VehicleVerdict

1997 Mercury Sable speed control problems

The 1997 Mercury Sable has 28 speed control complaints filed with NHTSA — 9% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

28

Speed Control complaints

9%

Share of year

3

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Speed Control complaints by year

Sable speed control complaints by model year72 complaints1986: 2 complaints1987: 3 complaints1988: 7 complaints1989: 13 complaints1990: 13 complaints1991: 7 complaints1992: 22 complaints1993: 28 complaints1994: 21 complaints1995: 22 complaints1996: 17 complaints1997: 28 complaints1998: 33 complaints1999: 16 complaints2000: 72 complaints2001: 62 complaints2002: 56 complaints2003: 29 complaints2004: 15 complaints2005: 38 complaints2006: 1 complaints2008: 10 complaints2009: 5 complaints
Sable speed control complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“WHILE GEAR SHIFT INDICATED VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL ENGINE SURGED AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO AN UNKNOWN SPEED BEFORE CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ALSO, POWER STEERING AND POWER ASSIST BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE DURING THIS INCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE TO…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Speed Control · November 27, 2001 · crash

Common questions

How many speed control complaints does the 1997 Mercury Sable have?

NHTSA has 28 complaints about the 1997 Mercury Sable speed control — 9% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.