FaultScore

1990 Mercury Sable acceleration problems

13 of the 220 complaints about the 1990 Mercury Sable are about the throttle and cruise control — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 99,000 miles.

F

13

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 11 84.6%
Cruise Control 1 7.7%
Accelerator Pedal 1 7.7%

Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Mercury Sable year

1989 13 2.6%
1990 13 2.6%
1992 22 4.4%
1993 28 5.7%
1994 21 4.2%
1995 22 4.4%
1996 17 3.4%
1997 28 5.7%
1998 33 6.7%
1999 16 3.2%
2000 72 14.5%
2001 62 12.5%
2002 56 11.3%
2003 29 5.9%
2004 15 3.0%
2005 38 7.7%
2008 10 2.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Independence, MO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY WIFE OWNS A 1990 MERCURY SABLE. SHE AS WELL HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT A STICKY GAS PEDAL. I MYSELF HAVE DROVE THE CAR WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING AND THE CAR ACCELERATED. SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE PUT OUR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE UNTIL WE PUSH ALITTLE HARDER THEN THE CAR TAKES OFF SO QUICKLY IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS SEVERAL OCCASIONS THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BRAKE TO A SAFE STOP. WE FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM GETTING UP UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. WE REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT BUT THE CAR STILL HAS A STICKY GAS PEDAL. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I'M TELLING YOU THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME, BUT MORE OFTEN THEN NOT THE GAS PEDAL STICKS. ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE MY WIFE WOULD GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, UNLESS WE FIND A WAY TO FIX THIS. SHE HAS NOT DRIVEN THE CAR FOR OVER 6 MONTHS NOW BECAUSE SHE IS AFRAID OF IT. WE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH TRYING TO SELL THE CAR AS IT COULD CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE AN INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #10310885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Urbana, IL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE PEDAL BEING APPLIED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS IMMEDIATELY APPLIED IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ACCELERATION, BUT FAILED TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND THE KEYS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED DECELERATING. *NM WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND CHANGED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WENT OFF WITHOUT APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN THE CONSUMER RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE WENT FASTER. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10082085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gardner, KS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65-70 MPH, ALL OF SUDDEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED. RPMS INCREASED BY 3000. IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE APPLIED AS MUCH PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE TO THE BRAKES, SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK, AND SHUT OFF IGNITION. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #873360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newton, MA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

AUTO SPEED CONTROL IS NOT DEACTIVATED BY BRAKING.

NHTSA complaint #781254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newton, MA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MOTOR MOUNTS/CRUISE CONTROL FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #781253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reston, VA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEED 55 MPH THE CRUISE CONTROL REFUSES TO DISENGAGE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THIS INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #815052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kodiak, AK Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAR WAS PUT INTO GEAR TO START DRIVING, AFTER THE CAR WAS PUT INTO GEAR IT ACCELERATED FROM 0-40, HITTING THE BACK OF A BUS.

NHTSA complaint #813016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kodiak, AL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN THE PARKED POSTION, CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, CONSUMER PUT CAR FROM NEUTRAL INTO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM STANDSTILL TO APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND HIT A BUS. BRAKES COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #807898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Trenton, MI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

GAS PEDAL STICKS.

NHTSA complaint #512979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Atla, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

IDLE CONTROL MOTOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #481274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Atla, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING HIGH RPM'S/RAPID ACCELERATION WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA complaint #481274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburg, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED 30 MPH THROTTLE BECAME DISCONNECT AND VEHICLE INOPERATIVE. TT

NHTSA complaint #963910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atlanta, GA Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE ACCELERATES OUT OF CONTROL. TT

NHTSA complaint #959830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1990 Mercury Sable problems

← Full 1990 Mercury Sable report