1986 Mercury Sable vs 1988 Mercury Sable
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1986 Mercury Sable | 1988 Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 46 | 126 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 40 | 51 |
| Investigations | 8 | 8 |
| Crash reports | 0 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 27 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–20 | 19–21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Sable | Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 29 |
| Electrical System | 6 | 26 |
| Power Train | 8 | 22 |
| Structure | 11 | 14 |
| Steering | 1 | 23 |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 8 |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 7 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 8 | 8 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 7 |
| Steering problems | 0 | 5 |
| Electrical failures | 0 | 5 |
1986 Mercury Sable
1988 Mercury Sable
Compare all Mercury Sable vs Mercury Sable years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.