Problems · by component

2002 Mercury Sable visibility problems

28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Sable cite visibility, 6% of all 457 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
28
6% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WIRE HARNESS FAILURE IN RUBBER BOOTS FROM BODY OF CAR TO REAR LIFT GATE ON STATION WAGON MODEL. INSULATION CRACKING AND WIRE BREAKING COMPLETELY IN FLEXIBLE RUBBER BOOT CAUSES ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, BACK UP LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER, OPEN LIFT GATE AND OPEN REAR WINDOW SAFETY SENSORS AND STEREO SPEAKERS. INSULATION AND WIRING WITHIN BOOT HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND FATIGUED. CLEAN BREAKS IN WIRES FROM OPENING AND CLOSING LIFT GATE ARE EVIDENT. WIRES WHERE INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CIRCUITS WHERE THAT INSULATION HAS BROKEN THROUGH AND RESULTS IN "CONFUSING" OPERATION OF LIGHTS. IE PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON - PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND HIGH BRAKE LIGHT GOES OUT. BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T COME ON AT ALL. IE TURN ON REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT COMES ON. WIRING DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF MULTIPLE INTERNAL COPPER STRANDS OR SUPPLE ENOUGH INSULATION TO PROVIDE NEEDED FLEXIBILITY DURING REGULAR OPENING AND CLOSING OF REAR LIFT GATE. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A LATENT SAFETY DEFECT. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE KNOWN…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2012Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10457115
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A WEBASTO HOLLANDIA 600 SUNROOF. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V124000(VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY). ONCE SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED TIME OF AVAILABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000. IT WAS SAID TO TAKE TWO WEESKS UNTIL PARTS WERE IN. NEVER RECIEVED PHONE CALL. IT HAS BEEN CLOSE TO TWO MONTHS. UPDATED 09/01/2011 *LN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2011VisibilityODI 10409346
“LEAKING CONNECTION BETWEEN WINDSHIELD WATER AND BLOWING MOTOR OF HEATING/VENTILATION CAUSING WINDOWS TO FOG UP AFTER STARTING AND BEGINNING DRIVING. WHEN OPENING THE BLOWER MOTOR COMPARTMENT YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATER SEE DRIPPING OUT. ALSO A SOAKING WET FLOOR WILL OCCUR RIGHT AFTER A SEVERE RAINSTORM. THIS IS A MAYOR SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO BAD VISIBILITY! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2009Visibility, StructureODI 10286119
“I HAVEN'T HAD MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR A THE HEATER JUST SUDDENLY WENT OUT! I HAVE NO IDEA WHY BUT I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE THING IS THAT TRUE I M STILL PAYING ON THIS CAR ALSO! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2008VisibilityODI 10248979
“2002 MERCURY SABLE WATER LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT OF VEHICLE. THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR GETS WATER AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. BOTOR WORKS ON AND OFF. REFERENCE COMPLAINT # 101840014. ALSO FORD RELATED RECALL 03V087000.*TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2008VisibilityODI 10247354
“WATER LEAKED THROUGH WINDSHIELD COWL ONTO THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD AND CAUSING BLOWER FAN MOTOR TO SHORT OUT. FORD ADMITS THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN TSB 04-15-3. HAS CAUSED ME RESPIRATORY ISSUES DUE TO BUILD UP OF MOLD IN DASH AND CARPETING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2007Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10189191

Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Visibility: windshield

Free remedy

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING." THE WINDSHIELDS MAY POTENTIALLY EXHIBIT INCREASED WIND NOISE, WATER LEAKAGE, AND SQUEAKS AND RATTLES.

VisibilityReported Mar 10, 2003NHTSA 03V087000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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