Problems · by component

2002 Mercury Sable air bags problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Sable cite air bags, 5% of all 457 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
5% of all complaints
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTI VEHICLE CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED YET THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES AND WERE BOTH TRANSPORTED VIA AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY BUT WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,700.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2010Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10351518
“WENT TO THE PARKING LOT TO START MY CAR. WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND THEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE CONCERN IS WHAT IF THE CAR HAD STARTED AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE AIRBAG WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2010Air bagsODI 10346902
“I PURCHASED A 2002 MERCURY SABLE IN SEPTEMBER, 2006. ON JANUARY 19, 2007 WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY GOING 3-5 MILES AN HOUR BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING AN ESTIMATED $3,000.00 TO $4,000.00 IN DAMAGES. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST ME SAYING I BOUGHT THE CAR "AS IS". THEY TOLD ME TO FILE THE CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING "THERE WAS NO IMPACT". FORD MOTOR COMPANY SAID THERE WAS A 50,000 MILE WARRANTY. YOUR DEPARTMENT SENT ME A SERVICE TECHNICAL BULLETIN STATING THAT FORD KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM IN MAY, 2002. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET ANYONE (IE: DEALER, INSURANCE COMPANY, FINANCE COMPANY, OR MANUFACTURER) TO HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE. IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR 2009, THE FUEL PUMP, DRIVER, COMPUTER, AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN THIS CAR. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1,600.00 IN REPAIR OF THIS VEHICLE . DUE TO THE DEPRECIATION OF THE CAR, THE MECHANICAL FAILURES, AND THE SAFETY ISSUE OF NO AIRBAGS THE VEHICLE IS WORTH NOTHING. I STILL OWE THE FINANCE COMPANY $6,000.00 AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR THE LAST 10 MONTHS. I WAS RECENTLY DIRECTED TO RESEARCH THE CONSUMER RIGHTS ACT OF 1974, THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2009Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10290614
“2002 MERCURY SABLE NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL "PERSONAL SAFETY SYSTEM" (NO SIDE AIRBAGS OR OCCUPANT SENSORS ON THIS VEHICLE) WAS INVOLVED IN COLLISION. FRONT END DAMAGE APPEARS MINIMAL, MICHIGAN STATE POLICE ESTIMATED VEHICLE SPEED AT COLLISION APPROX. 25 MPG. PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, DRIVERS AIRBAG DID NOT. THE VEHICLE DID PROTECT THE DRIVER (ME) AND THE SEATBELT SYSTEM WORKED FLAWLESSLY. I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED BUT WAS NOT. BASED ON EQUIPMENT ON THIS VEHICLE, IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED THEN THE DRIVERS SHOULD HAVE AS WELL AS IT DOES NOT HAVE THE OCCUPANT SENSORS, ETC. MAIN CONCERN IS IN REPAIR, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS SOMEWHAT FREQUENTLY AND I AM CONCERNED THE DRIVERS AIRBAG WILL NOT BE REPLACED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2008Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10230348
“I PURCHASED A 2002 MERCURY SABLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006. ON JANUARY 19TH WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING APPROXIMATELY 4,000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM STATED I BOUGHT IT AS IS AND WOULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE EXCEPT TO TELL ME TO FILE IT WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SENT AN ADJUSTER WHOM SURVEYED THE DAMAGE AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT PAY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO IMPACT. I THEN FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO SAID AND I QUOTE "THERE WAS A 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. SINCE THIS TIME TO DATE I CANNOT GET INSURANCE OR ANY HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. I AM STILL PAYING FOR A CAR I AM NOT SUPPOSE TO BE DRIVING. YOUR DEPARTMENT SENT ME A SERVICE TECHNICAL BULLETIN STATING THAT FORD KNEW THEY HAD THIS PROBLEM IN MAY OF 2002. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2008Air bagsODI 10215386
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING FROM BEHIND HER, JUMPED THE MEDIAN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF HER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING AND FLOOR COLUMN COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CRASH DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A SHOULDER HARNESS STRAIN, A FRACTURED STERNUM AND BRUISED RIBS. IN ADDITION, SHE SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER RIGHT HAND AND LEFT FOOT. THE DRIVER OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000. UPDATED 03/10/08 *LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2007Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10210885

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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