NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Mercury Sable Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Mercury Sable has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 61 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercury dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Mercury Sable, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Mercury Sable owner complaints

Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercury Sable, describing incidents dated February 15, 2008 to November 17, 2025.

Most-cited components

Steering 16 complaints
Electrical System 11 complaints
Power Train 11 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 10 complaints
Engine 6 complaints
Service Brakes 5 complaints

Of the 61 complaints on file, 8 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 61 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11701277 · Filed November 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Sable. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was involved in a crash. The contact's son was the only occupant in the vehicle during the crash. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that there were…
ODI #11666648 · Filed June 12, 2025
Car wheels rusted out
ODI #11517410 · Filed April 17, 2023
On April 12 I exited my drive onto the 55 mph highway in front of my house when suddenly the car began to shudder. I jammed the gas to get up to speed to prevent oncoming cars from hitting me which made the problem much worse. It was violently shuddering and wouldn’t accelerate. I took my foot off…

Read all 61 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Mercury Sable in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Preliminary Evaluation PE08-060: TIRE VALVE CRACKING
Closed April 9, 2009

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly

NHTSA #16V247000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported April 26, 2016 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 695 vehicles

Repair completion: 84.32% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 16C06 · Owners notified June 9, 2016 · Vehicles built August 13, 2007 – August 7, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Safety consequence

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2008 Mercury Sable 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

11% rollover risk

Safety Technology

1 investigation

61 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Mercury Sable.

Air Bags

ODI #11701277

Crash 1 injury

Incident: November 17, 2025 · Filed: November 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Sable. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was involved in a crash. The contact's son was the only occupant in the vehicle during the crash. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that there were two impacts to the vehicle during the crash. The first impact was on the front passenger's side of the vehicle, in which the front passenger's side door and rear door were crushed. The contact stated that the second impact was when the vehicle drove through a fence and crashed into a house and the cement porch. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was deemed total loss by her insurance provider and the insurance provider of the other driver who crashed into the vehicle. The paramedics arrived on the scene and performed a medical evaluation on the contact's son. The contact then arrived on the scene and took her son to the emergency room for further medical attention. The contact's son sustained injuries to the left side that struck the driver’s side window, and the front of the head from possibly striking the steering wheel, a slight concussion, injury to the left arm, neck and back. The contact's son was referred to a doctor who was a specialist with spinal cord injuries. A Police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,241.

Structure; Unknown or Other

ODI #11666648

Incident: June 10, 2025 · Filed: June 12, 2025

Car wheels rusted out

Power Train; Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11517410

Incident: April 12, 2023 · Filed: April 17, 2023

On April 12 I exited my drive onto the 55 mph highway in front of my house when suddenly the car began to shudder. I jammed the gas to get up to speed to prevent oncoming cars from hitting me which made the problem much worse. It was violently shuddering and wouldn’t accelerate. I took my foot off the gas which stopped the shaking. I gassed it slowly and I could accelerate to speed much slower than I would have liked. It wasn’t smooth. One half mile later it suddenly and violently began again. Taking my foot off the gas it smoothed out and I could accelerate again. I changed plans and went to the service garage to see what the problem was. It seems the problem is a known issue that hasn’t been addressed. I’m glad there were no cars coming from the opposite direction which could have impacted the drivers side while I was floundering out of my drive. I will enclose the garages assessment.

Suspension; Unknown or Other

ODI #11462153

Incident: February 10, 2018 · Filed: April 25, 2022

Not sure, but it sounds like the springs. The air condition makes a stumping noise when I turn it on.

Air Bags; Service Brakes

ODI #11428852

Crash

Incident: August 9, 2021 · Filed: August 12, 2021

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Sable. The contact stated their daughter was driving at 55 mph, when the driver was approaching an intersection at a red light the driver depressed on the brake pedal and the brake pedal went straight to the floor and the vehicle could not stop causing the vehicle to hit the vehicle in front of them in the rear. The air bags did not deploy. The driver does not remember if there was any warning light illuminated on the vehicle. The crash caused damage to the front bumper and pushed in the front grill and hit the radiator of the vehicle. There were no injuries reported. A police report was filed. The contact was a former mechanic and inspected the vehicle but could not diagnose the failure, but was concern that there was an issue with anti- lock brake system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximate 160,000.

Seats

ODI #11389570

Incident: January 1, 2021 · Filed: January 23, 2021

THE PASSENGER HEATED SEATS ARE NOT WORKING AND MAKING SHORT CIRCUIT AFFECTING THE WHILE CAR ELECTRIC SOMETIMES, A LOT OF REVIEWS ONLINE STATING THAT THIS HAPPENS DUE TO OVERLOAD ON THE GROUND WIRE IN THE MODULE PLUG WHICH TOASTS AND MAKE THE SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT , I JUST BOUGH THE CAR , THE PREVIOUS OWNERS DID NOT USE THIS FEATURE.

Suspension

ODI #11388114

Incident: January 14, 2020 · Filed: January 14, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE DOING BASIC MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND THE REAR SUB FRAME BOLTS FAILED CAUSING THE SUBFRAME TO DROP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE TOYCEN FORD (1000 CHIPPEWA CROSSING BLVD, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI 54729, (715) 723-6060) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNREPAIRABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 158,000.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11386165

Incident: December 3, 2020 · Filed: January 2, 2021

GOT MY CAR INSPECTED ON 12/3/20. WAS TOLD MY CAR HAS A RECALL.

Steering

ODI #11151501

Incident: October 1, 2018 · Filed: November 14, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO HENNESSY FORD LINCOLN ATLANTA (LOCATED AT 5675 PEACHTREE INDUSTRIAL BLVD, ATLANTA, GA 30341, (770) 624-0200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

Steering

ODI #11073472

Incident: June 13, 2016 · Filed: February 18, 2018

STEERING FROZE UP AND COULD NOT TURN TO LEFT / WAS HARD TO STEER AND THEN WHEN TRYING TO TURN LEFT COULD NOT DO IT, HAD TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURNS. TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM (2015) THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS AND HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR/ COST ,ME $600.00 THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS ON THE CAR FAX OF TROUBLE. .BOUGHT THE CAR IN NOV 2015 AND HAD TO HAVE STEERING FIXED IN JUNE OF 2016. TODAY I WENT TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS LATELY AND FOUND 51 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR AND A LOT OF THEM WERE FOR STEERING AND POWER TRAIN. DON'T YOU THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. GOING TO LOOK FOR A NEW CAR AND NOT A FORD

Other Mercury Sable model years

Check your 2008 Mercury Sable VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercury Sable at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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