1989 Ford Taurus vs 1989 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 | 1989 Ford Taurus | 1989 Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 562 | 238 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 54 | 50 |
| Investigations | 8 | 8 |
| Crash reports | 17 | 13 |
| Fire reports | 86 | 64 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–21 | 20–21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 142 | 44 |
| Electrical System | 118 | 58 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 97 | 49 |
| Structure | 66 | 23 |
| Steering | 53 | 22 |
| Power Train | 52 | 19 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 34 | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 23 | 13 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 33 | 6 |
| Rust / corrosion | 25 | 6 |
| Electrical failures | 21 | 10 |
| Hesitation / surging | 9 | 5 |
| Overheating | 8 | 6 |
| Brake problems | 6 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 5 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 5 | 0 |
1989 Ford Taurus
1989 Mercury Sable
Compare all Ford Taurus 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.