RecallRepo

1999 Mercury Sable Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1999 Mercury Sable has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 939,166 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 302 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the suspension. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

SUSPENSION 04V332000 2004-07-15 899,060 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN,…

Consequence

IF THIS OCCURS, THE TIRE MAY RUPTURE RESULTING IN A RAPID AIR LOSS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SPRING SHIELDS. IN ADDITION, FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS IN ALL OTHER STATES, FOR FRACTURE ONLY, UP TO 10 YEARS OF SERVICE OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE…

SEAT BELTS 99V250000 1999-09-20 25,306 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE A PIN SHAFT IN THE SWITCHABLE ELR/ALR MECHANISM THAT IS INCORRECTLY FORMED. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SWITCHING MECHANISM COULD BECOME NONFUNCTIONAL, PREVENTING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING FROM BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE RETRACTOR. IT IS ALSO…

Consequence

IF THE MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONS AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE WEBBING TO BE EXTRACTED, THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COULD NOT BE WORN BY A VEHICLE OCCUPANT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE MECHANISM DOES NOT ALLOW THE ALR MODE TO BE ENGAGED, THE OPERATOR MAY BE UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL A CHILD SEAT IN THAT SEATING POSITION.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLIES. ASSEMBLIES WITH JULIAN DATE CODES OF 200 THROUGH 223 ARE SUSPECT AND WILL BE REPLACED.

POWER TRAIN 98V288000 1998-11-09 1,800 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUPPED WITH THE "CALIFORNIA" EMISSIONS PACKAGE. AN INCORRECT TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE WAS INSTALLED. THE LINE CONTACTS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MODULE SUPPORT BRACKET AND OVER TIME, CAN WEAR AND DEVELOP A LEAK.

Consequence

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OR CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE APPROPRIATE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 98V204000 1998-09-01 6,000 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A DASH INSULATOR RETAINER CLIP WAS NOT FULLY ASSEMBLED TO THE ACCELERATOR CABLE DASH FITTING. THE CLIP CAN DISENGAGE FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND FALL INTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM PIVOT AREA.

Consequence

IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE ENGINE MAY NOT FULLY RETURN TO IDLE. ALSO, THE INSULATOR MAY NOT STAY IN THE INTENDED LOCATION AND COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES TO ENSURE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CLIP, AND RE-INSTALL IF NEEDED.

SEAT BELTS 98V198000 1998-08-25 7,000 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SEAT TRACKS. THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS HEAT TREATMENT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE STUD.

Consequence

IF THE STUD IS CRACKED, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND STUD ASSEMBLY.

Complaints by component

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
36
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
13
2crashes3injuries
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
13
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
11
10crashes9injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
1crashes2injuries
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
8
3crashes5injuries
STEERING
8
1crashes2injuries
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
7
1injuries
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
7
Total complaints302

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“I bought a used 1999 mercury sable gs with the u type 3.0l v6 engine 2 months ago. Just recently I noticed the car wanting to lunge forward while holding the brake at stops. Then a few days later whenever I start the car it lunges forward. Nothing dramatic but definitely noticeable. I started…”

POWER TRAIN · reported 2020-11-30

“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury sable wagon. While driving 40 mph, the steering wheel became loose and was unable to control the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was able to depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the contact's…”

STEERING · reported 2019-12-16

“While driving the steering wheel became loose and made it very hard to steer almost causing me to have a accident after coming to a stop the steering wheel was off center and very hard to turn had to get car towed.I find this to be a complete rip off because I see numerous complaints of steering…”

STEERING · reported 2019-12-16

“Rear subframe connection passenger side rusted through due to factory put air conditioner condensate line so that it constantly dumps condensate on this area instead of draining condensate beyond and to the ground. The result is a rusted out severed connection thereby causing the engine and…”

STRUCTURE:BODY · reported 2016-08-03

“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury sable. While driving various speeds, the brakes hesitated to stop the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2016-06-20

“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury sable. While driving various speeds, the brakes hesitated to stop the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2016-06-20

“The steering is horible, about 3years ago changed rack appion steering, and just a week ago, put new steering pump on, still.”

AIR BAGS · reported 2015-12-28

“The steering is horible, about 3years ago changed rack appion steering, and just a week ago, put new steering pump on, still.”

STEERING · reported 2015-12-28

Defect investigations

Investigation PE02080 Opened 2002-10-22 · closed 2003-04-29

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE

A TOTAL OF 161 FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING FAILURES ARE KNOWN TO ODI AND FORD FROM ALL SOURCES, 59 OF THESE LEADING TO TIRE DAMAGE.THESE FAILURES ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE CORROSION STATES, WHERE 253,814 SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE SOLD.WARRANTY AND CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA SHOW THAT THE SUBJECT FLEET EXPERIENCED A SPRING…

Investigation PE02080 Opened 2002-10-22 · closed 2003-04-29

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE

A TOTAL OF 161 FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING FAILURES ARE KNOWN TO ODI AND FORD FROM ALL SOURCES, 59 OF THESE LEADING TO TIRE DAMAGE.THESE FAILURES ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE CORROSION STATES, WHERE 253,814 SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE SOLD.WARRANTY AND CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA SHOW THAT THE SUBJECT FLEET EXPERIENCED A SPRING…

Investigation PE04044 Opened 2004-05-24 · closed 2004-08-16

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE

ODI POSSESSES 130 VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRES (VOQ) ALLEGING FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT (MODEL YEAR 1999-2000) VEHICLES.AN ADDITIONAL 11 VOQS CONCERNING MY 2001 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN FOUND, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 141.MORE THAN 75% OF THESE REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE BROKEN SPRING DAMAGED OR…

Investigation PE04044 Opened 2004-05-24 · closed 2004-08-16

FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE

ODI POSSESSES 130 VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRES (VOQ) ALLEGING FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT (MODEL YEAR 1999-2000) VEHICLES.AN ADDITIONAL 11 VOQS CONCERNING MY 2001 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN FOUND, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 141.MORE THAN 75% OF THESE REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE BROKEN SPRING DAMAGED OR…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1999 Mercury Sable as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.