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2003 Mercury Sable Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026

22Power Train complaints
10.9%Of all 201 complaints
#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25 · 12.4%
POWER TRAIN22 · 10.9%
SUSPENSION:FRONT19 · 9.5%
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS15 · 7.5%
STRUCTURE12 · 6%

Share of the 201 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Mercury Sable overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT…”NHTSA complaint 10446782 — filed 02/06/2012
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED INTO A SERVICE STATION AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED…”NHTSA complaint 10233355 — filed 07/07/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

12008520126201332014120151201622017120201202112023

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Mercury Sable have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Mercury Sable: 22 of 201 complaints on file (10.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Mercury Sable have in total?

201 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.