Problems · by component

1996 Mercury Mystique electrical system problems

46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Mercury Mystique cite electrical system, 24% of all 190 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
46
24% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2009Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10254653
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 6, 2008Exterior lighting, Electrical systemODI 10217287
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2007Electrical systemODI 10198423
“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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2006Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10167604
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2005Electrical system, Visibility, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10133888
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2004Electrical systemODI 10065569

Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Electrical system

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN MY 1996-1998 PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY, CUAUTITLAN ASSEMBLY PLANTS OR ON MY 1999 PASSENGER VEHCLES BUILT AT THE AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANTS, THE ROUGH SURFACE OF THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR'S STAINLESS STEEL BLADES CAN DAMAGE THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE COULD, OVER TIME, CAUSE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE CONNECTOR AND, DUE TO SUBSEQUENT TERMINAL RELAXATION, RESULT IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.

Electrical systemReported Jul 9, 2001NHTSA 01V230000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 1996 Mystique problem areas