Audited US model-year file
Exact make, model and year evidence from official US sources. Recall campaigns, ODI investigations, complaint allegations and EPA estimates remain separate.
A campaign may cover only certain production dates, plants or equipment. A zero result here is not safety clearance. Use NHTSA’s official VIN tool for the individual vehicle.
Official VIN lookup ↗01 · Safety actions first
Exact model-level NHTSA results for 1986 MERCURY Sable. Campaign records are official safety actions; applicability to a particular car still requires its VIN.
THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY.
OVER TIME, A PORTION OF THE BRACKET CAN TEAR AWAY FROM THE STRUT, FALLING INTO AND PUNCTURING THE TIRE OR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE.
THERE IS A DANGER OF AIR DEPRIVATION, HYPERTHERMIA,AND/OR PANIC RESPONSE TO A CHILD WHO HAS LOCKED HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO THECOMPARTMENT, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ASPHYXIATION.
REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.
IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TAURUS AND SABLES BUILT FROM 10-14-85 THROUGH 8-19-88, AND LINCOLN CONTINENTALS BUILT FROM 11-4-87 THROUGH 9-30-88 (EXCEPT 1989 - 1991 2.5L TAURUS AND 1989 - 1992 SHO). THE AFFECTED CARS WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, AND WISCONSIN. THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, MAY BECOME DETACHED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT RETAINING PLATE. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.
IF ONE OF THE REAR CORNERS DROPS, ONLY MINOR INDICATIONS OF A MALFUNCTION SUCH AS A CLUNKING NOISE OR SLIGHT CHANGE IN STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT ARE NOTICEABLE. HOWEVER, IF BOTH REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME DROP, STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
INSTALL A CORROSION-RESISTANT REINFORCING PLATE AND A NEW BOLT ON BOTH REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY RECALL 98V-323.
FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.
SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.
IF THE CAR IS LEFT UNATTENDED WITH THE KEY REMOVED AND THE IGNITION SWITCH NOT IN LOCK POSITION, THE CAR CAN BE EASILY STOLEN. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT STOLEN CARS ARE FREQUENTLY INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS.
IGNITION LOCK SWITCH CYLINDER WILL BE REPLACED.
ROAD SALT INDUCED EROSION OF THE WIPER MOTOR CONDUCTOR STRIPS COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED THERMAL STRESS WITHIN THE GLASS.
GLASS COULD FRACTURE WHILE STATION WAGON IS BEING DRIVENOR PARKED, CREATING A RISK OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS OR SUDDEN DISTRACTION TO THEDRIVER.
APPLY SEALANT TO CONDUCTOR STRIPS AND PROTECTIVE TAPE TO LOWER BACKLITES.
THE RIGHT QUARTER WINDOWS MAY CONTAIN GLASS WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY TEMPERED. THIS GLASS MAY YIELD PIECES LARGER THAN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY FMVSS 205, GLAZING MATERIAL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT THESE LARGE PIECES OF GLASS MAY SERIOUSLY INJURE THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR.
REPLACE THE QUARTER WINDOWS CONTAINING DATE CODE 5 AF.
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
02 · Owner allegations
Counts are not adjusted for sales, vehicle age, mileage, publicity or reporting behavior. They are allegations, not defect findings or a reliability score.
Totals for the same nameplate, scaled against its highest year here. They are not adjusted for how many were sold, how old they are, how far they are driven, or how much publicity a fault received — an older or better-selling year will usually carry more reports. This shows where the reporting sits, not which year is better.
A dash means NHTSA holds no complaint record for that exact year, make and model. See all Sable years with specs and fuel economy →
03 · Agency review
An investigation means ODI reviewed a possible safety issue for this exact model-year identity. Opening one is not a defect finding; closing one does not by itself clear a vehicle.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS · Associated recall campaign 93V106000.
SUSPENSION · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
STRUCTURE · Associated recall campaign 93V106001.
STRUCTURE · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
STRUCTURE · Associated recall campaign 92V065000.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
STRUCTURE · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
STRUCTURE · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC · Associated recall campaign 91V134001.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
SEATS · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
SEATS · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
STEERING · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
04 · EPA configurations
FuelEconomy.gov records are summarized as ranges where this model name has multiple engines, drivetrains or trims.
05 · Evidence strength
No opaque score. Evidence strength is expressed through source availability, exact match method, jurisdiction and honest empty states.
9 exact US model-year records in this bounded view.
52 exact US model-year allegations; narratives and VIN fragments are omitted.
20 exact US model-year action numbers in the approved import snapshot.
Only the exact NHTSA vPIC model name is published; unverified aliases are not merged.
No rights-reviewed official ownership record is joined to this exact model-year.
The canonical URL is this file’s permanent public identifier. Source IDs and timestamps show exactly what was matched and when; they do not turn the evidence into a verdict.
Model identity
Open official source ↗Owner allegations
Open official source ↗Official safety actions
Open official source ↗EPA efficiency estimates
Open official source ↗Action number, component, subject and open/close dates from the approved bulk import; long summaries omitted.
Open official source ↗Only NHTSA vPIC, NHTSA ODI complaints and investigations, NHTSA recalls and FuelEconomy.gov contribute to this vehicle claim. CPSC equipment notices are searched separately and never joined to vehicle fitment. UK MOT, Canadian, New Zealand and European records are not merged into this US claim.
06 · Research paths
These are transparent searches, not diagnoses or endorsed parts. Recall remedies come before purchases; exact part fitment requires VIN, trim, powertrain, production date and OE number.
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Awin US and R2 affiliate inventory are not published until a US programme, merchant and exact-fitment projection are approved. No offer currently has both merchant approval and exact vehicle fitment, so commercial links never count as evidence.