Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
WHILE DRIVING INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON FOR 4 DAYS. PARKED VEHICLE FOR THE WEEKEND, AND NOW VEHICLE IS DRIVING AS NORMAL. BEEN TO DEALER. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY
STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN IN DRIVE AND STOPS AT RED LIGHT. ALSO WHEN HEATER FAN IS ON WE GET A BAD OIL FUMES/SMELLS . WE HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERS 7OR 8 TIMES . THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE SMELL SOMETIMES GETS VERY BAD. *AK
FRONT BRAKES INCLUDING DRIVER SIDE ROTOR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT 26,500 MILES. THE OUTSIDE BRAKE PAD ON THIS WHEEL , VISIBLE THRU ALUMINUM WHEEL, HAD A FULL 3/16" OF PAD REMAINING AND THE INNER PAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE (METAL TO METAL) WHEN REPLACED. ONLY SIGN OF PROBLEM WAS UNUSUAL NOISE APPROX. ONE WEEK BEFORE REPLACEMENT. ALL OTHER PREVIOUS CARS HAVE BEEN GM OR CHRYSLER WHICH HAVE "SQUEALER CLIPS" ON BRAKE PADS THAT ALERT YOU TO NEED FOR REPAIR WHILE PADS ARE STILL IN SAFE OPERATING CONDITION. DEALER TOLD ME FORD DOES NOT PUT THESE CLIPS ON THEIR PADS. I BELIEVE THESE LOW COST CLIPS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE AND SHOULD BE MANDATED ON ALL CARS SOLD IN THE US.
NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205R15 )
FIRE OCCURED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE. FORD SAYS THEY WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE AND WOULD NOT COMPENSATE FOR REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLE. INSURANCE WILL ONLY COVER MARKET VALUE WHICH DOES NOT REPLACE MY CAR. PLEASE ADVISE AS FAR AS LEGAL RECOURSE. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING EITHER. IN THE MEAN TIME I CANNOT PURCHASE A SIMILAR VEHICLE FOR THE BLUE BOOK VALUE.
WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER CAN SMELL GAS FUMES COMING FROM THE TANK, AND THERE IS A LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE REAR TANK. THE CONSUMER FILLED UP THE VEHICLE WITH GAS, HE WALKED AROUND THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED GAS WAS ON THE GROUND. *AK
TRUNK LIGHT FAILED.
VIBRATION FROM TRANSMISSION BEFOR AND AFTER REPLACEMENT.
GAS CAP FAILED, CAUSING IT TO OPEN WITH TRUNK RELEASE.
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.ALSO REPLACED BATTERY.
BATTERY FAILED.*ET
STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED. DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND IS NOT AWARE OF ANY REMEDIES. *AK
ABS WIRING REPLACED/ROTORS WORN OUT BEFORE PADS/MASTER CYLINER REPLACED, AND GRINDING NOISE WITH GOOD PADS. *AK
BATTERY WRAPPED IN PLASTIC INSULATION RESULTING IN OVERHEATING OF THE BATTERY, LEAKING ACID BURNED ELECTRICAL WIRING.
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WEAR EXCESSIVELY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S MINIMUM TOLERANCE OF 840 AND 865 ARE LESS THAN THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFIED MINIMUM TOLERANCE OF 874.
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF AND FLAKING AWAY ON DRIVER'S DOOR AND BEHIND ALL WHEELS.
ABS BRAKE FAILURE.
OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK/IDLE HIGH AND CUT OFF.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *AK
WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP THE CAR MAKES A LOUD POPPING NOISE. DEALER HAS CAR. *AK
OWNER CLAIMS THAT THE CAR ROTOR'S WEAR DOWN QUICKLY. SHE HAS TO REPLACE THEM EVERY MONTH. *AK
BRAKES: WHEN DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, HAVE TO PUSH THE BRAKES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL STOP. THE BRAKES APPEAR TO BE WORSE WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET. DEALER CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. **AK
UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, ENGINE WOULD TOTALLY SHUTDOWN WITH NO WARNING. *AK
THE VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE WINDSHIELD ALSO CRACKED. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS ONLY TRAVELING 5 MPH, DASH ALSO HAS A SPLIT. *SLC
FUEL INJECTION FAILURE.
VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY AT SLOW SPEEDS AND AT START UP. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT STALLING, SURGING, SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION AND ROUGH IDLE ARE NORMAL AND REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.
BRAKES FADE.
MOLD IN A/C SYSTEM CAUSES ALLERGIC REACTIONS.
ENGINE SENSOR FAILED.
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
WHEN DRIVING THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSES ITS POWER. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE STALLS. DURING OPERATION AT 10 TO 20 MPH THE VEHICLE JERKS BACK AND FORTH.*AK *SLC
THE VEHICLE STALLS FOR NO ONE REASON. MANUFACTURER AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE.PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Mercury Mystique → · Every Mystique year → · How the figures are calculated →