Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The car will not come out of park, nor do the brake lights work and sometimes the brake lights stay on. There was a recall for this very issue. Recall #04s12 or 04V106000. However the recall stops at 2003. My vehicle has the same defective switch in it but Ford is refusing to replace it. They claim my vehicle was made a few days after the recall stopped. Well that doesn't make my brake pedal switch any safer. I'm being handed a line of crap by Ford. They installed a defective switch and have admitted its defective and wont fix mine because of a manufacture date. What court wouldn't prosecute Ford if I have a serious accident because of this defective switch that they know is defective but refuse to fix it.
Car will not come out of park, nor will brake lights operate when pedal depressed. Exact symptoms as described in previous model year recalls. Only wayto get car out of park is to place in neutral after turning key in ignition to first avaialble position, then applying brake pedal to release shift lock. This is a recurring problem w/ a failed brake light switch assembly. It's too dangerous of a problem to not have a recall. Many other model vehicles have been recalled for the same exact problem. Why not this model?
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
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.
Automatic headlights relay soddard into backside of fuse panel (gem) was bad location for a person with no experience to fix or locate most people never got it fixed because of no experience and amount of money to have an electrical mechanic to fix. I understand there was a few people did get it fixed through a recall but I didn't and I never got a recall for this in the mail. I would like Ford motor company fix this because I was never notified of this problem. My car has had this problem for about 12 years.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that the brake lights remained illuminated and caused the battery to drain. The contact mentioned that the brake lights dimmed when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,000.
For over ten (10) years the headlights (but not the side driving lights) have been going off (for about 3 minutes) and then coming back on. This does not occur every time the lights come on and seems to be more frequent in the summer time when it is warm or hot outside. The date below is just approximately when this problem started and is not the only date/'time it has occurred, it has occurred sporadically but continuously since that date.
While driving at 35 MPH consumer was notified by a passing motorist that trunk was on fire. Upon inspection, it had been determined that fire started in the rear tail light. One of the occupants sustained third degree burns. Ford advised that the cause of the problem is unknown.
Related recalls (4)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
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.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. Owner notification is expected to begin on April 5, 2004.
Exterior lighting › Headlights › Switch
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. Due to the use of incorrect material by a supplier, the headlamp switch knob can fracture and separate from the headlamp switch.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the headlamp switch knob. Owner notification began April 9, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Exterior lighting › Tail lights › Switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals. If the grease from the adjustable pedal assembly enters the stop lamp switch, it can contaminate the contacts leading to carbon build up, and potentially, a short circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch and wipe down the adjustable pedal assembly to remove excess grease. Owner notification began March 22, 2001.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Remedy: Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
NHTSA investigations
Headlight failure
Excessive heat in an improperly manufactured circuit breaker within the headlight switch caused that circuit breaker to open for time periods of varying length to cool off.opening of the circuit breaker in this manner interrupts electric current flow to the headlights, shutting them off.headlight outages have ranger from brief flickers (less than one second) to greater than 20 seconds.over time, the outages grow in…
Brake light switch failure
Ford conducted a recall in March, 2001 to correct a defect affecting the brake light switch in my 2000 through early-2001 taurus and sable vehicles equipped with power adjustable pedals (recall 01v-078).rq03-008 was opened to investigate complaints concerning the remedy and scope of 01v-078.odi's analysis identified concerns with post-repair failures in recalled vehicles,failures in my 2001-02 vehicles with…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Sable years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (56), 1996 (15), 1997 (15), 2001 (15) and 2002 (14) model years. Headlight complaints make up 12% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Mercury Sable headlight problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 04V-106 (switch, Mar 2, 2004); 01V-075 (switch, Mar 12, 2001); 01V-078 (switch, Mar 12, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mercury Sable headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 43% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the brake lights › switch (32 mentions), followed by the brake lights (21).
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.