Problems · by component

2001 Mercury Sable service brakes, hydraulic problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Mercury Sable cite service brakes, hydraulic, 8% of all 430 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
33
8% of all complaints
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY CAR STARTED LOOSING BRAKE POWER 3 DAYS AGO AND DUE TO THAT I ENDED UP HITTING A TREE BROKE MY TAIL LIGHT DENTED MY CAR ON BOTH PASSANGERS DOORS. HAD THE BRAKES BLEED THOUGHT MAYBE AIR IN LINES NOTHING THATS WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. NOW I HAVE A CAR NO WORKING MY FIANCE CANT GET TO WORK AND A CAR WITH DENTS OF THE TWO DOORS ANOTHER ONE AT THE REAR AND A MISSING HEAD LIGHT. PLUS I HAVE A BACK INJURY WITH TWO BULDGING DISK THAT HITTING THE TREE AGGRIVATED IT AND HURT MY RIBS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10334272
“WHEN STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL FEET OF RUSTED BRAKE LINE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. WHY IS IT NOT MANDATORY THAT BRAKE LINES ARE STAINLESS STEEL OR COVERED WITH A PROTECTIVE MATERIAL? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10312442
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 25 MPH ON JUNE 27, 2008, IT BEGAN TO RAIN SLIGHTLY. HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND CRASHED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAD NEVER BEEN SERVICED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10232756
“I WENT IN TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE A COOLANT LEAK CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THAT MY REAR SPRINGS, STRUTS AND BRAKES WERE ALL BAD, THE SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND WERE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE WITH. TOTAL COST OF THESE REPAIRS IS WELL OVER $1,500. I ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE SPRINGS AND WAS TOLD IT WAS ONLY FOR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE THE REAR ALSO BECAUSE THE SAME SPRINGS WERE USED IN THE REAR AS IN THE FRONT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE ALL THESE THINGS REPAIRED BECAUSE OF FAULTY SPRINGS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THE OTHER ITEMS, STRUTS AND BRAKES WERE LIKELY CAUSE FROM THE BAD SPRINGS. FORD NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2008Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10220803
“MY MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY BRAKES. I CRASHED MY CAR INTO A POLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED MY CAR. AFTER A CAR IS TOTALED THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD ONLY SEND IT TO THE SALVAGE YARD. I INSISTED ON KNOWING WHAT WENT WRONG. A SIMPLE TEST WAS DONE BY TURNING ON THE MOTOR AND PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IF IT GOES TO THE FLOOR GRADUALLY THEN YOU KNOW IT WAS A MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. THE MANUFACTURE DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ME AND THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T EITHER. HOW MANY CARS FALL BETWEEN THE CRACKS AND THE REASON FOR SERIOUS BRAKE FAILURE NEVER REACHES THE VERY PEOPLE WHO CAN CORRECT IT?? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10201735
“I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND I FELT A VIBRATION. I MADE A DECISION TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND GET OFF THE ROADWAY AND STOP. WHEN I TRIED TO USE MY BRAKE I FELT THE RESISTANCE HALF WAY DOWN AND THEN IT SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I SAW MYSELF GAINING ON THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I QUICKLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND UP ON THE SIDEWALK HITTING THE CURB IN THE PROCESS AND THEN INSTEAD OF HITTING A STORE WALL I TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND HEADED DEAD CENTER FOR AN EDISON POLE. I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO CAN TELL ME WHO TO GET TO LOOK INTO MY BRAKE SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT WENT WRONG. I AM SO SCARED TO EVER DRIVE THAT CAR AGAIN. MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND MAINTAINED WELL. NEVER HAD ANY HINT THAT MY BRAKES WERE FAULTY. MY CAR HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AND HE SAID THE BODY CAN BE FIXED. HE DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THE BRAKES. I NEED AN EXPERT TO LOOK AT THOSE BRAKES. CAN YOU HELP ME???? MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10200225

Showing 6 of 33 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

2 recalls on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

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.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Apr 1, 2016NHTSA 16E026000

Service brakes

Free remedy

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.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Oct 2, 2002NHTSA 02V266000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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