Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 26 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 26, in the owner's own words
THE FORWARD GEARS ON MY TRANSMISSION HAVE CEASED TO WORK. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I FIND IT KIND OF WEIRD THAT A 96 NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION ALREADY. *TR
I PURCHASED MY MERCURY MYSTIQUE NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 1996. I HAVE ALWAYS DRIVEN THE CAR VERY EASY, I DON'T EVEN GET ON THE EXPRESSWAY VERY OFTEN. AT AROUND 45,000 MILES, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED, WHICH THE OWNERS MANUAL DOESN'T EVEN MENTION. NOW, WITH ONLY 55K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND NEEDS A TOTAL REBUILD! ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS NEARLY 9 YEARS OLD, AT 55,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF FLAW IN THE DESIGN FOR IT TO DO THIS. *B
THE FLOOR SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL BECAME DAMAGED IN RESULT OF GEAR POSITION INDICATOR DETERIORATE AND NOT INDICATE THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION. CONSUMER VIN NUMBER DOSE NOT COMPLY TO RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHIFT AT ODD TIMES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SHIFTS BEGAN TO TAKE EXCESSIVELY LONG BETWEEN GEAR ENGAGEMENT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON THE DASH AND THE TRANSMISSION REFUSED TO ENGAGE GEARS. DRIVER STRANDED. UPON INSPECTION AT DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION WAS "TOTALLED" AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. DETAILS SKETCHY, BUT TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT AN INTERNAL FAILURE OCCURED AND TRANSMISSION LUBRICATION WAS AFFECTED (STOPPED). GEARS BEGAN RUNNING METAL ON METAL WITH NO WARNING AND "INTERNAL DAMAGE" OCCURED. CAR WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 12 MILES AFTER WARNING LIGHT ON DASH BEGAN TO FLASH. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 63K MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS TOTALLED BY LACK OF LUBRICATION WITH A FULL RESERVOIR OR FORD FLUID.*AK
NHTS# 98V233000 - PROBLEM W/ MY VEHICLE BUT MY VIN # NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL.*AK
THE GEAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. FROM STOP TO LOW SPEED (<20MPH) IT WHINES, JERKS AND STALLS. AT HIGH SPEED (40MPH) IT STOPS SHIFTING AND KEEPS WHINING AT 3-4000RPM WHILE IT SHOULD SHIFT UP. THE O/D OFF WARNING LIGHT COMES UP 2-3 MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE CAR. *AK
CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SEVERE ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT SHE EXPERIENCED WAS DUE TO THE CAUSE OF A FAULTY WATER PUMP, ALSO ENGINE RUNS ROUGH.*JB
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
I DON'T HAVE AN ESTIMATE ON TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. TRANSMISSION WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WENT IT WAS BROUGHT TO DEALER, IT IS NOW INOPERABLE. I AM LOOKING INTO POSSIBLE TAMPERING WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF PAYING FOR THIS DAMAGE. *AK
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)
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
MY HEATER CONTROL KNOB FOR HIGH,MED,LOW ONLY WORK IN THE LOW POSITION. MY REAR BRAKE LIGHT HAD A LEAK,ALLOWING WATER TO FILL UP AND BLOW MY LIGHT BULBS.THERE IS A TICKING NOISE IN MY DASH AS IF MY TURN SIGNALS IS RUNNING, BUT NO FLASH ON THE INDICATORS. WHEN I SIGNAL TO TAKE TURNS IT WORKS FINE BUT WHEN NOT TURNING STILL MAKES CLICKING NOISE. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN OCTOBER 2000, I HEARD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN MY VEHICAL.. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE 2 YEARS AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED, ENGINE REPLACED 2 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE. HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY BROKE 1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASE OF CAR. CAR DRIVES EXTREMELY HOT - TO NEAR OVER HEATING POINT. TRUNK LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONING. INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED (WAS FIXED BEFORE RECALL). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY EVEN AFTER TUNE UP/ MAJOR WORK DONE.
WHEN CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE VEHICLE WENT DOWN TO 20MPH. VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO GEAR, BUT WOULD HESITATE. THEN, FIVE TO TEN MINUTES LATER, OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD COIME ON, INDICATING THAT ENGINE WOULD SLOWDOWN. *AK
WAS DRIVING ALONG ON THE ROAD WHEN IT SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. TRIED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE & VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. COULD HEAR IT SHIFTING GEARS. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT. *AK
WE TOOK THIS CAR TO THE DEALER IN MAY OF 1999 BECAUSE THE THROTTLE SEEMED TO STICK, THEN BREAK FREE, CAUSING TO CAR TO LURC FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC. THEY KEPT THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM SO THEY ERTURNED IT TO US AND CHARGED US OVER $100. EVER SINCE THE THROTTLE WOULD SOMETIMES FEEL ROUGH IN ABOUT ONE HALF TO ONE INCH OF TRAVEL BUT THEN WOULD BE SMOOTH AS SILK. IN FEB WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE SMOG CHECK AND THE SERVICE PERSON FINISHED THE TEST AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT SAT STILL, THE ENGINE AT IDLE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. HE SHIFTED IT BACK AND FORTH THEN SUDDENLY IT SHOT OUT OF THE STALL WITHOUT WARNING. HE SAID HE HAD PUSHED ON THE FOOT PEDAL BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN ON MARCH 14, 2000, I WAS TRAVELING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 50 MILES PER HOUR FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WHEN I DECIDED TO ACCELERATE TO 55, THE THROTTLE STUCK TIGHT. I PUSHED VERY HARD BUT NOTHING HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS, THEN SUDDENLY IT RELEASED AND MY SPEED INCREASED. AT THIS POINT WE CANNOPT AFFORD TO PAY FORD $100 EVERY TIME WE TAKE THIS IN AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. I'M SURE IT IS A THROTTLE PROBLEM. THE SMOG MECHANIC THINKS IT MAY ALSO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH A SWITCH ON THE TRANSMISSION, AS HE SAID WHEN IT DID IT TO HIM HE MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER BACK AND FOR AND PUSHED ON THE FOOT PEDAL AND IT DID NOT INCREASE IN SPEED NOR DID IT MOVE. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL HAVING TO DO WITH EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS? THE DEALER DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK SO. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. IT HAS BEEN AND ON GOING THING. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS IT IS WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF SCARY OCCURRENCES. ONCE AT A STOP SIGN I PULLED UP STOPPED SAW THAT IT WAS CLEAR, PRESS ON THE FOOT PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED, THE CAR SAT STILL AT IDLE, NO REVING JUST IDLE. I THOUGHT MY FOOT WAS CAUGHT ON THE CARPET SO I PUSHED AGAIN, STILL NOTHING SO I THOGHT MAYBE THE FLOOR MAT HAD GOTTEN CAUGHT UNDER THE PEDAL, JUST AS I WAS REACHING DOWN TO PULL ON FLOOR MAT CAR SHOT FORWARD. AK
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY MORNING TRAFFIC VEHICLE STARTS WHINING, THEN IT STALLS. HAS TO PUT GEAR IN PARK TO RESTART. SOMETIMES THE OVERDRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO, WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC, IT DOESN'T ENGAGE IN GEAR IMMEDIATELY, WHEN PUTTING FOOT ON ACCELERATOR, IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
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
TRANSMISSION/OVERDRIVE KICKS IN AND OUT WHICH COULD CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION. *AK
BODY PAINT-ACID LIKE BLEMISHES; BRAKES-PREMATURE WEARING OUT; SEAT- DRIVER'S SEAT LOOSE; SEAT BELT- BELT DOES NOT RETRACT FULLY AND CATCHES IN CLOSING DOOR ,RESULTING IN BROKEN BUTTON; ENGINE(COLD STARTS)- ENGINE PRONE TO STALLING AND LOW IDLE SPEED; REMOTE TRUNK AND FUEL FILLER DOOR RELEASE - REMOTE RELEASE DOES NOT ALWAYS FUNCTION; WATER LEAKS INTO TRUNK WHILE TRUNK IS OPEN; VEHICLE RIDES HARSHLY - STRUTS CHECKED AND NO TROUBLE FOUND; AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFTING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO PARK; TRUNK LOCK INOPERABLE DURING COLD WEATHER; POWER WINDOWS BINDING.
NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205R15 )
VIBRATION FROM TRANSMISSION BEFOR AND AFTER REPLACEMENT.
STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED. DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND IS NOT AWARE OF ANY REMEDIES. *AK
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
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
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