Mercury Sable vs Saab 9-3
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Mercury Sable
- Total complaints
- 5,379
- Avg per model year
- 245
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 15
- Most complained year
- 1993 (674)
Top problems: Engine and Engine Cooling, Suspension, Power Train
Saab 9-3
- Total complaints
- 1,345
- Avg per model year
- 103
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 14
- Most complained year
- 2003 (212)
Top problems: Air Bags, Electrical System, Suspension
Complaints by model year
| Year | Mercury Sable | Saab 9-3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 20 | 43 | ||
| 2008 | 61 | 184 | ||
| 2005 | 83 | 95 | ||
| 2004 | 52 | 207 | ||
| 2003 | 201 | 212 | ||
| 2002 | 440 | 37 | ||
| 2001 | 430 | 59 | ||
| 2000 | 464 | 50 | ||
| 1999 | 258 | 64 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.