Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Mercury Mystique submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 45 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 45, in the owner's own words
THE UNDER HOOD WIRE HARNESS BURNED UP. THIS CAR HAS 89,000 MILES AND RUNS GOOD. I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL / TSB #( ONP 99M03) ON THIS CAR BUT FORD WILL NOT HONOR IT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD. I THINK FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS OR BUY BACK THE CAR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE CAR WILL STALL ABRUPTLY AND LOSE POWER STEERING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY MYSTIQUE. THE PARKING LIGHTS ON THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V103000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 138,552.
FAULTY WIRING INSULATION MAKES THE CAR INOPERABLE AND DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD MERCURY MYSTIQUE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE SPEED ODOMETER WENT FROM ZERO TO 120, THE RMP WENT UP TO 40,000, THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS FAILED AND THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN #01V230000) HOWEVER; THE MANUFACTURE STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,500 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE 61,900.
CAR HAS HAD INCREASING NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS...CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. MECHANICS COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS TRIGGERING IT AFTER REPLACING THE OXYGEN SENSORS REPEATEDLY. OTHER TWITCHES (STALLING, BURNED UP TURN SIGNAL MODULE,) FINALLY CULMINATING IN COMPLETE BRAKE LIGHT AND REVERSE LIGHT FAILURE. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANICS, WHO REPLACED THE SIGNAL MODULE, AND SHOWED ME THE BURN MARKS ON IT. THEY STATED THAT THEY TRIED TO GET THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO WORK, AND FOUND THAT THE PRIMARY WIRING HARNESS WAS JUST DISINTEGRATING (INSULATION FAILURES ALL OVER.) THEY CALLED FORD/MERCURY BEFORE THEY TOLD ME OF THIS PROBLEM, AND WERE TOLD THAT FORD/MERC WOULD REPLACE THE HARNESS AS LONG AS THE CAR HADN'T GONE OVER 100K MILES, AND WAS NOT MORE THAN TEN YEARS OLD (IT WASN'T.) DROPPED THE CAR AT A LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHO CALLED ME BACK TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN GLAD TO REPLACE THE HARNESS, HAD I FOUND THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO JAN 2006. THEY PROMPTLY INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REPLACE THE HARNESS FOR ABOUT $2,000.00 I INFORMED THEM THAT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PERFORM BRAIN SURGERY ON THEM WITH A WEEDEATER AT NO CHARGE. I'LL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT IN MY LIFE, AND I UNFORTUNATELY CURRENTLY OWN FIVE. *NM
DT: THE DOOR LATCH ON DRIVER'S SIDE WOULD NOT SHUT, HAD TO GO TO JUNK YARD TO GET A PART AND PUT IT IN. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 20, 2005. CONSUMER BRUISED HAND TRYING TO GET THE DOWN SHUT. THERE WAS CLICKING NOISE IN THE PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT CONTROLS THE POWER WINDOWS. ALSO, THE KEY GOT HOT IN THE IGNITION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE DIES ON THE FREEWAY. SHE STATES THAT VEHICLE CONSTANTLY BLOWS FUSES. SHE SAID THAT SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT, HER ELECTRICAL WIRES ARE MELTING TOGETHER. ALSO WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THIS IS HAPPENING, WHEN IT TOUCHES IT BLOWS FUSES. SHE STATES THAT SOMETIMES HER VEHICLE WILL NOT START. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE MECHANIC STATES THEY WILL NOT TOUCH THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE IF HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS, AND IS OVER THE MILEAGE LIMIT TO BE COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY. SHE SAID SHE WAS ALSO TOLD, THAT THIS VEHICLE COULD CAUGHT FIRE AT ANY TIME, AND THAT SHE SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS. PLEASE HELP. *NM
I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR LAST SUMMER AND I HAD TO REPLACE IT AGAIN THIS SUMMER. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TAIL LIGHTS TWICE THE BRAKES IS ALWAYS GIVING ME PROBLEMS. THE WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOESNT ROLL DOWN. WHEN IT RAIN THE FLOORS GET WET. I HAVE A HARD TIME PUTTING IT INTO GEAR AND TAKING IT OUT OF GEAR. IT STALLS TO CUT ON AND DRIVES REALLY ROUGH.I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES NUMEROUS TIMES.THE SPEEDOMETER WENT OUT AND THE TEMPERTURE GAUGE AS WELL.THE AC DOSENT WORK AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE HEAT TO WARM UP CAR.SOMETHING NEED TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS.
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH WIRE TO THE BATTERY MELTED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC. *AK
MY COMPLAINT INVOLVES A 1996 MERCURY MYSTIQUE INVOLVING A FAILURE OF ALL INTERIOR LIGHTING, SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENT, RADIO AND CLOCK RELATED TO A BLOWN FUSE #34 IN THE AUXLILLARY FUSE BOX. THE CAUSE WAS THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD OVERHEATED AND THE PLASTIC RETAINING THE 10W BULB HOLDER MELTED ALLOWING THE METAL BULB HOLDER TO SLIDE IN THE MOLTEN PLASTIC UNTIL IT JUST BARELY CONTACTED A NEGATIVE BUS IN THE ASSEMBLY AND BLOWING THE FUSE.IT WAS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE BEING A SHORT WAS NOT PRESENT UNTIL THE CIRCUIT WAS FUSED AND THEN HEAT FROM THE BULB WOULD CAUSE THE METAL HOLDER TO EXPAND AND SHORT OUT BLOWING THE FUSE.I FEEL IT APPROPRIATE TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AS I FEEL IF THE CONTACTS HAD NOT SHORTED AND BLOWN THE FUSE AND CONSIDERING IT BECAME HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AND I DON'T FEEL THE ASSEMBLY WAS ENGINEERED PROPERLY TO SUPPORT A 10W BULB.THERE HAS BEEN, I BELIEVE, EIGHT RECALLS TO DATE ON THIS MODEL, SEVERAL OF THOSE INVOLVED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.*AK
FORD CONTOUR 1995 ENGINE FIRE THAT DESTROYED EVERYTHING IN THE ENGINE MECURY 1996 MYSTIC WIREING SHORTAGE THAT COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
CONSUMER STATES THAT ALL INSTRUMENTAL DASH PANEL LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF. SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
I AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO MY 1996 MERCURY MYSTIQUE IN WHICH JUST HAD A FIRE. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2001, AS I WAS DRIVING, SMOKE STARTECOME OUT OF BOTH EXITS WHERE MY REAR SEAT SHOULDER HARNESS SEATBELTS RELEASE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND RUN TO A BUSINESS FOR HELP. A GENTLEMAN SPRAYED SPRAYED THE FIRE EXTINGISHER INTO THE OPENING ON THE SIDE WALLS WHERE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ALSO. THE FIREMAN CHECKED MY FUSE BUX AND FOUND A FUSE MELTED INTO THE BOX. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY - WESTERN GENERAL - SAYS THE PART BETWEEN THE SEAT AND PANEL WAS BENT MAKING WIRES TOUCH AND START A FIRE. THE DEALER WON'T ADMIT ANYTHING. THEY GUTTED THE WHOLE INSIDE, BENDING THE PART WESTERN GENERAL MENTIONED, IN ORDER TO GET TO THE WIRING UNDERNEATH. I AM WAITING FOR A CALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *AK
SMOKE EMENATED FROM STEERING COLUMN WHEN ENGAGING TURN SIGNAL. POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AS QUOTED BY FORD SERVICE ADVISOR. *AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER FOR RECALL OF ENGINE COOLING FAN MOTOR. THEY CHECKED AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, HOWEVER A FUSE WAS BLOWN AND THEY DID REPLACE THE FUSE. THIS TELLS ME THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE FUSE TO NEED REPLACING. APPROX. 3 WEEKS LATER, WITHOUT ANY SIGNS, WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS THE CAR STOPPED. THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND TOTALLY MELTED THE ENGINE COMPONENTS. THE CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED. I FEEL THAT THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING FAN AND THE RESULT WAS EXACTLY AS THE RECALL WARNED FOR THE ENGINE COOLING FAN. I HAVE CALLED FORD WITH NO RESULTS. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. PLEASE ADVISE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE?*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE STALLED, WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF HOOD, AND THERE WAS A COOLANT SMELL, DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM WAS THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT AND BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT REPLACED VEHICLE OVERHEATED CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW CAUSING COOLANT TO GO INTO THE CYLINDER. *SLC
COMPUTER AT MECHANIC SHOW MAJOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DEFECTS-IT APPEARS THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS AS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND FORD CONTOUR. FORD/MERCURY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING-ALSO THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT QUIT OFTEN-HAD A NEW ONE AT 50,000 MILES-HAS HAD MANY RECALLS ALREADY AND NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED ON THIS CAR-WINDOWS DONT GO DOWN (DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT)
ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE WAS THEN PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE CONSUMER THEN NOTICED SMOKE AND A HORRIBILE SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER WAS THEN ADVISED THAT ONLY A BATTERY WAS NEEDED AND SAID NOTHING ELSE WAS WRONG, AFTER THREE DAYS OF DEALERSHIP HAVING THE VEHICLE AND NOT TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE THE SMELL AND SMOKE CONSUMER PICKED VEHICLE UP, ON THE WAY HOME THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND IT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AFTER THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPAIRED, THE ENGINE STILL SOUNDED BAD, SO CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER SHOP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CYLINDER WAS BAD, CONSUMER THEN TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP THAT REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET AND WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT CYLINDER WAS BAD, ON THE WAY HOME THE ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP THAT REPLACED THE BATTERY,DEALERSHIP TOLD CUSTOMER THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAD REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, DEALERSHIP STATES THEY ONLY DID WHAT THEY WERE TOLD TO DO AND THAT WAS TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. *JB
THE ELECTRICAL WORK ON THE CAR IS IN TERRIBLE CONDITION. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITHOUT NOTICING A FAILURE IN THE REVERSE LIGHTING. THE REVERSE LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK THEREFORE SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN GREENVILLE MY DAUGHTER COMMUTED FROM GREENSBORO TO GREENVILLE 3 TIMES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. NEXT THE SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN AND WITH THE SAME REVERSE LIGHTING PROBLEM. I RETURNED TO CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE SYSTEM WAS CORRECTED, HOWEVER THE PANEL LIGHTS FAILED AND I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
THE MORNING OF 12/12/00 I DROVE 25 MILES TO A MEETING, MET FOR 2 HOURS, RETURNED TO THE CAR. IT STARTED FINE, WARMED UP, AND DEFROSTED THE WINDOWS. WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT, EVERYTHING STOPPED. THERE WAS NO IGNITION CLICKING WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, JUST NOTHING. INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DOOR "BELLS" (FOR KEY IN THE IGNITION) WORKED, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WAS JUST DEAD. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP (DEAN BROS IN LINCOLN, NE), NOT WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEY SAID THAT BATTERY ACID HAD EATEN AWAY THE CONNECTIONS OF THE WIRE HARNESS. IF THE PLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY IN RELATION TO THE WIRE HARNESS IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN, I'D LIKE SOME REIMBURSEMENT OF THE REPAIR BILL.
EA 01 001/BLOWER SWITCH/RISISTOR OR WIRING HARNESS: BLOWER EXPERIENCE A WIRING HARNESS MELT DOWN; MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK CONSUMER STATES BLOWER MOTOR INOPERABLE, MOTOR AND FUSE WERE REPLACED, NAD THEN MOTOR WENT OUT AGAIN, CONSUMER FOUND PROBLEM TO BE A PLUG THAT WAS GOING INTO THE FUSE BOX, THAT WAS MELTED.*JB
WIRING HARNESS WAS BURNING UP. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE HEAD LINER IS TOTALLY BURNED UP, ALSO UNDER THE DASHBOARD THERE ARE MELTED WIRES CAUSING THE POWER MIRRORS, RADIO, CLOCK, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS TO BE INOPERABLE, DEALER STATED THAT BOTH WIRING HARNESSES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *SLC
SINCE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE IT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY, WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ON TWO OCCASIONS BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START, POSSIBLY DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. *MJS
PROBLEM IS UNRECOGNIZABLE TO DEALER AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD. THEY THINK IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. BASICALLY THEY ARE SAYING IT CAN'T BE FIXED.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .