RoadVitals

1996 Mercury Mystique Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jan 15, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 185 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 13 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesElectricalSteering+2 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

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.

NHTSA ID
10070271
Incident
May 15, 2003
Steering
Filed Oct 30, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL BOUNCE OFF HER KNEE AND LANDED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONDING WELL TO STEERING. AS CONSUMER LET GO, THE WHEEL FELL OFF. *JG

NHTSA ID
8021918
Incident
Oct 29, 2002
Mileage
86,032 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 1, 2002

POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST IN THE RAIN. THE CAR HAD THIS ISSUE WHEN IT WAS NEW. MOST OF THE TIME IT HAPPENED, THE CAR WAS GOING STRAIGHT. NOW WHEN IT OCCURRED IN A TURN, THIS BECOMES MUCH MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE. WITHIN MINUTES, UPON REACHING HIGHWAY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHEN I WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE AS THE ROAD WAS IN A BEND. THIS KNOWN VEHICLE DEFECT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE DRIVER CAN NOT SAFELY CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX IT IMMEDIATELY.*AK

NHTSA ID
766537
Incident
Aug 24, 2002
Powertrain (other)SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 14, 2000

THE CAR HAS HAD A HISTORY OF SUSPENSION, LINKAGE AND BEARING FAILURES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. MERCURY DEALERS AND MANUFACTURERS HAVE NOT BEEN HELPFUL. THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALER EXPLAINED TO ME OFF THE RECORD THAT THESE CARS HAVE A HISTORY OF FRONT END FAILURES HOWEVER, THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. YOU ARE INVITED TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR AND EXPERIENCE THE VIBRATION AND POOR HANDLING TO ASSIT YOU IN YOUR INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA ID
731487
Incident
Jan 12, 2000
BrakesSteeringTransmission
Filed Mar 9, 2000

WHILE DRIVING REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING LOSS OF MOST STEERING ABILITY. ALSO, VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY DUE TO DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
858250
Incident
May 17, 1999
Steering
Filed Oct 3, 1999

I FEEL IT IS UNUSAL FOR THIS ASSEMBLY TO FAIL, CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE LOW MILEAGE

NHTSA ID
712742
Incident
Sep 26, 1999
Seat beltsSteering
Filed Aug 24, 1999

WHENEVER TURNING THE POWER STEERING WHEEL EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, IT'S VERY HARD TO TURN. WOULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER BEING RELEASED. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
845773
Incident
Jun 13, 1997
Steering
Filed Aug 23, 1999

TIE ROD FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
548090
Steering
Filed Jul 6, 1999

I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN WET CONDITIONS. I HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOT BEEN ADDRESSED TO MY SATISFACTION BY MY DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
708254
Interior & seatsPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed May 28, 1999

WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. FIRST IT WAS THE DRIVESHAFT WHILE WE WERE TRAVELING THEN IT WAS THE PAINT STARTING TO CRACK, THEN IT WAS THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT WHEN IT WAS RAINING. DEALERSHIP HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG. JUST FOUND OUT WHEN MY HUSBAND TOOK A/C SWITCH OUT THAT IT WAS BURNED. CALLED DEALERSHIP WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENNED EVEN THOUGH WE STILL HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WANTED MONEY OUT OF US. WE COULDN'T AFFORD IT. PLEASE SEE IF ANY OF THESE ARE DEFECTS TO WHERE A DEALER IN WEST PALM BEACH CAN CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT NO COST. OUR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AT 60,000 MILES. CAR STILL VIBRATES AND WE HAVE NO A/C AND IT IS HOT HERE IN FLORIDA. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GET THE PAINT TAKEN CARE OF US THEY KNEW ABOUT IT FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR. ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS WAS JIM HAYES FORD IN HARRISBURG, IL. WE NOW LIVE IN FLORIDA SO IF YOU CAN HELP US SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE. JEANETTE PRATHER PLEASE E-MAIL ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO [email protected]. *AK

NHTSA ID
706965
Incident
Oct 15, 1996
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Feb 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
703199
Incident
Jun 30, 1998
SteeringTransmission
Filed Oct 23, 1998

VIBRATION FROM TRANSMISSION BEFOR AND AFTER REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID
542230
Incident
Jun 18, 1998
Steering
Filed Nov 25, 1996

WHEN DRIVING THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
805543

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .