2002 Mercury Sable vs 2002 Nissan Altima
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2002 Mercury Sable | 2002 Nissan Altima |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 440 | 1,047 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 5 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 97 | 142 |
| Investigations | 4 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 32 | 29 |
| Fire reports | 5 | 28 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–21 | 19–23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 75,000 mi | 90,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Sable | Nissan Altima |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 20 | 594 |
| Suspension | 239 | 14 |
| Structure | 13 | 128 |
| Engine | 4 | 92 |
| Electrical System | 17 | 77 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 56 | 20 |
| Power Train | 23 | 39 |
| Air Bags | 24 | 34 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Rust / corrosion | 23 | 107 |
| Stalling | 18 | 164 |
| Hesitation / surging | 10 | 0 |
| Water leaks | 7 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 6 | 30 |
| Check engine light | 5 | 128 |
| Brake problems | 5 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 5 | 0 |
2002 Mercury Sable
2002 Nissan Altima
Compare all Mercury Sable vs Nissan Altima years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.