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U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Mercury SABLE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

52 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

73,897 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 42 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 52 complaints (26.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1834.6%
Transmission and shifting1223.1%
Engine operation35.8%
Electrical and battery issues23.8%
Fuel system concerns11.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Vehicle Speed Control
14
Service Brakes
9
Power Train
8
Electrical System
6
Exterior Lighting
4
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
4
Engine
3
Engine And Engine Cooling
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Vehicle Speed Control14
Service Brakes9
Power Train8
Electrical System6
Exterior Lighting4
Power Train:Automatic Transmission4
Engine3
Engine And Engine Cooling2

Vehicle Speed Control: 14; Service Brakes: 9; Power Train: 8; Electrical System: 6; Exterior Lighting: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
7
25,000 to 49,999
5
50,000 to 74,999
9
75,000 to 99,999
9
100,000 to 149,999
7
150,000 and above
5
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0007
25,000 to 49,9995
50,000 to 74,9999
75,000 to 99,9999
100,000 to 149,9997
150,000 and above5

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 5

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 10 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2004
3
2005
5
2006
2
2007
1
2008
3
2009
1
2010
1
2011
3
2012
9
2013
6
2014
6
2015
4
2016
4
2017
1
2018
2
2020
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20043
20055
20062
20071
20083
20091
20101
20113
20129
20136
20146
20154
20164
20171
20182
20201

2004: 3; 2005: 5; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 3; 2012: 9; 2013: 6; 2014: 6; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 2; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10137721 · 2005-10-13 (October 13, 2005)

2004 MERCURY SABLE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *NM THE CONSUMER REQUEST A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO A LETTER HE SUBMITTED TO NHTSA ON AUGUST 30, 2005. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 27,461 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10215404 · 2008-01-19 (January 19, 2008)

I HAVE A 2004 SABLE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF. I'VE TRIED CHANGING THE FUSE TO NO AVAIL. AFTER RESEARCHING, IT SEEMS THAT THE 2000-2003 FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLES HAD RECALLS FOR FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCHES. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM IN THE 2004 MODEL! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215404 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10195093 · 2007-07-01 (July 1, 2007)

WHILE DRIVING HOME AT 11PM ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2006 MY CAR STOPPED MOVING AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS IN ORDER; THE CAR SIMPLY WOULD NOT MOVE. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS THE ROAD AND STOP THE CAR IN A SAFE LOCATION. AS I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA, THE ROAD WAS EMPTY OR I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I WALKED TO A NEARBY BAR WHERE I CALLED AAA TO COME AND TOW THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOME, THEN AFTER MY HUSBAND DETERMINED IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 52,548 miles reported. Look up ODI 10195093 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10380095 · 2011-02-03 (February 3, 2011)

MY COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2004 MERCURY SABLE SL PREM WAGON WITH A 4F50N TRANSMISSION. IT HAS APPROX 18500 MILES. WHILE DRIVING CLOSE TO HOME, THE DASH 'TRANSMISSION' LIGHT CAME ON, BUT ALMOST INSTANTLY WENT OFF. I CALLED THE DEALER, WHO I USE FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR. THEY ADVISED IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FLUKE OR NOTHING, TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TIME. THE NEXT DAY I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY,NO LIGHT CAME ON. I STARTED TO DRIVE, THE HILL, THE LIGHT CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE CAR STOPPED MOVING FORWARD. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALE…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10380095 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10162323 · 2006-07-13 (July 13, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST 4 TO 5 ATTEMPTS. LATER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER, STALLING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT TO CAUSE THE INERTIA SWITCH TO BE TRIPPED. THE SWITCH WAS RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.*AK UPDATED 8/16/2006 - THERE HAD BEEN NO ACCIDENT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 11,425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162323 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10453912 · 2012-04-03 (April 3, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453912 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10141794 · 2005-11-04 (November 4, 2005)

2004 MERCURY SABLE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND IMMEDIATELY COME BACK ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES,IN COMPLETE DARKNESS, EACH TIME IN A COLD VEHICLE IN THE MORNING WITHIN 3 MILES OF HOME. THREE OF THESE EVENTS OCCURRED IN RELATION TO STOPPING, STARTING , OR TURNING AT STOP SIGN. ONE EVENT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON STRAIGHT HARDTOP ROAD. VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS BEEN TESTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL CAUSE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10141794 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10086491 · 2004-08-09 (August 9, 2004)

THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE STATIONWAGON. IT WAS PURCHASED 5 DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING IN RURAL POWAY ON AUGUST 3, 2004. I APPARENTLY DROVE OVER A PEBBLE OR SOMETHING - I HEARD A "THUNK" UNDER THE CAR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE CAR LOST POWER, AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP A FEW FEET LATER. *AK APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FUEL LINE AND/OR FUEL PUMP WERE INJURED. AND MOST OF A TANKFUL OF GAS SPEWED OUT INTO THE ROAD. I MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR SAFELY, THIS TIME. NO ONE HIT THE CAR, THIS TIM…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086491 at NHTSA ↗