MERCURY SABLE · model year

2005 MERCURY SABLE

112 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005MERCURYSABLE carries 112 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 2005 SABLE is vehicle speed control with 35 filings, followed by power train (21) and service brakes (7). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 22 investigation files overlapping the 2005 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.

112
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

112 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL35
POWER TRAIN21
SERVICE BRAKES7
STEERING6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
ENGINE5
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
AIR BAGS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
STRUCTURE2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL2
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
VISIBILITY1

Recalls (1)

16E02600001/04/2016

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

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, Brake

Recent Complaints

20230914VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Im owner of Mercury Sable 2005 only 79000 miles..The car problem speed control idle over 2200 so high when stop red light have to brake pedal to slow the vehicle down, and the vehicle failed to accelerrate..

20220419VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Purchased vehicle from a private seller 10 days prior to incident. Seller informed me they had replaced throttle body sensor to fix unintended acceleration issues. Drove vehicle home on 4/10/22 with one incident on highway where I attempted to slow vehicle after reaching approx 70mph, and vehicle seemed to jolt/shudder as if unable to brake smoothly. Did not drive again til 4/18/22: I attempted to drive vehicle to tire shop to have new tires installed. After backing out of driveway, I accelerated quickly to approx. 25mph. Acceleration continued past 25mph despite me letting off the gas pedal. I hit the brakes and felt the acceleration continuing to push against them, causing the car to jolt/shake with the application of the brakes. I slowed to a stop at a nearby traffic light, where the engine continued to rev at approx. 2000rpm. When I let off the brakes and drove through the intersection, the car continued to accelerate to around 30-35mph without me pressing the gas pedal at all. I a

20201020VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 80 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE THEN FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Mileage: 130,000

20200114AIR BAGS

THE AIR BAG ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HAS PARTIALLY INFLATED

Mileage: 180,500

20191024POWER TRAIN

AFTER LEAVING A STOP, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO MOVE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AND STAYED IN A NUETRAL POSITION. AFTER SAFELY PARKING THE CAR, IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. LOOKING ONLINE I SEE NUMEROUS CONSUMER WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND THE COST IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH, BUT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE THE BLAME ON.

Mileage: 120,000

20190903VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

GAS PEDAL STICKS. CRUISE CONTROL RANDOMLY TURNS ITSELF ON VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT WARNING. HAVE HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF OR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. IT'S ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING.

Mileage: 65,000

20190624STRUCTURE:BODY

THE CARS UNDERBODY HAS FULLY RUSTED EVERY SINCE I BOUGHT IT BACK IN 2015 MY FLOOR PANELS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CARS SIDE SKIRTS CAME OFF THE CAR ON BOTH SIDES BECAUSE I HIT A POTHOLE IN THE STREET, UNDER THAT IS FULL OF RUST. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO AND FROM WORK. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS POSING A THREAT TO ME AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS. ANYTHING CAN COME A LOOSE AND I CAN CRASH AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE CAN HAPPEN.

Mileage: 140,000

20180920SERVICE BRAKES

CAN NOT SEE OUT MY FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS. I WILL CLEAN THE WINDOWS 3-4 TIMES A DAY. IMPROPER CODES REQUESTING REPAIR AND ONCE REPAIRED STILL THE SAME THING. STARTS NO CRANKS. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, COULD NOT CONTINUE TO WORK DUE TO VISION ISSUES. ANTI THEFT FUNCTIONS PREVENTING ME FROM OPERATING MY CAR.

20180920VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAN NOT SEE OUT MY FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS. I WILL CLEAN THE WINDOWS 3-4 TIMES A DAY. IMPROPER CODES REQUESTING REPAIR AND ONCE REPAIRED STILL THE SAME THING. STARTS NO CRANKS. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, COULD NOT CONTINUE TO WORK DUE TO VISION ISSUES. ANTI THEFT FUNCTIONS PREVENTING ME FROM OPERATING MY CAR.

20180920VISIBILITY/WIPER

CAN NOT SEE OUT MY FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS. I WILL CLEAN THE WINDOWS 3-4 TIMES A DAY. IMPROPER CODES REQUESTING REPAIR AND ONCE REPAIRED STILL THE SAME THING. STARTS NO CRANKS. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, COULD NOT CONTINUE TO WORK DUE TO VISION ISSUES. ANTI THEFT FUNCTIONS PREVENTING ME FROM OPERATING MY CAR.

20180916POWER TRAIN

I DRIVED IT ON HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS NOISE AND RMP PASSED 4000 BUT NO ACCELERATED. I MANAGED TO STOPPED ON SHOULDER, AND RESTARTED THE CAR, ENGINE RUN OK, AND CAR WASN'T MOVING, EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I COULD BE HIT BY OTHER CARS IF I DIDN'T MANAGE TO SHOULDER. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND I FOUND OUT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT MERCURY SABLE'S TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND PEOPLE MAY GET KILLED BECAUSE OF SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 88700 MILES ON IT.

Mileage: 88,700

20180528FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR LAST YEAR, THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AT SPEED (APPROX 55), CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLED ON A CURVY 2 LANE HIGHWAY. HAD TO BREAK VERY HARD AGAINST THE SURGING ENGINE TO SLOW, AND TURN OFF ENGINE WITH KEY TO GET CAR TO STOP. VERY SCARY. VERY DANGEROUS. THE FORD DEALER IN KINGSTON, NY, DID NOT TELL ME THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM! TOWED, RENTED A CAR, AND PAID $420.00 TO REPAIR.

Mileage: 81,000

20180307POWER TRAIN

WHEN ENTERING THE CAR AFTER A BASKETBALL GAME I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO GO INTO REVERSE BUT THE CAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AS IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. PRIOR TO THIS I HAD NEVER NOTICED ANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD BY OUR MECHANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD GIVEN OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER MERCURY SABLE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION. FORD RECALLED THE SAME PART ON OTHER SIMILAR MAKE AND MODELS VEHICLES. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED OF MERCURY SABLES AS WELL.

20170712AIR BAGS

I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO DROVE IT TO ROME GA.FROM CENTRE AL ON WAY BACK THE TIRES ON BACK WAS EAT DOWN TO WIRE BELTS

20170712SERVICE BRAKES

I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO DROVE IT TO ROME GA.FROM CENTRE AL ON WAY BACK THE TIRES ON BACK WAS EAT DOWN TO WIRE BELTS

20170712SUSPENSION

I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO DROVE IT TO ROME GA.FROM CENTRE AL ON WAY BACK THE TIRES ON BACK WAS EAT DOWN TO WIRE BELTS

20170610UNKNOWN OR OTHER

CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT ON. SEEING HIGHER RPM BUT NOT SHIFTING HARD. FLUIDS CHECKED - OK. TRANSMISSION CODES P0723 AND P0733 THESE ARE CODES FOR SLIPPING ISSUES. THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. MILEAGE WAS ONLY 68769 ON CAR.

Mileage: 68,769

20170502SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AS THE RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER REPAIR THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE SALE WAS FINALIZED, BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20170502ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AS THE RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER REPAIR THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE SALE WAS FINALIZED, BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20170326POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 155,000

Compare 2005MERCURYSABLE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 MERCURY SABLE have?
The 2005 MERCURY SABLE has 112 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 MERCURY SABLE?
Yes, the 2005 MERCURY SABLE has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MERCURY SABLE?
The most-complained component for the 2005 MERCURY SABLE is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 35 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2005 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.