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Electrical systemPart report

2003 Mercury Sable Electrical system Problems

Complaints
10about this part
Share
5%of 201 total for the year
Median mileage
110,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Mercury Sable, 5% of the 201 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 110,000 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I went to leave from a local park on a saturday evening, but my vehicle would not move out of park. I had to call a tow truck. The tow truck driver showed me a trick how to get the vehicle to start, by turning the ignition key ever so slightly and then trying to move the shifter to neutral. Once in neutral I started the vehicle and drove home. After driving the vehicle for almost a week by starting in neutral, I was stopped on the following friday by police. I was informed that I didn't have any working brake lights. …”

NHTSA complaint #10467107, filed 2012-07, 95,000 miles

“Driving down interstate 90 in south dakota when the electrical just shut off at night. We had no power, lights or steering control going 75 MPH. This has happened several times a year since we got the vehicle in 2009. At that speed and with no one able to see us due to no lighting we become a hazard to ourselves and others. I would like to know if this is an endemic problem with this model and why no one can seem to find the issue. We have taken it to 3 repair places including a ford dealership and no one can find anything wrong. We would like ford to make it right.”

NHTSA complaint #10617891, filed 2014-07, 110,000 miles

“Alarm system goes off at will, sounding horn, flashing lights, causing other flowing traffic to be distracted. Concerned that the alarm system may activate while in motion. Concerned that it may stop the vehicle in traffic.”

NHTSA complaint #10668599, filed 2014-12, 115,223 miles

“Heater/AC fan continuously stops working. I first replaced the motor resistor in august 2012. It worked for 2 weeks when it broke for the 2nd time. I went to fix it again, only to find out it stops working again after 2 more weeks.it is now october and the motor resistor broke 2x and now the motor blower is completely gone. No AC/heater. The temperature in ny in october is not compliant with no heater. This is ridiculous. Broke 3xs in a span of 6 weeks or so.”

NHTSA complaint #10480051, filed 2012-10

“I own a 2003 Mercury Sable, and approximately back in 2010 I experienced my first failure of the blower resistor motor. Then one month later I experienced another failure, being under warranty they replaced it, another month goes by and yet another failure, take it back and we tried to figure why it was failing. We then come up my car was mainly garaged, and I rarely drive in the rain. On the three different dates of failure we were experiencing heavy rain that I had driven in and upon the next day or two going out it failed. They then put silicone around and near everything. …”

NHTSA complaint #10462125, filed 2012-06

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20081118%
200567%
2004612%
2003105%
2002174%
2001266%
2000235%
199973%
1998168%
1997198%
1996207%
1995329%
1994297%
1993467%
1992288%
1991167%
19902113%
19895824%
19882621%
19871520%
1986613%

Other parts of the 2003 Mercury Sable

Suspension
47 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
30 complaints
Vehicle speed control
28 complaints
Body and structure
20 complaints
Engine cooling
19 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
19 complaints
Brakes
14 complaints
Exterior lighting
12 complaints
Air bags
8 complaints
Engine
8 complaints
Fuel system
7 complaints
Seat belts
5 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2003 Mercury Sable

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology