Problems · by component

2000 Mercury Sable power train problems

31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Mercury Sable cite power train, 7% of all 465 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
31
7% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD IN THE STREET. I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AT THE TIME AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED 4 TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS IN THE ST. CHARLES, MO AREA FOR PRICING. THEY WERE ALL AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT FORD DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL AND WILL NOT OFFER ANY TYPE OF SATISFACTION FOR THE REPAIR. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY, AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I THINK THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT A SURVEY OF TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS WOULD SURELY REVEAL THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 28, 2014Power trainODI 10661174
“EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO REFUEL. UPON FUELING WE INTENDED TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP AS PLANNED. CAR STOPPED AT LIGHT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FOR 5-10 FEET. ENGINE MADE A REVVING SOUND AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. ALL FUELS LOOK GOOD AND THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES TOTAL BECAUSE IT WAS USED SPARINGLY BY PREVIOUS OWNER. NO LIGHTS OR INDICATION GAVE WARNING THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD LOSE POWER. WE ARE NOW SEEING ONLINE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED DEALER BUT KEPT GETTING HUNG UP ON. I AM A WIDOW WITH CHILDREN AND DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO JUST TOW THE CAR TO BE FIXED AS THIS WAS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED ON ACTUALLY TRAVELING TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN CHECK RECALL INFORMATION FOR US. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2013Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10553014
“DRIVING DOWN ROAD IN MY 2000 MERCURY SABLE ,STOPPED AT REDLIGHT,TRIED TO PULL OUT,CAR WOULD ONLY REV UP AND NOT MOVE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD JUST UP AND QUIT PULLING. WE WERE.STUCK IN MIDDLE OF ROAD ,WITH CARS PASSING AROUND US. WE.WAS IN DANGER OF GETTING HIT. WE HAD 100 MILES TO DRIVE ON FREEWAY TO GET HOME. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED THEN, WE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY A PASSING CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS A LOT AND HAVE FOUND THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2011Power train, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 10433093
“MY 2000 MERCURY SABLE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. IT GAVE NO WARNING OR SLIPPAGE OR ANYTHING. THE CAR WAS MOVING FINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED PULLING. IT WILL GO IN PARK AND NEUTRAL BUT WON'T PULL. THE FLUID DOESN'T LEAK OUT AND IS STILL FULL. AFTER READING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE FORD NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MERCURY SABLES AND FORD TAURUS. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS MATTER. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND $2000 FOR A REBUILD WHEN FORD IS RESPONSIBLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2010Power trainODI 10352480
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE PROPER GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED THE CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION FLUID, BOLTS, AND JOINTS. ONE YEAR LATER, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC MADE IDENTICAL REPAIRS AND STATED THAT BECAUSE THE CONVERTER WAS MANUFACTURED OUT OF PLASTIC, IT WOULD CONTINUALLY FAIL. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2008Power trainODI 10239902
“TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. IN APRIL 2006, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR A BOOT TO BE PUT ON THE COIL SPRINGS. THE FORD DEALER REFUSED TO PUT THE BOOT ON BECAUSE THE CONTACT HAD PUT AFTERMARKET STRUTS ON THE VEHICLE. IN OCTOBER 2006, THE CONTACT STARTED HEARING A THUMPING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATED. THE CONTACT HAD REPAIRS DONE AT A FORD DEALER, REPLACED THE BACK SPRINGS, TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS. ON 11/24/2006, THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND PULLED OVER BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE DRIVER FRONT SPRING BROKE. THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SPRING, BUT NOT FOR THE TIRE AND THE TIE ROD. *AK THE SWAY BAR LINK, STRUTS, BALL JOINTS AND CV BOOT WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2007Suspension, Power trainODI 10181297

Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.