1989 Mercury Cougar 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 Mercury Cougar | 1989 Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 81 | 238 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 26 | 50 |
| Investigations | 6 | 8 |
| Crash reports | 14 | 13 |
| Fire reports | 10 | 64 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 17–20 | 20–21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Cougar | Mercury Sable |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 12 | 58 |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 44 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 49 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 13 |
| Steering | 4 | 22 |
| Power Train | 6 | 19 |
| Structure | 1 | 23 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 13 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 5 | 6 |
| Electrical failures | 0 | 10 |
| Overheating | 0 | 6 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 5 |
1989 Mercury Cougar
1989 Mercury Sable
Compare all Mercury Cougar 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.