1998 Mercury Mystique Engine Problems

1998 MERCURY MYSTIQUE. ELECTRICAL SUB-HARNESS CONNECTOR PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC, BECAUSE THE AC WASN'T COOLING PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD OVER HEAT, WHILE IT WAS ON. THE VEHICLE HAS TWO FANS IN THE FRONT AND THEY FOUND THE COOLING FAN MELTED AND THE SUB-HARNESS CONNECTOR BURNED UP. IN ADDITION, THEY SHOWED THE CONSUMER THE PART OF THE SUB-HARNESS WITH THE INSULATION JUST FALLING OFF THE WIRE. THEY HAD TO REPLACED THE FAN MOTOR UNIT AND HAD TO SPLICE IN A FAN CONNECTOR AND WIRE INTO THE REST OF THE SUB-HARNESS, BECAUSE FOR SAID THE SUB-HARNESS WAS OBSOLETE AND NOT AVAILABLE. WHILE IT FUNCTIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS SINCE ILLUMINATED FOR A CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, WHICH THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS RELATED TO THE SUB-HARNESS. ALSO, THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINTS, FRONT STRUTS, REAR STRUTS AND REAR MOUNTS, NUMEROUS O2 SENSORS, RADIO ANTENNA, RACK AND PINION, DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW AND SWITCH CONTROLLER WERE ALL REPLACED. THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10637913

Incident

Jul 1, 2014

FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263290

Incident

Jan 21, 2009

Mileage

89,300 mi

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS FRONT END PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE FRONT TIE RODS TWICE IN A YEAR AND A HALF. HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STRUTS .CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS NEED TO CHANGED. ALSO STABILIZERS LINKAGE HAD TO BE CHANGED. HAVE ALSO PUT NEW BALL JOINTS IN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207384

Incident

Sep 7, 2007

Mileage

87,000 mi

FAN STOPPED WORKING ON 1998 MERCURY MYSTIQUE, NO HEAT IN CAR. MOST LIKLY CAUSE IS THE RESISTOR ON THE HEATER BLOWER MOTER. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED ON FORD RECALLS 01S22 OR 01M07, BUT FORD WILL NOT FIX IT. FORD DID REPLACE THIS PART UNDER RECALL 99M07 ON 01/17/2001, THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE AND ALL MYSTIQUES SHOULD BE COVER UNDER 01M07.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102996

Incident

Dec 13, 2004

Mileage

82,350 mi

LOST COMPRESSION IN ONE CYLINDER, ITS BEING LOOKED AT NOW.

NHTSA ID

10069555

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

71,246 mi

ENGINE BLEW ON A TRIP TO ST.LOUIS CAR WAS UNDER FORDS EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN BECAUSE I COULD NOT PRODUCE ALL OF MY ENGINE MAITANCE REPORTS EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO FORD THAT MANY TIMES I DID MY OWN OIL CHANGES THEY HAVE REFUSE TO HONOR THEIR EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN.

NHTSA ID

10069054

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

Mileage

64,000 mi

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. UPON SLOWING DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE EGR VALVE AND SENSOR 3 TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT FAILED TO DO SO.*AK

NHTSA ID

10052237

Mileage

60,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THIS OCCURRED STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050324

Mileage

134,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE TIMING BELT COMING OFF THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE BELT HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038227

Mileage

2,000 mi

HORN DOES NOT WORK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. HORN WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY, BUT CURRENTLY IT HAS FAILED COMPLETELY.*AK THE REAR SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE. THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR, AND FRONT BRAKES FAILED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JG

NHTSA ID

8014643

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

WHILE SUDDENLY ALL THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THEN TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES TO HOT AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIES. WHITE SMOKE ALSO COMES OUT OF TAIL PIPE. *AK VEHICLE KEEPS RUNNING HOT AND STOPS, THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWICE,ALL RECALL WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED. *JG

NHTSA ID

8008317

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY CAR STALLS WHEN DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED, WHETHER I AM STOPPED, TURNING OR JUST DRIVING. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET FIXED AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS. THIS WAS ACCIDENT RELATED AND MY INSURANCE SAID IF IT ISN'T ACCIDENT RELATED THEN I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BILL THAT THE DEALER WILL CHARGE FOR LOOKING AT THE CAR. NOW THIS STARTED HAPPENING WHEN MY CAR WAS HIT IN THE FRONT AT OVER 40+ MILES/HR. AM I PROTECTED BY ANY LAW THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO GET THIS CAR FIXED AT NO COST TO ME? I AM DRIVING A VERY DANGEROUS CAR RIGHT NOW AND ALMOST GOT KILLED LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS TURNING OFF A HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STALLED, A RIG WAS COMING RIGHT TOWARDS ME AND AT LAST SECOND I GOT OUT OF THE WAY. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR HELP! I WAS ALREADY HANDED A DIAGNOSTIC BILL FOR OVER $80.00 AND REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE THEY NEVER REALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. WHAT CAN I DO OR WHO CAN HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID

752948

Incident

Aug 13, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE/ RUN ROUGH, AND STALL AT ANY SPEED, AND/OR WILL NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP, AND THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

896744

Incident

Sep 20, 2000

OXYGEN SENSOR KEEPS SHORTING OUT. OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN CHANGED 5 TIMES. THIS IS 6TH TIME TAKING IT BACK FOR SAME THING. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. COMPUTER JUST READS THAT IT'S BAD.*AK CONSUMER STATES OXYGEN SENSOR HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED EIGHT TIMES, THE DEALER IS ONLY CHANGING THE SENSOR, THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURING AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY FINDING THE ROOT OF THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE LIGHTS KEEPS COMING ON.*JB

NHTSA ID

888471

Incident

Apr 10, 2001

UNABLE TO FUEL MY 1998 MERCURY MYSTIQUE WITHOUT FREQUENT PUMP SHUT DOWN AND/OR GASOLINE SPILLAGE. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 2000 AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL REPAIRS WERE MADE ON MARCH 26, 2001. THE PROBLEM WAS LINKED TO A PRODUCT DEFECT - A STICKING FLAPPER VALVE (TSB 98-15-3). A NEW FLAPPER VALVE WAS INSTALLED AT A COST OF $ 224.26 ($6.07 PARTS & REMAINDER LABOR AND TAX). THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VALVE HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. WHILE IT IS FORTUNATE THAT NO INJURIES OR SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THIS INSTANCE BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT, A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR INJURY AND DAMAGE EXISTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

743340

Incident

Mar 26, 2001

APPROX. 3 WEEKS AGO, THE ORIGINAL BATTERY IN MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD . IT HAD SHOWED NO SIGNS OF LOSING POWER PRIOR TO THAT DAY. I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AND WHEN I HOOKED IT UP THE ENGINE STARTED TURNING OVER. THE KEYS WERE IN MY POCKET. AS A RESULT THE STARTER DIED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION. THEY REPLACED THE STARTER AND A CRACKED SERPANTINE BELT. A FEW DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING FROM NJ TO PA WHEN I HEARD A STRANGE BUZZING SOUND UNDER MY HOOD AND I SMELT THE FAINT SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP. I HAD IT TOWED TO A NEAR BYE SERVICE STATION. AGAIN THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A BURNED RELAY WIRE AND A BATTERY. WHEN I WENT TO PICK THE CAR UP, THE NEW BATTERY HAD DIED AND WE NOTICED SOME MORE BURNT WIRES NEAR THE FUSE BOX. I THAN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HALDEMAN LINCOLN MERCURY IN ALLENTOWN, PA 610-797-5005. UNTIL THIS POINT I WAS RELUCTANT TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN EXTREMELY UNRESPONSIVE TO PAST ISSUES I HAVE HAD WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING DELAYED AND HARD AND ALSO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A ENGINE TIMING ISSUE. THESE ISSUES HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND DESPITE THREE SEPERATE LETTERS TO FORD, THE COMPANY DID NOTHING TO ADDRESS MY SITUATION. I CONVEYED THIS ENTIRE STORY TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR, MIKE SIEMONS, AT HALDEMAN LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERSHIP AND HE GAVE ME THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER FOR FORD. ON 2/10/01 I SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. WHO STATED THAT HE WOULD RELAY MY REPORT TO A AREA ACCOUNT REP. WHO WOULD HELP REMEDY MY PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THE REP. WOULD CALL ME BY THE END OF BUSINESS TODAY. SO FAR HE HAS NOT CALLED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME TODAY THAT I NEEDED TO PAY $2K+ FOR A NEW WIRE HARNESS AND A 3RD STARTER IN AS MANY WEEKS. THEY ATTRIBUTE THE PROBLEM TO A BATTERY THAT LEAKED ACID. THIS ISN'T THE PROBLE

NHTSA ID

740848

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

EXCESSIVE OVERHEATING. DEALER HAS REPLACED TEMPERATURE GAUGE, AND OTHER PARTS, BUT STILL NOT ACCURATE.*AK

NHTSA ID

877958

Incident

Nov 14, 2000

PROBLEM WITH UNPLEASANT FUMES ENTERING VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

873890

Incident

May 15, 1999

WHEN ROAD IS WET AND CHANGING LANE ENGINE WOULD STALL AND VEHICLE STEERING WOULD LOCK UP WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

871138

ENGINE COOLING- TEMPERATURE RUNS ON THE HIGH RANGE OF NORMAL. ENGINE - TWO BOLTS FELL OUT OF WATER PUMP PULLEY CAUSING UNKNOWN VIBRATION WHICH IN TURN CAUSED FAILURE OF SERPENTINE BELT WHICH CAUSED BELT TO FRAY INTO ENGINE WHICH IN TURN DISLODGED TIMING BELT AND CAUSED OIL LIGHT TO COME ON. DEALER NOT "USER FRIENDLY" DURING REPAIR PROCESS WHICH DRUG OUT THE REPAIR FOR A WEEK. ENGINE HAS NOT RUN IN THE SAME FASHION SINCE THE INCIDENT EVEN THOUGH TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS HAVE ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM. ENGINE NOW STALLS DURING INITIAL START UP ALMOST CAUSING ENGINE TO DIE ENTIRELY WHICH HAS ALMOST BEEN THE CAUSE OF SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. TIRES- UNEVEN AND UNUSUAL WEAR ON REAR TIRES CAUSING TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. WINDSHIELD- UNUSAL AMOUNT OF CHIPS PERHAPS CAUSED BY DESIGN AND SHAPE OF WINDSHIELD. IGNITION- WHEN REMOVING KEY INGINTION STAYS STUCK INTO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING BUZZER TO SOUND. DID I MENTION THAT WE WILL NEVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR SINCE DECEMBER 1999. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 23912 UR TIRE SIZE: P205/60R15 )

NHTSA ID

725430

Incident

Feb 1, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: EDPZB7EX TIRE SIZE: 205/60P15 )

NHTSA ID

725119

Incident

Jun 26, 2000

IN JANUARY 2000, MY FAN STOPPED RUNNING AND MY ABS LIGHT WENT OFF SIMULTANEOUSLY AS I WAS ROLLING TO A COMPLETE STOP IN A PARKING LOT. MY SPEED WAS VERY SLOW, AS I WAS JUST STOPPING AT THE EXIT TO THE PARKING LOT. FORD COVERED THE FAN SWITCH, AS IT WAS UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY RESEARCHED AND STATED THE ABS MODULE HAD BLOWN, AND WAS IN NO WAY RELATED TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH THE FAN. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE FAN SWITCH HAD BEEN REPLACED. FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE ABS MODULE, AND TOLD ME THAT THE PART ALONE WAS $936.00 AND IT WOULD REQUIRE A HALF A DAY'S LABOR TO INSTALL. THE DEALER CHARGED ME 79.77 FOR RUNNING THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE VEHICLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE, AND HAD THE REPAIR DONE FOR $450.00. I WAS VERY ANGRY, AS MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THIS PART OR LABOR, AND I LEASE THE VEHICLE. THIS PART IS COVERED IN 3.4L MODELS, BUT NOT IN MY CAR. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AS I APPROACHED MY HOME, THE LIGHTS DIMMED AND THE ABS LIGHT WENT OFF. MY FAN WAS NOT ON , THEREFORE, IT DID NOT BLOW. MY WIPERS AND LIGHTS WERE ON. I ASSUME THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ABS AS LAST TIME. I FEEL THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SHORTING THIS MODULE OUT, AND I DO NOT WANT TO PAY MORE MONEY TO REPLACE THIS IF IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO OCCUR. I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANNELS I COULD AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY, TO NO AVAIL, THE FIRST TIME. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A DEFECT WITH MY CAR THAT COULD BE ELECTRICAL AND JUST MAY RESULT IN OTHER PROBLEMS. I LEASE THIS VEHICLE AND WILL BE DONE WITH IT IN FEBRUARY, HOWEVER, I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO EITHER DRIVE AROUND WITH MY ABS SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONING, OR PAY MORE MONEY TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WOULD LOGICALLY SEEM TO BE A DEFECT OF THE CAR. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU COULD OFFER ME WITH THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN OFFER. *AK

NHTSA ID

722546

Incident

Jan 20, 2000

OIL WAS RUNNING OUT 3 DAYS AT A TIME. HAD OIL CHANGED. VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF AT STOP SIGN, BUT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. ALSO, . WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

861331

Incident

Apr 24, 2000

THE SUNVISOR IS DEFECTIVE. YH

NHTSA ID

552003

WATER PUMP LEAKS PRIOR RECALL NOTICE (99B-23).YH

NHTSA ID

551321

Incident

Oct 10, 1999