2004 Mercury Sable Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 3about this part
- Share
- 6%of 52 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 135,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the engine of the 2004 Mercury Sable, 6% of the 52 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 135,000 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.
“My Mercury Sable 2004 began accelerating on its own. The first time I was cruising at 35mph and had trouble stopping at a stop sign. Braking caused a vibration the RPM's were not going down. Driving further I noted the car would accelerate by itself. Tapping the the gas pedal quickly sometimes caused the RPM's to go back to normal. I took the vehicle to a local garage and had the throttle (cables, etc) checked. All were reported ok. The issue has happened off and on but yesterday (11/28/12) was the worst. …”
NHTSA complaint #10486444, filed 2012-11, 99,500 miles“Started sudden acceleration while driving at 25 MPH. Pressed hard on brakes to stop, put it on park mode. Still RPM was around 4000. Turned off engine. When cranked back, RPM kept on increasing without foot on accelerator. Tapped hard on accelerator couple of times, RPM went back to normal.”
NHTSA complaint #10643616, filed 2014-10, 143,300 miles“The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Sable. While driving at high speeds, the rpms increased without warning. The vehicle surged forward and exhibited rapid acceleration. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10820421, filed 2016-01, 135,000 milesEngine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 5 | 25% |
| 2008 | 5 | 8% |
| 2005 | 5 | 6% |
| 2004 | 3 | 6% |
| 2003 | 8 | 4% |
| 2002 | 4 | 1% |
| 2001 | 4 | 1% |
| 2000 | 5 | 1% |
| 1996 | 2 | 1% |
| 1995 | 1 | 0% |
| 1994 | 1 | 0% |
Other parts of the 2004 Mercury Sable
15 complaintsBrakes
12 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
12 complaintsExterior lighting
7 complaintsElectrical system
6 complaintsSeat belts
3 complaintsSeats
3 complaintsAir bags
2 complaintsEngine cooling
2 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsOther or unknown
2 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 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