MercurySable2008Overview/mercury/sable/2008/base/

2008 Mercury Sable

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Sable.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2008 Mercury Sable is a passenger car powered by an engine requiring 5.5 quarts of 5W-20 API oil, paired with an automatic 6-speed transmission and EPA ratings of 17/24/19 mpg. Its reliability record reflects 61 owner complaints, one recall, and steering as the top complaint area, placing it far below the 1993 peak of 815 complaints yet above the 2006 low of a single complaint across the 1990–2009 span. That placement in the lower band of the model’s complaint history means this model year presented a comparatively subdued issue profile next to the line’s highest-complaint years.

Model year200920082005200420032002200120001999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 59 · 540 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 59 · 540 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-60R17OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 24 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume108 cu ft
Cargo volume21 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil. Torque the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.5
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case FluidSYNTHETIC · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1 Pint

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Transfer Case Fill Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug15.0
Front Wheel Hub259 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub258 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub259 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary systems, 1.63. With auxiliary systems, 2.00. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary systems, 7.00. With auxiliary systems, 9.50. oz
Standard BCI Group Number59
Standard BCI Cranking Performance540 cca

Service checks

Engine Oil Pressure30 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0118-0.0157 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket44 ft-lbs / 21 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle111 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Minimum Pad Thickness0.118 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.140 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.043 in / 0.393 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Bolts 1-8

115 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
226 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
590 degrees; Bolts 990 degrees
17.4 ft. lbs.7.4 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install 6 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Mercury Sable appears within a late-stage period of significantly reduced federal regulatory activity compared to the high-complaint eras of the early 1990s and early 2000s found in the provided record. While the preceding 2006 model year in the record recorded only one complaint, the 2008 model shows a modest increase to 61 complaints, accompanied by one recall and one investigation. This volume remains substantially lower than historical peaks such as 1993, which logged 815 complaints, or 2000, which recorded 471 complaints. Top complaint areas for 2008 include Steering with 12 reports and Power Train with 7 reports, alongside 8 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify the root causes for these failures. The trend continues downward into 2009, where complaints drop to 20 and recalls disappear entirely. Based on this low relative frequency of complaints and recalls compared to the broader historical record, the 2008 model year represents a statistically favorable option for purchase.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
14
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
61
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 61 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering12
Power Train7
Vehicle Speed Control6
Electrical System6
Air Bags3
Seats3
Power Train,Electrical System,Engine2
Unknown Or Other2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V247000Air Bags:FrontalReported 26/04/2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 14 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB 20-22332020-07-13StructureThis article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000…
SSM 480702019-07-02Electrical SystemSome 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019…
SSM 477972019-02-07Electrical SystemSome 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019…
SSM 477972019-02-07Electrical SystemSome 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019…
SSM 470092018-01-10EquipmentThe Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sable. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Sable take?

5.5 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Sable have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Sable get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.