Research · complaint index
Mercury Sable years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 12 model years of the Mercury Sable by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2002, 2000 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 20 | 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 2 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 61 | 3 | 0.4 | 1 | 8 | Fewest complaints |
| 2005 | 83 | 4 | 0.5 | 1 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2004 | 52 | 2 | 0.3 | 2 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2003 | 201 | 8 | 1.0 | 4 | 13 | Typical |
| 2002 | 457 | 18 | 2.2 | 4 | 32 | Most complaints |
| 2001 | 430 | 17 | 2.0 | 9 | 32 | Typical |
| 2000 | 465 | 17 | 2.1 | 7 | 35 | Most complaints |
| 1999 | 267 | 10 | 1.1 | 5 | 25 | Typical |
| 1998 | 195 | 7 | 0.8 | 2 | 28 | Typical |
| 1997 | 231 | 8 | 0.9 | 3 | 10 | Typical |
| 1996 | 309 | 10 | 1.2 | 5 | 20 | Typical |
- 200920 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 200861 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200583 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200452 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 2003201 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2002457 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
- 2001430 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 2000465 complaints · 7 recallsMost complaints
- 1999267 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 1998195 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 1997231 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 1996309 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 9, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2009, 2004, 2008, 2005.
About this comparison
What Mercury Sable years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2002, 2000 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 12 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.