RoadVitals

1986 Merkur XR4TI Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
7
Latest Oct 11, 2000
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 2, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Merkur XR4TI. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–7 of 7

Electrical
Filed Oct 11, 2000

I UNDERSTAND AN IGNITION MODULE IS SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF A CAR. MINE FAILED AT ABOUT 44,000 MILES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT; THE CAR STALLED AS WE WERE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. STILL THERE CLEARLY IS A PROBLEM, AND YOU NEED TO ADDRESS IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
734083
Incident
Jan 15, 1990
Heating & air conditioningEngine
Filed Apr 18, 2000

WHILE DRIVING EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LET FUMES INTO VEHICLE, CONSUMER REPLACED MANIFOLD, AND IT CRACKED AGAIN. THIS WAS OWNER'S THIRD MERKUR, AND ON EACH ONES EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD A/C LINES RUN DIRECTLY OVER TURBO, AND EXCESSIVE HEAT CAUSED A/C LINE TO BURST, RELEASING R12 FREON IN THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO EVERYONE AS WELL. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS POOR DESIGN BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID
860498
Incident
Apr 18, 1997
Fuel systemExterior lighting
Filed Apr 30, 1999

THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE HADZARD SWITCH WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. AS SUCH THERE ARE NO HAZARDS OR TURN DIGNALS. I HAVE REPLACED THIS ONCE AND THE HAZARDS SWITCH IS GOING ON THIS TOO. I HAVE A SPARE PART BUT ON THAT ONLY THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WORKS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE AT NIGHT OR ON THE HIGHWAY IF I BROKE DOWN NO ONE COULD SEE ME. THIS HAPPENED ONCE. LUCKILY A COP STOPPED AND PUT OUT FLARES FOR ME. THIS BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT COMPLETE. THE GAS TANK HAS A PROBLEM AND THAT THE GAS GAUGE IS DEFECTIVE. THIS WAS THE REASON WHY I BROKE DOWN, NO GAS, BUT THE GAUGE READ FULL.

NHTSA ID
706135
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 13, 1999

I OWN OR HAVE OWNED 5 DIFFERENT XR4TI'S. ALL WERE BOUGHT USED, BUT SOME WERE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. IN ALL CASES, THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED. ITS BASIC DESIGN IS PRONE TO FAILURE BECAUSE THE PLASTIC GETS BRITTLE AND EVEN HAS A BURNED LOOK TO IT. FORD SHOULD EITHER RECALL, OR OFFER REPLACEMENT AT A REASONABLE PRICE.

NHTSA ID
703258
Incident
Feb 15, 1991
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 21, 1999

THIS SWITCH ASSEMBLY IS MISDESIGNED. IT WILL NOT REMAIN FUNCTIONAL EVEN UNDER LIGHT USE AND RESULTS IN A HAZARDOUS CONDITION.

NHTSA ID
702458
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 20, 1999

THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHT SWITCH IS INTEGRAL TO THE TURN SIGNAL/HIGH BEAM LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. DISINTEGRATION OF THE INTERNALS OF THE HAZARD SWITCH (WHICH IS USED VERY RARELY) HAS REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY ON TWO OCCASSIONS IN THE 11 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. FAILURE OF THIS SWITCH POSES A POTENTIAL DANGER IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY NIGHT-TIME STOP ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
702408
Incident
Jun 12, 1990
Engine
Filed Jan 2, 1995
Fire reported

ENGINE FIRE, OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT. *TW

NHTSA ID
481492
Incident
Jan 2, 1995

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .