Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Mercury Sable owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Lately my car has been over accelerating to about 4,000 rpm's at random moments. I almost got into a wreck today and I was driving 30 mph. I've cleaned the throttle body and the idle air control valve and still the same issue. The car only has 113,000 miles on it but now I'm too scared to even drive it!
Transmission issues included a near death experience when faulty cruise control wiring / functionality caused automatic transmission to rev to to high rpms. Was unable to shift to neutral gear and was forced to jump from vehicle to avoid potentially fatal wreck. Brake pads burned through to the calipers when trying to brake.
My 2001 Mercury Sable accelerated as I entered the highway. The car would not stop even when I applied the brake. I called 911. The 911 operator suggested that I apply the parking brake which I did. I went about 15 miles riding the shoulder going between 60-70 miles per hour. I eventually exited the highway but could not stop even at the end of the exit ramp. I made a right hand turn. At this point I had reduced my speed to approximately 30 miles per hour. The car eventually landed in a ditch. At that point, I ended my call with 911. I looked to my left and found four men yelling to me to get out of the car. I then learned that the car was on fire. I exited the car. The four men put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. The car was towed to a Mercury dealership where it is documented that it was in fact the speed control cable that caused the car to accelerate. …
I have a 2001 Mercury Sable ls with 9000 miles. I was attempting to park the car in front of a store in a shopping plaza located in cocoa beach ,fl. When I applied the brakes to park in the parking place, the brakes failed and the engine made a revving noise and the car leaped forward jumping the curb and crashing into a brick support column. This car was recalled for the brake pedal and accelerator problem and was supposedly fixed at the Mercury dealers. I was transported to the hospital by the emergency squad. I was treated for a large gash in the forehead and xrays were taken of the chest, back and ribs which were not fractured but severely bruised. I also sustained two black eyes caused by my sunglasses hitting the steering wheel. I was wearing my seatbelt, however, the airbags did not deploy. Estimated cost to repair my car is $7048.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. While driving 50 MPH on the highway, the accelerator pedal suddenly dropped down and the vehicle accelerated to 120 MPH. The contact shifted into neutral, but the rpms continued revving at maximum capacity. When the vehicle started to slow down, the contact turned off the engine. The vehicle eventually came to a rolling stop on the side of the road. The contact waited ten minutes and attempted to restart the vehicle, but the engine revved up again; therefore, the contact quickly turned the vehicle back off. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. Future Ford of sacramento (4625 madison ave, sacramento, ca 95841, [phone]) stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 180,000.
While driving the Sable at approximately 25 mi. Per hr.(clear road,dry conditions)in congested traffic conditions. Going through a set of traffic lights,luckily the light had just turned green,,the vehicle suddenly surged up to 3000 RPM. Fortunately,going through the lights, my foot was near the brake pedal. When I heard and felt the acceleration ,I immediately hit the brake and kept my right foot on it as the vehicle continued to push forward with full brakes applied. Luckily the vehicle was under the brakes control,while still revvvving, I put the vehicle into neutral and pulled over,tuned ignition off. The front disc brakes were smoking. Opened hood,noticed nothing unusual, this is the only report of this incident.will seek immediate cure today. This is my 66 y.o. Girl friend car.she is now horrified to use it! November 5,2015.
I was driving along the highway at approximately 45 MPH when suddenly accelerator sped up to a high rate of speed. Could not slow down when braking. Car continued to accelerate. Could not get car to slow down no matter what I tried. Had to turn car off to come to a stop. The local wichita falls Ford company says there is recall for this problem, but I have read all over the net that it is a problem Ford motor company said that it would fix. Called Ford motor co. Headquarters and they said there is no recall issued for this problem and they will not fix it. I should not have to pay for this when Ford knows it is an ongoing problem. I am 73 years old and do not have money for this kind of repair.
My 17 year old was driving the 2001 Mercury Sable and came to a complete stop at a light on a busy intersection however, the car automatically accelerated even with his foot on the brake. The acceleration stuck and fortunately he was able to control the vehicle without hitting anyone and causing an accident but immediately managed to get it to an open lot to shut the car off. Had someone look at it, and it was the throttle cable that snapped. It is only temporarily fixed at this time. Also, when driving in areas where there is any type of small bump, such as the end of our driveway, the front end suspension just isn't there. It hits extremely hard.
Dt: consumer was driving through parking lot at low speed when the car suddenly accelerated at great speed. The consumer was unable to slow the vehicle down before it struck 2 vehicles, and sped over a 3 1/2 foot high wall where it went over and came to a rest. Upon inspection, the attending police officer discovered a broken throttle cable which he believed caused the vehicle to act the way that it did. The car was totaled. Currently awaiting insurance report.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. While driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to slow the vehicle. The contact placed the vehicle in neutral to slow it down, but the engine continued to rev at a high RPM. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
NHTSA investigations
Speed control cable damage
On June 21, 2013, Ford initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 13B04 to address a concern with Speed Control Cable damage in certain model year (MY) 2000 through 2003 Taurus and Sable vehicles equipped with 3.0L 4V Duratec engines and built at the Chicago assembly plant.In the dealer letter for the program, Ford indicates that the Speed Control Cables on affected vehicles may be susceptible to damage or becoming…
Acceleration complaints in other Sable years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2001 Mercury Sable?
NHTSA has 61 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2001 Mercury Sable, 14% of the model year's 430 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Mercury Sable acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2001 Mercury Sable, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Mercury Sable acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 12 crashes, 1 fire and 8 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.