FaultScore

1990 Mercury Sable electrical problems

21 of the 220 complaints about the 1990 Mercury Sable are about the electrical system — 10% of everything reported for this model year.

F

21

Complaints

1

Crashes

10

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 4 19.0%
Interior/Under Dash 4 19.0%
Front Underhood 3 14.3%
Starter Assembly 3 14.3%
Wiring 2 9.5%
Electrical System 2 9.5%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 2 9.5%
Switch 1 4.8%

Electrical System across every Mercury Sable year

1987 15 3.4%
1988 29 6.5%
1989 67 15.0%
1990 21 4.7%
1991 16 3.6%
1992 30 6.7%
1993 52 11.6%
1994 33 7.4%
1995 33 7.4%
1996 20 4.5%
1997 21 4.7%
1998 16 3.6%
2000 25 5.6%
2001 29 6.5%
2002 19 4.3%
2003 10 2.2%
2008 11 2.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

LAS Vegas, NV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

PROBLEM STARTED WITH A SIEZED IGNITION SWITCH IN SEPTEMBER 1998. REPLACED SWITCH. IN AUGAUST 1999 SWITCH BEGAIN TO FAIL. I HAD TO WIGGLE THE KEY TO GET MY DIGITAL INSTRUMENTS TO FUNCTION (INTERMITTANT). ON ABOUT 14 AUG. 99 I WIGGLED THE SWITCH AND SMOKE ROLLED UP FROM UNDER THE DASH. I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH BEFORE THE WIREING IGNITED. WHEN I CHECKED TO SEE WHAT SMOKED I SAW A PURPLE/WHITE WIRE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH ITS INSULATION MELTED OFF. I COULD SEE IT MELTED THROUGH THE WIREING BUNDLE UP TO THE FIRE WALL UNDER THE DASH. MY WIREING DIAGRAM ISN'T ALL INCLUSIVE BUT THE WIRE IS IN THE BRAKE INDICATION CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS THE STALLING PROBLEM, BRAKE VACCUME ASSIST PROBLEM , HAD THE POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK, ( 3 SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS THAT I SAW ON YOUR WEB PAGE) HAD 2 AC COMPRESSORS FAIL, FUEL PUMP FAIL, POWER STEERING PUMP FAIL.

NHTSA complaint #710655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #543822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indiana, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE PANEL LIGHT WIRING IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/AIR BAG LIGHT/BRAKE LIGHT, AND SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT LIGHTS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THEY STAY ON AND WON'T GO OFF. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #830022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indiana, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

RECALL 89V171000. THE INTERIOR AND HEADLIGHTS GET DIM, AND INTERMITTENTLY GO ON AND OFF, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #830023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cherry Hill, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #515024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hendersonv, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL PARTIALLY SHUT DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #523648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cherry Hill, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER FAILED AND REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #517129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cherry Hill, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #515724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

York Town Hgts, NY Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

HILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 30MPH, COMPARTMENT FIRE UNDER THE DASH, SAW SMOKE COMING OUT.

NHTSA complaint #808439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lowell, MA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHILE PARKED, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DASH, CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #804782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milwaukee, WI Fire 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE FLAMES STARTED IN THE IGNITION AREA.

NHTSA complaint #986256 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ossining, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN MAKING A TURN THE VEHICLE HESITAT/STALLS AND CUTS OFF.

NHTSA complaint #800945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bonifay, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE CAR DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE

NHTSA complaint #987048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hudson, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR IN HEAVY SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC WHEN 90 DEGRESS OR HIGHER.

NHTSA complaint #505538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Livonia, MI Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #504301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

305 621 3969: WHILE PARKED, SMOKE/FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERHOOD; CAUSE UNKOWN; VEHICLE TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #984723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Southfield, MI Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IGNITION FIRE. IGNITION WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY IN APR 1995.*JB |

NHTSA complaint #983376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rollinsford, NH Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

EXPERIENCED FIRE INSIDE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR. POWER DOOR LOCK AND WINDOW WIRES CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #982172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Richland TOW, PA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. TT

NHTSA complaint #975867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO A SHORT IN ELECTRICAL WIRE.

NHTSA complaint #480755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atlanta, GA Crash 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. TT

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

Other 1990 Mercury Sable problems

← Full 1990 Mercury Sable report