatbelts also. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10067763, filed 2004-04, 69,600 miles

   “I purchased the used vehicle april 03. Early august, I went out to lunch with a friend-when he attempted to put on the vehicle seat belt in the front passenger seat it would not work. We drove his car instead. I thought it was a fluke. I decided to check the internet and located this problem as a manufacturer recall and figured it would be no problem for the dealer to take care of it. This problem continued to happen but because of my work schedule I was unable to get the vehicle to the dealer because of the hours of the service department. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10052381, filed 2004-01, 58,500 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal to the floor / loss of braking

   • 32 complaints (12%)
   • median 83,500 mi at 7.9 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2020

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor with little or no stopping power, sometimes while slowing for a light, a toll plaza or a highway exit, and in some cases the parking brake was used to stop the car. Repairs mentioned a failed master cylinder and ABS module work, and one owner describes a clunking, sticking brake complaint that was not diagnosed on the first visit. A few owners report the cause was not found until the vehicle was towed to a shop. Mostly reported between about 35,000 and 100,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and whether the master cylinder or ABS module has been replaced. Before buying, have the pedal feel and fluid condition checked, and look for a low or dark fluid level in the reservoir.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On sunday aug. 17th I drove onto a steep exit from a 4 lane highway to a fiveline highway. I had no brakes. The light at the bottom of the ramp stayed green (there were about 40 cars waiting to enter the intersection)--I crossed all five lanes and crashed my car into a dirt bank. I had no brakes --the man following me said (and told the police) that he smelled a burning ordor or brake smell and had commented to his wife that he thought something was wrong with my brakes before the incident. He advised the police. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10033163, filed 2003-08, 37,600 miles

   “Total casastropic brake faiure. With my wife driving we encountered a toll plaza on the garden state parkway in new jersey. My wife attemped to slow the car and at that point exclaimed, I have no brakes ....we went though the toll booths and stopped the car about 100 feet away using the emergency/parking brake. I opened the hood, and checked the level of brake fluid, it was full. I got behind the wheel and started the car and put it in drive. I too found the brake pedal on 'on the floor' with no stopping power, even at low crawl/idle speed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10129660, filed 2005-07, 59,900 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Harsh shifting, slippage and transmission leaks

   • 22 complaints (9%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2020

   Owners describe harsh or delayed shifting, gears slipping, and the car slowing on its own while driving, along with transmission fluid leaks that left puddles. One shop report describes the transmission pump coming apart and a failed O-ring inside it. Another owner reports the car lunging forward when started or while held at a stop. Reported from very low mileage to over 150,000 miles, with several between 90,000 and 110,000 miles.

   What to check: Check the transmission fluid level and color and look under the car for fresh leaks at the pan, seals and cooler lines. On a test drive from cold, note any delayed or harsh engagement when shifting into drive or reverse.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought a used 1999 Mercury Sable gs with the u type 3.0l v6 engine 2 months ago. Just recently I noticed the car wanting to lunge forward while holding the brake at stops. Then a few days later whenever I start the car it lunges forward. Nothing dramatic but definitely noticeable. I started looking online to see about a recall and 1 was present a long time ago. Is it to late to get my car checked or how to see if it was ever serviced or called for the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #11383277, filed 2020-12, 152,000 miles

   “- the contact has a 1999 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that when she purchased the vehicle may 22 2006, the vehicle did not have heat. The contact stated that she has had many problems with this vehicle since she purchased it. The vehicle operates with a high temperature reading, and the transmission seems to slip gears when you apply the gas pedal and back fires while switching gears. The dealer has not addressed the failures that the contact has experienced with her vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10179139, filed 2007-01, 12,000 miles

Buying note. Before buying, have the front springs and their seats inspected for corrosion or breaks, check the power steering rack for leaks, and test every seat belt through its full range. A pre-purchase inspection that also covers brake and transmission condition past 60,000 miles gives the clearest picture of how this car has been maintained.

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.