Total Complaints
55 filings
MERCURY SABLE · model year
1986 MERCURY SABLE
55 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986MERCURYSABLE carries 55 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 6 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 SABLE is structure:frame and members with 8 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (7) and engine and engine cooling:engine (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 22 investigation files overlapping the 1986 SABLE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
55
Complaints
0
Crashes
6
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 7 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| SEATS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030616POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO REV UP QUITE HIGH WHILE STILL STAYING IN NEUTRAL UNTIL, SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WILL KICK INTO GEAR AND "BURN RUBBER" CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD IN AN "UNCONTROLLED" WAY AT HIGH SPEED. *NLM
Mileage: 111,000
20020529SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
BRAKE CALIPER IS HANGING OUT, CAUSING HUB CAP TO MELT ONTO THE TIRE.*AK
20020502STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
SUBFRAME WELDS BROKE AND FRAME DROPPED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. NO INJURIES. THERE IS A RECALL BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED.*JBSUBFRAME MOUNTING BOLTS/BRACKETS BROKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR MOUNTS CAUSING THE ENGINE AND TRANSAXLE TO FALL BACKWARD AND MAKE STEERING IMPOSSIBLE. *JG
20011106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20010822SEATS
BOLT INTACT, MOUNT FAILED, METAL FAILURE. *AK
20010417VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHILE SITTING ON DRIVER'S SIDE WITH CHILDREN SITTING IN REAR SEAT, A PERSON ALERTED CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE CHILDREN GOT STUCK BETWEEN WINDOW OF VEHICLE, WHERE POWER WINDOW COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED. *AK
20001031VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE TRAVELING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION RMPS WOULD RUN HIGH. THEN, SOON AFTER VEHICLE WOULD STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20000505ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE BECAME VERY HOT/STALLED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO THE TFI IGNITION MODULE BEING TOO CLOSE AND MOUNTED ON THE SIDE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
20000404VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER STATED SHE BOUGHT VEHICLE AS IT IS, AND SHE WANTS TO FILL OUT A SAFETY COMPLAINT. *AK
20000304SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
RE CENTURY INFANT SEAT SMARTFIT PLU MODEL # 4529STC, BABY'S HEAD SWINGS FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE SLEEPING BECAUSE ANGLE OF SEAT IS MORE OF A SITTING POSITION; AS A RESULT, BABY HAS PINCHED NERVE IN NECK AREA AND RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT; ALSO BABY'S CHEEKS HAVE BRUISES FROM PLASTIC BUCKLES. *AK
19990526STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
REAR SUBFRAME BOLTS AND NUTS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. NLM (RECALL #98S36) 98V-323.
19990428STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RECALL 98S36 FRONT BODY MOUNTS ON THE REAR CORNER OF THE SUBFRAME NOT YET REPAIRED DUE TO DEALER SCHEDULING PROBLEM.
19990420STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RECALL COMPONENT OF SUBFRAME MOUNTS POSSIBLY CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND VEHICLE ROLLOVER AND INJURY, CONSUMER NOTIFIED AFTER INCIDENT OF RECALL.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
19990419STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
DIFFICULTY HAVING SUBFRAME MOUNT NUTS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL, DUE TO DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS. (98V-323)
19990217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE BUCKLE SEPARATING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *SLC
19990217STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
REAR SUBFRAME BROKE AWAY AT THE LOWER BODY MOUNTS WITH NO PREVIOUS INDICATION. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STEER. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF RECALL NOTICE 92S61 WITH FORD MANUFACTURER, WHICH IS THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER IS REPLACING THE BOLTS TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. *AK
19990204POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A LEAK FROM TRANSMISSION'S COOLING UNIT AND LINES. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE/SHAKE AND STALL. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *ML
19990204ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A LEAK FROM TRANSMISSION'S COOLING UNIT AND LINES. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE/SHAKE AND STALL. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *ML
19990128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE SUB-FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE REAR CORNER OF THE VEHICLE WHICH SUPPORTS THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, POOR STEERING. *AK
19990128STEERING
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE SUB-FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE REAR CORNER OF THE VEHICLE WHICH SUPPORTS THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, POOR STEERING. *AK
Compare 1986MERCURYSABLE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 MERCURY SABLE have?▼
The 1986 MERCURY SABLE has 55 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 6 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 MERCURY SABLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 MERCURY SABLE is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1986 MERCURY SABLE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.