MercurySable2009Overview/mercury/sable/2009/base/

2009 Mercury Sable

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Sable.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 6-spd

Defined as a passenger car, the 2009 Mercury Sable utilizes a 6-speed automatic transmission and an engine configured for 5.5 quarts of 5W-20 API oil to achieve EPA fuel economy ratings of 17/24/19 mpg. This specific model year recorded 20 total owner complaints primarily focused on the suspension despite having zero recalls. Within the broader model complaint history spanning 1990 to 2009, these figures remain significantly lower than the 1993 peak of 815 complaints, though the 2006 model year holds the lowest count at one. Ultimately, the 2009 Sable's limited issue count suggests a relatively stable position in the vehicle's long-term reliability timeline.

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat9T4Z8A586B

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 FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.0-11.5
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, 2.25. 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
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.; Do not re-use old bolts.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 90,000 mi; coolant every 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 45,000 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 3,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (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 2009 Mercury Sable's federal record shows 20 complaints, 0 recalls, 0 investigations, and 7 TSBs — figures that place it near the clean end of a multi-decade arc that peaked at 815 complaints in 1993 and saw a secondary cluster of 471, 432, and 457 complaints across 2000-2002. Against its immediate predecessor, 2009 represents a clear improvement over 2008's 61 complaints, 1 recall, and 1 investigation, while tracking similarly to the notably low 2005 and 2006 model years (83 and 1 complaints, with 0-1 recalls). The top complaint areas — Suspension and Vehicle Speed Control at 3 each, followed by Seats and Engine at 2 each — are too thinly populated for the data to identify a dominant failure pattern, and the record does not specify a unifying root cause. With 2 crash complaints and 0 fire complaints, the safety profile is also relatively contained, though the limited TSB context leaves service-campaign history opaque. On balance, 2009 is among the cleanest model years in this nameplate's long federal record and a defensible used buy, provided the specific vehicle receives a standard pre-purchase inspection.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
7
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
20
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 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 20 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Suspension3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Seats2
Engine2
Power Train2
Structure1
Traction Control System,Engine1
Steering,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 7 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
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
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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 2009 Sable take?

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

Does the 2009 Sable have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 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.