Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2002 Mercury Sable
NHTSA data on file today
The 2002 Mercury Sable has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 440 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16E026000 Front Brake Pad Shims May Shift and Contact Disc NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V106000 FORD/BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V087000 FORD/FMVSS 212/WINDSHIELD MOUNTING NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V266000 FORD/BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL DISTANCE NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Suspension 239 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 56 complaints
- Visibility 26 complaints
- Air Bags 24 complaints
- Power Train 23 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 20 complaints
Of the 440 complaints on file, 32 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 440 complaints, owners report 22 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2002 Mercury Sable shows a below-average reliability, with notable suspension issues from the high number of related complaints. Four recall campaigns, mainly for brakes, visibility, and lighting, indicate potential safety concerns. While the volume of complaints is considerable, detailed mileage data is unavailable, resulting in limited precision in failure anticipation.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 60,000–100,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | very common |
| Vehicle speed control | 70,000–120,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| Visibility | 50,000–90,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad replacements
- Tire rotations and balancing
- Transmission fluid change
- Coolant system flush
- Air filter replacements
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unusual suspension noises
- Braking performance changes
- Check engine light
- Unreliable vehicle speed
- Visibility issues in rain
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2002 Mercury Sable at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.