NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

3.3

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,028 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Mercury Sable electrical problems

electrical problem

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2003 Mercury Sable Owner Comments

problem #8

Dec 282014

Sable 6-cyl

  • 115,223 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Panama City, FL, USA

problem #7

Jul 152014

Sable

  • 110,000 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.

- Valentine, NE, USA

problem #6

Oct 092012

Sable 6-cyl

  • 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.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #5

Jul 142012

Sable

  • 95,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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. I drove home and looked on the internet if there were any recalls on this vehicle. Well, there was a recall done in 2004 (NHTSA action number: RQ03008), but I was informed by Ford Motor Company that my vehicle based on its VIN was not apart of the recall. I requested to speak to a supervisor and was instructed that someone would contact me on that following Monday. I was indeed contacted by Ford Motor Company and informed again, that based on my VIN, that I did not qualify as a part of the recall. I was told if more complaints were made, then something could possibly be done. I told the Ford representative that I was not interested in having my vehicle repaired as I had the repair done based on the recall information for approximately $50. The issue was exactly as it was described on the NHTSA's website, motortrend and Ford Motor Company's. the repair took approximately 15 minutes and then I was able to start the vehicle in park and the brake lights were functioning. My concern is that for almost a week I drove with no brake lights in a vehicle where I drive around with my wife, a toddler, and an infant and at any point I could have been rear ended because of this defect in the vehicle. The vehicle is 10 years old, it will never have enough complaints. However, it does not diminish the potential for loss of life from this detect.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #4

Apr 032010

Sable 6-cyl

  • miles
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. Now it is may of 2012 and I experience another failure, doing some of my own investigating I am shocked to know that this is a known issue for 2001 - 2004 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable cars. And there is a tsb 04-15-3 on how to resolve this issue. To me this is a very potential fire hazard since when the water comes into contact with live electricity to cause the blow out can indeed cause a shock or even damage the blower motor. And if a person foot happens to be in the area when the short happens they could get an unexpected jolt and get hurt. This should be a mandatory recall event for this problem before someone gets seriously injured.

- Dracut , MA, USA

problem #3

Jan 132012

Sable 4-cyl

  • miles
Outside lights will not go off need new stop lamp and air filter both parts were recalled in 2004 and should be replaced with new for free [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #2

Oct 112007

Sable 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Water and rain leak into blower housing and then onto passenger floor. This happens every time it rains and this disables the heating the and cooling systems in the car.

- No. Brunswick, NJ, USA

problem #1

Mar 062007

Sable 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Water and rain leak into blower housing and then onto passenger floor. In heavy rain the blower can be heard agitating the water. There are many reports that this will eventually disable the blower motor and therefore the vehicle will have no defroster, creating a potential hazard.

- Bronx, NY, USA

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