1989 Mercury Sable problems & reliability
238 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Mercury Sable. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (11 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 58 | 24% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 49 | 21% |
| Seat Belts | 44 | 18% |
| Structure | 23 | 10% |
| Steering | 22 | 9% |
| Power Train | 19 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 4% |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Corrosion-related deterioration in 1989 mercury sable resulted in detachment of sub-frame rear plate nut and bolt pulling through. Symptoms as described in recalls 93v106002 and 98v-323/98s36. Advised by ford dealer that these recalls do not apply to my vin and are limited to eastern us states. However 98v-323 states…”
Structure · filed Apr 28, 2007
“This morning (7-8-04) I was pulled over for the first time ever and the officer said I was doing 75 in a 55 when my speedometer read 65. I asked the gentleman if there was someway he could forget the ticket since it was my first time ever and he said no. He did not explain to me everything on the ticket and you can…”
Electrical System · filed Apr 8, 2004
“While making a left hand u-turn at 30 mph steering wheel locked up. This caused consumer to hit a curve. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak vehicle also jumped up into a curve and dented the left fender by a tree. *la”
Steering · filed Mar 22, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODS
Defect Petition DP95004 · opened Aug 8, 1995 · closed Aug 30, 1995
- BROKEN TIE RODS
Engineering Analysis EA94008 · opened Feb 16, 1994 · closed Feb 27, 1995
- POLYCAST ROAD WHEEL CRACKS
Preliminary Evaluation PE93100 · opened Dec 2, 1993 · closed Jun 30, 1994
- UNDERBODY FUEL LINE FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE93065 · opened Jul 15, 1993 · closed Nov 30, 1993
- BROKEN TIE RODS
Preliminary Evaluation PE93058 · opened Jun 15, 1993 · closed Feb 16, 1994
- SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAIL
Engineering Analysis EA92040 · opened Nov 30, 1992 · closed Jun 30, 1993 · led to recall 93V106002
- SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAIL
Preliminary Evaluation PE92056 · opened Jul 1, 1992 · closed Nov 30, 1992
- POWER STEERING LEAKS/FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE92044 · opened Apr 27, 1992 · closed Aug 31, 1992
Technical service bulletins
50 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Mercury Sable. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
On some vehicles, engine oil may continue to leak from the engine oil pan gasket area after an engine oil pan gasket repair has been performed. *tt
01124 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2001
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Service tip information on revised oil pan gasket replacement procedure. *tt
99183 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt
99816 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Mercury Sable in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Mercury Sable?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.