There are 9 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2003 Mercury Sablein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
THIS CAR WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V106000. THE RECALL WORK FAILED, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT COME ON, AND THE VEHICLE TO NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
MY 2003 MERCURY SABLE HAS A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ON. I FOUND THE RECALL NOTICE ONLINE AND CONTACTED FORD WHO DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL FOR MY VIN NUMBER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY IDLED BETWEEN 3-4 RPMS AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AUTO ZONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 12281999. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: SB-10052600-3673. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL BUT, SHE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR THE RECALL TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT NO CHARGE. UPDATED 05/31/2017*JS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE NEUTRAL GEAR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ONE MONTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE WIRING. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I HAVE A 2003 MERCURY SABLE WITH A FAILED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THAT FORD ACKNOWLEDGED AND RELEASED A RECALL FOR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: RQ03008) HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE THEY DECLINED TO ASSIST IN THE MATTER UNTIL I URGED THEM THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE AT NO COST TO ME. AFTER A LONG DISCUSSION THEY SAID THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT ONLY AFTER I PAID A DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE FEE TO RULE OUT ANY OTHER CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. AS IT IS NOW THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF PARK, AND WHEN IT IS THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INTERMITTENT AT BEST. I DO NOT WANT THIS TO RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY AS A RESULT OF FORD'S NEGLECT TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. IS THERE ANYTHING THE NHTSA ODI CAN DO TO HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE? *TR THANK YOU, SCOTT RITTER
I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AND WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND THEN EVERY TIME I TRIED TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK IT GOT STUCK. MY BATTERY ALSO WENT DEAD. ALL WITHIN DAYS OF MY PURCHASE. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT HAD ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY WERE CONNECTED. WHEN I WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS CAR WHICH I FIND HARD TO BELIEVE BECAUSE IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS LISTED IN THE RECALL. MY CAR IS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. SEE RECALL INFO BELOW: ------------------------ MAKE: MERCURY MODEL: SABLE MODEL YEAR: 2003 MANUFACTURER: FORD MOTOR COMPANY MFR'S REPORT DATE: MAR 01, 2004 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000 RQ03008 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: RQ03008 COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH FORD RECALL 04S12 SUMMARY: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS MALFUNCTIONING COULD RENDER THE STOP LAMPS INOPERABLE OR CAUSE THEM TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION TO A FOLLOWING DRIVER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. CONSEQUENCE: IN ADDITION, IF THE SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING FAIL IN THE OPEN POSITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ACTUATE AND THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. IF THEY FAIL IN THE CLOSED POSITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL REMAIN ON, WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE SPEED CONTROL TO BE ACTIVATED. THIS COULD ALSO CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE IS EXPERIENCING BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE COULD START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, ALTHOUGH A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE COMPONENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 51,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 07/16/08.*LJ UPDATED 07/16/08
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026