- The problem
- Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.
- The risk
- A damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.
Vehicle safety record
2001 Mercury Sable Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 430 complaints about the 2001 Mercury Sable with NHTSA, most often about the suspension (204) and the acceleration & cruise control (61). Those complaints describe 32 crashes, 7 fires and 30 injuries. It is covered by 9 recalls, the latest in April 2016 for the pads. For comparison, the 2000 has 465 and the 2002 has 457.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Sable year, for its age
#21 most complained-about 2001 vehicle
- Complaints
- 430
- Recalls
- 9
- Crashes
- 32
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
- 30
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2001 Mercury Sable problems
Share of all 430 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2001 Mercury Sable recalls 9
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, the front coil springs could fracture due to corrosion associated with salt used on the roadways during the winter. A fractured spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire.
- The risk
- If this occurs, the tire may rupture resulting in a rapid air loss, which could result in a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install protective spring shields. In addition, ford is extending the warranty coverage of the front coil springs in all other states, for fracture only, up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. If the vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until july 31, 2005. If either front coil spring fractures, dealers will replace both front springs at no charge to the owner. An interim notice was sent to owners on august 2, 2004. Parts are now available for the 2000-2001 my vehicles and owners were sent a letter on january 10, 2005, advising them to bring in their vehicles for repair parts are expected to be available for the 1999 my vehicles by the end of february 2005 and owners of these vehicles will be notified then. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Certain passenger vehicles are being recalled to correct a problem with a malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring. This malfunctioning could render the stop lamps inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. This could cause confusion to a following driver, which could lead to a crash.
- The risk
- In addition, if the switch and/or associated wiring fail in the open position, the brake lights will not actuate and the driver will not be able to shift the vehicle out of "park" if they fail in the closed position, the brake lights will remain on, which will not allow the speed control to be activated. This could also cause the battery to discharge.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. Owner notification is expected to begin on april 5, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Certain passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable padels are being recalled in order to adjust the brake and accelerator pedals to a minimum of 50 mm of lateral separation. Simultaneous application of both the brake and accelerator pedals could result in an increase in engine rpm.
- The risk
- This could result in a customer experiencing an "unintended vehicle speed increase" or a perceived "unable to stop" condition.
- The fix
- Owners will be instructed as to the proper way to set the position of the pedals and to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the spacing between the brake and accelerator pedals measured. If the spacing is found to be less than 50 mm, the dealer will adjust the pedals to increase the distance between them to greater than 50 mm. Owner notification began october 28, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.
- The risk
- Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger cars. The seat belt buckle tongue may not fully eject from the buckle assembly when the release button is pushed slowly. This condition could also result in a partial latch of the tongue in the buckle.
- The risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the vehicle occupant may not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the driver and right front passenger seat belt buckles. Owner notification began may 4, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals. If the grease from the adjustable pedal assembly enters the stop lamp switch, it can contaminate the contacts leading to carbon build up, and potentially, a short circuit.
- The risk
- A short circuit could lead to either the brake lamps staying on, or to a loss of brake lamp function, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch and wipe down the adjustable pedal assembly to remove excess grease. Owner notification began march 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." The affected expedition/navigator owner guides do not identify the locations of seating positions equipped with tether anchorages, and do not provide instructions for securing child seats to these tether anchorages. The f150 sc owner guides do not provide the procedure for securing child seats to the tether anchorages. The taurus/sable owner guides do not identify the center rear seating position as having latch compatible lower anchorages.
- The risk
- In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
- The fix
- Owners will be provided with owner guide inserts revised to provide the required information, and instructions for affixing these inserts to their owner guides. Customers will also be advised that if they prefer, their dealer will affix the inserts to their owner guides.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The child safety seat anchor latch (iso-fix anchor) fasteners do not have adequate residual torque. The anchors are secured to the floor pan with a reinforcement plate that has two studs that extend upward through the floor pan and the iso-fix anchor. The sealer on the floor pan could cause a soft joint and, even if the nuts are properly torqued, road vibrations could cause the nut to work its way completely off the stud.
- The risk
- The anchor may not hold the child safety seat in position during an accident, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant of the child safety seat.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove and re-install the bracket nut using a torque retention material (red loctite). Owner notification began september 11, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
What owners say
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430 complaints about the 2001 Mercury Sable
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 18.
Lately my car has been over accelerating to about 4,000 rpm's at random moments. I almost got into a wreck today and I was driving 30 mph. I've cleaned the throttle body and the idle air control valve and still the same issue. The car only has 113,000 miles on it but now I'm too scared to even drive it!
I got in my car started to drive and heard something snap then smoke came from the hood and the car pulled hard right. I immediately stopped and parked the car. The coil spring broke and dug into my front passenger tire and it pulled the axle out of the cv joint.I was in allentown,pa. On a main road in the city. Feb.8,2020.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The failure occurred without warning. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with full force to get the vehicle to eventually stop. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v266000 (service brakes). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 113,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 40 mph, the brake warning indicator illuminated. Also, while approaching a red light with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact powered off and restarted the engine while at a red light and was able to drive home. The vehicle was later towed to helfman ford (located at 12220 southwest fwy, stafford, tx 77477, (281) 240-3673) where it was diagnosed...
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that there was a faulty brake sensor that needed a brake master cylinder replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 40,200. The vin was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 50 mph on the highway, the accelerator pedal suddenly dropped down and the vehicle accelerated to 120 mph. The contact shifted into neutral, but the rpms continued revving at maximum capacity. When the vehicle started to slow down, the contact turned off the engine. The vehicle eventually came to a rolling stop on the side of the road. The contact waited ten minutes and attempted to restart the vehicle, but the engine revved up again; therefore, the contact...
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quickly turned the vehicle back off. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. Future ford of sacramento (4625 madison ave, sacramento, ca 95841, (916) 473-1047) stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving 5 mph, the vehicle brushed against a curb and the side impact air bag deployed. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to terry's ford of peotone (363 s harlem ave, peotone, il 60468, 708-258-9200) and was not diagnosed, but it was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The vin was not available.
Sudden acceleration and continued high rpms. Accelerates without depressing accelerator pedal. This is a known issue for mercury sable / ford taurus 2000-2003 and I just discovered a recall was done in 2013 by ford. The cause is a malfunctioning of the throttle body and/crusie control cables.
Transmission issues included a near death experience when faulty cruise control wiring / functionality caused automatic transmission to rev to to high rpms. Was unable to shift to neutral gear and was forced to jump from vehicle to avoid potentially fatal wreck. Brake pads burned through to the calipers when trying to brake.
I haven't had this car vary lone and I was driving close to my home in witch I live in the tn. Smoky mountains. The roads are curvy I had just pulled out from a tee intersection and a car came fast up behind me so I stepped on it and that is when the throttle stuck so I kicked it fast and hard and it freed up. If this had been in a different situation I may have wrecked the car. So I started to do some research on this and found recalls so I did a vin# check and found out the recalls for this car were done and...
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all this happened on 11-19-2016 so on 11-21-2016 I had to go out and I stopped by a dealer to check on my findings and I was told the same thing and at that point I went to check on a new throttle cable and maybe the part that was put on to fix the problem and that the parts would need to be ordered and thats when I found out that it wasn't the cable that was the problem that later ford had found that it was the throttle body that was causing the problem and of course that was never reveled because that part is a 400.00 Part and the cable was a 100.00 Part. So this needs to be recalled again. My car has 154500 miles. Nhtsa ' vehicle speed control problems 2001 mercury sable nhtsa ' vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal problems 2001 mercury sable close investigation subject : speed control cable damage date investigation opened: oct 24, 2012 date investigation closed: jun 26, 2013 nhtsa action number: pe12033 component(s): vehicle speed control all products associated with this investigation expand details close 10 associated documents expand manufacturer: ford motor company
My 17 year old was driving the 2001 mercury sable and came to a complete stop at a light on a busy intersection however, the car automatically accelerated even with his foot on the brake. The acceleration stuck and fortunately he was able to control the vehicle without hitting anyone and causing an accident but immediately managed to get it to an open lot to shut the car off. Had someone look at it, and it was the throttle cable that snapped. It is only temporarily fixed at this time. Also, when driving in areas where there is any type of small bump, such as the end of our driveway, the front end suspension just isn't there. It hits extremely hard. *Tr
Throttle got stuck forcing car to accelerate even when not touching the gas pedal. Thankfully the brakes worked and I was able to stop the car and put it into park, at which point the engine revved to 4000 rpm. Once the car was turned off, it let off some white smoke with a burning oil smell. According to my mechanic, the speed control cable collar fractured. I was on the highway when this happened, doing 65 miles per hour.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. While driving at 30 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral to slow it down, but the engine continued to rev at a high rpm. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Front coil springs both broken and replaced. Rear coil spring brole and punctured tire causing the vehicle to become stranded.
For over ten (10) years the headlights (but not the side driving lights) have been going off (for about 3 minutes) and then coming back on. This does not occur every time the lights come on and seems to be more frequent in the summer time when it is warm or hot outside. The date below is just approximately when this problem started and is not the only date/'time it has occurred, it has occurred sporadically but continuously since that date.
While driving the sable at approximately 25 mi. Per hr.(Clear road,dry conditions)in congested traffic conditions. Going through a set of traffic lights,luckily the light had just turned green,,the vehicle suddenly surged up to 3000 rpm. Fortunately,going through the lights, my foot was near the brake pedal. When I heard and felt the acceleration ,i immediately hit the brake and kept my right foot on it as the vehicle continued to push forward with full brakes applied. Luckily the vehicle was under the brakes...
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control,while still revvvving, I put the vehicle into neutral and pulled over,tuned ignition off. The front disc brakes were smoking. Opened hood,noticed nothing unusual, this is the only report of this incident.Will seek immediate cure today. This is my 66 y.O. Girl friend car.She is now horrified to use it! November 5,2015.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercury sable. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated unintentionally when driving. On another occasion, while at a stop light, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that firm pressure had to be applied to the brake pedal to keep the vehicle from lunging forward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 164,000.
My mechanic advised that the coil spring is lacking a cover and is rusting and may break. My transmission "slips" and "revs" at random. Both of these items are supposedly under recall, but ford will not honor the recalls.
While under acceleration 50%-75% the throttle cable can slide out of the cable retainer and keep the throttle from returning to idle leading to the throttle being stuck open resulting in speeds over 100mph if no action is taken.
The engine cradle/frame supporting the engine & transmission and suspension and steering assemblies failed due to excessive corrosion causing the rear mount at the body connection on both sides to separate and drop about 3" causing a loss of steering. The drop of the cradle and engine and transmission pulled down on the steering shaft universal joint under the dash causing the steering to bind up and also causing the entire steering and suspension geometry to fail. The vehicle was not garaged, was purchased new...
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by me, was not in involved in any flood damage, was not in close proximity to salt water and the undercarriage was sprayed each time I frequently washed the vechicle. The engine cradle in addition to the rear mount failure has extensive rust and corrosion thruout the structure. As someone who pays attention to my vehicle I began to notice rust/corrosion on the engine cradle about 5 years after purchasing the vehicle and have searched the internet for similar complaints without finding any. I'm wirtting this after finally seeing a complaint on a 2001 ford taurus cradle/frame failure and think this dangerous condition should be made public. Thankfully I was going at a slow speed and was able to veer the vehicle to the side of the road. Had I been traveling at highway speed the event would have been catastrophic not only to me but others on the road also. Loved my vehicle it runs great and was looking foward to more miles with it, unfortunately the repair would be a major undertaking and expense and my sable is to head to the junk yard on a flatbed.
I was on my way home from work around 9am the driver seat side air bag deployed for absolutely no reason.
The front driver door will not shut in cold temperatures. As I was trying to leave for work the door would not latch shut. Ended up holding the door shut while driving down the road. I went and bought a ratchet strap to secure the door in place as it is often cold in wisconsin.
Something drastically wrong with the radiator system, antifreeze is always brown, have it changed and in 1 day it turns brown. The windows have been broken in this car since 2005, the two front windows do not go up and down, I don't feel safe without the windows working. There is something wrong with the suspension and I constantly have to put air into my tires and tires wear out quickly because suspension is messed up. Windshield washer has not worked since 2003. If it was built with pride like the company says it is, it would be a nice car. Falls apart too easily. I need help. *Tr
I was driving along the highway at approximately 45 mph when suddenly accelerator sped up to a high rate of speed. Could not slow down when braking. Car continued to accelerate. Could not get car to slow down no matter what I tried. Had to turn car off to come to a stop. The local wichita falls ford company says there is recall for this problem, but I have read all over the net that it is a problem ford motor company said that it would fix. Called ford motor co. Headquarters and they said there is no recall...
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issued for this problem and they will not fix it. I should not have to pay for this when ford knows it is an ongoing problem. I am 73 years old and do not have money for this kind of repair. *Tr
Going to work and going up a steep hill on a windy 2 lane highway and topped the hill at approximately 40 mph and when I let off the throttle the throttle pedal returned but the speed stayed at 40 mph and at 4000 rpm. I punched and released the throttle pedal and it went to 6000 rpm and didn't return. I stepped on the brakes and slowed the vehicle a little but not much. I was coming up on a turn at a high rate of speed and had to shift in to neutral and shut the car off. I coasted to the side of the road and...
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raised the hood. I seen that where the throttle cable and the cruise control cable went in to the mounting bracket that the cruise control cable was hanging out the side of the grey plastic holder that holds it into the mounting bracket. The grey plastic guide holder had broke and the cable had slipped out of the holder and wasn't able to go back in when the throttle was open thus left the throttle half open. I was able to manually slide it back into the grey plastic guide holder and put wire on it to safely get it home. The holder needs to either be metal or a better grade of plastic. The grey plastic guide holder is also the same as the one on the throttle cable. I'm sure its going to break soon also. Thank you. *Tr
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 mercury sable. The contact's vehicle was struck head on by another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a head injury, but no medical attention was received. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vin and speed were not available. The failure mileage was 33,000.
Mercury Sable: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 83 | 1 | A |
| 2004 | 52 | 2 | A |
| 2003 | 201 | 4 | C |
| 2002 | 457 | 4 | D |
| 2001 | 430 | 9 | D |
| 2000 | 465 | 7 | D |
| 1999 | 267 | 5 | D |
| 1998 | 195 | 2 | C |
| 1997 | 231 | 3 | C |
2001 Mercury Sable vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Mercury Sable | 430 | 9 | D | |
| 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis | 183 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Mercury Cougar | 82 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Mercury Mountaineer | 22 | 4 | A | Compare |
| 2001 Mercury Villager | 20 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2001 Mercury Mystique | 2 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2001 Mercury Sable
Does the 2001 Mercury Sable have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2001 Mercury Sable: pads (April 2016); coil springs (July 2004); switch (March 2004); pedals and linkages (October 2002) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercury Sable?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the suspension (204), acceleration & cruise control (61), brakes (40).
How many complaints has the 2001 Mercury Sable had?
430 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on December 14, 2000 and the latest on February 17, 2022. Of these, 32 describe a crash and 7 a fire, and together they report 30 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2001 Mercury Sable a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 26 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Mercury Sable year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Mercury Sable years have the most complaints?
1993 (677), 2000 (465), 2002 (457). See every Mercury Sable year compared.
What should I do if my 2001 Mercury Sable has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data