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 2005 Mercury Sable owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Im owner of Mercury Sable 2005 only 79000 miles..The car problem speed control idle over 2200 so high when stop red light have to brake pedal to slow the vehicle down, and the vehicle failed to accelerrate..
Purchased vehicle from a private seller 10 days prior to incident. Seller informed me they had replaced throttle body sensor to fix unintended acceleration issues. Drove vehicle home on 4/10/22 with one incident on highway where I attempted to slow vehicle after reaching approx 70mph, and vehicle seemed to jolt/shudder as if unable to brake smoothly. Did not drive again til 4/18/22: I attempted to drive vehicle to tire shop to have new tires installed. After backing out of driveway, I accelerated quickly to approx. 25mph. Acceleration continued past 25mph despite me letting off the gas pedal. I hit the brakes and felt the acceleration continuing to push against them, causing the car to jolt/shake with the application of the brakes. I slowed to a stop at a nearby traffic light, where the engine continued to rev at approx. 2000rpm. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently to 80 MPH, without warning. The contact mentioned that the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle down. In addition, the vehicle then failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact contacted an independent mechanic and informed them of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The VIN was not provided.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 5 MPH, the accelerator pedal became stuck. The contact crashed into a guard rail. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not 90,000
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mercury Sable. While driving at approximately 15 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration without warning. The brake pedal was depressed, but failed to stop the vehicle. The failure mileage was 142,780. Updated 8/19/15
Gas pedal sticks. Cruise control randomly turns itself on vehicle accelerates on it's own without warning. Have had to shut the car off or shift into neutral while driving. It's absolutely terrifying.
While driving the vehicle in neighborhood situations or other situations the vehicle accelerates on its own beyond the on the desired speed this causes the car to be difficult to control and very difficult to stop increases the stopping distance needed to avoid an accident to stop at a red light or stop sign it also causes the engine to race even when placed in neutral. Recently why stop at a stop sign the car was pushing it south forward so hard I had a hard time keeping it stop and it actually moved me beyond the stop sign into a oncoming traffic. Extremely dangerous situation there will b fatalities if this is not corrected. This spontaneous acceleration even allows me to drive up hills without having my foot placed on the gas car will not slow down or stop easily. …
My 2005 Mercury Sable suddenly had the cruise control stop working approximately 30 days ago. The next day some serious issues began to happen. I was traveling down a curvy 4 lane road at the posted speed limit of 45mph. Knowing there was an up coming light I took my foot off the brake and anticipated the normal deceleration. Suddenly rather than slowing down my engine independently revved up to 3/4 RPM causing me to instantly jump to 50/55 MPH. Apart from the immediate panic I have never had a vehicle react in this manner and was at a loss for what to do. I hit the brakes extremely hard to combat the acceleration while putting the car into neutral (still going 40+ MPH). Despite having the car in neutral it was still revving itself at around 3 RPM. After slowing down to a safe speed I turned into a parking lot and immediately turned the car off. …
Driving the vehicle at about 30 MPH. The car accelerated to about 60 MPH at which time I was riding the brakes the entire time till I could pull over. The engine goes to 4000 RPM while in park. If restarted its the same thing. This was happening off and on. I took to garage and they cleaned and checked carburetor and fuel pump. It continued again and I finally took it in again. This time they changes the cruise control cable. Again, it continued again and I finally took it to the dealership which they replaced the gasket. And again I am still having problems with the vehicle. I would love to sell this car and get a new one, but I cant afford it. I was hoping to be able to give this car to my 16 year old daughter, but that is totally out of the question as I do not feel the car is safe to be driving. …
The car started accelerating on its own to 80 miles per hour in a 35 MPH zone. There was a high risk of striking pedestrians. Immediately put the car in neutral and slammed the brakes and also engaged the parking brake. It was a very scary experience. Took the car to the dealer and the dealer was able to replicate the problem in the parking lot. Got the car throttle body replaced for $376. Apparently the throttle body sticks. Did some research on the internet and found that NHTSA has been investigating this issue for a long time. Not sure why a recall has not been issued? This defect could result in people getting killed -- I feel that I have a responsibility to ensure that something is done so that others do not experience the same problem.
NHTSA investigations
Stuck throttle
Preliminary Evaluation (PE)12-005 was opened to investigate allegations of speed control cables detaching from the throttle body and subsequently interfering with the throttle closing fully to the idle position in model year (MY) 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles.The speed control cable, throttle body attachment arm (?nail head?) for the speed control cable, cable mounting bracket and cable routing for the MY 2005…
Acceleration complaints in other Sable years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2005 Mercury Sable?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2005 Mercury Sable, 46% of the model year's 83 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mercury Sable acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2005 Mercury Sable. 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 2005 Mercury Sable acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 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.