Most common 1998 Mercury Mystique problems
Share of the 231 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Mystique complaints by model year
Best Mystique years: 2000, 1997, 1999. Years to avoid: 1995, 1998, 1996. Compare all years →
1998 Mercury Mystique recalls (8)
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built at the kansas city assembly plant and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will install spring catcher brackets. Owner notification began October 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Electrical system
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new heater blower resistor and a new wire jumper harness. Owner notification began August 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles not equipped with the anti-lock braking system (ABS). A pressure conscious reducing valve (pcrv) in the rear brakes May be subject to corrosion and result in malfunction, when operated in areas that use salt compounds on the roadway for de-icing or dust control.
Remedy: Dealers will install improved pcrv's in the rear brake system. This recall was expanded in September 2000 to include 1999 and 2000 Ford contour, Mercury mystique and cougar vehicles.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag sensor wiring pigtail insulation can become brittle and crack over time due to accumulation of water in the pigtail protective convolute in combination with high underhood temperatures related to the routing of the wiring pigtail near the radiator.
Remedy: Dealers will install air bag sensors with revised wiring insulation. In addition, vehicles which have the air bag warning light illuminated will have a new air bag diagnostic monitor installed.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The accelerator cable May have been manufactured with a burr on or near the end of the cable sleeve interior. This burr could fray the core wire resulting in the accelerator not returning to idle when the accelerator is released.
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised accelerator cable that has a flared conduit sleeve end and molded on end fitting.
Exterior lighting › Headlights › Switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating.
Remedy: Dealers will install a headlamp switch wiring connector containing bronze terminals and an inspection, and replacement if necessary, of the headlamp switch.
Show 2 more recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The floor shift automatic transmission control can be damaged if subjected to certain interior cleaning products. The gear position indicator can deteriorate and not correctly indicate the actual gear position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission floor shift control.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Remedy: Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 7 possible defects involving the 1998 Mercury Mystique:
Fuel gauge does not read below 1/4
Ford's service bulletin dated December 8, 1997, points out that the fuel gauge will not read above 3/4 tank or below 1/4 tank of fuel.the erroneous fuel gauge reading will indicate significantly more fuel reserve than actually present in the fuel tank.odi has one complaint where the driver alleged that his vehicle ran out of gas due to a false fuel gauge reading.this investigation wasto ascertain facts concerning…
Various intermittent electrical issues
There is no summary currently available
Incorrect gear indication
There is no summary currently available
Fuel expulsion during refueling
There is no summary currently available
Blower switch/resistor or wiring harness
There is no summary currently available
Blower switch/resistor or wiring harness
There is no summary currently available
Fuel expulsion during refueling
There is no summary currently available
What 1998 Mercury Mystique owners say
Suspension all 49 →
Complaints: 1.didn't receive recall notice (01s23) until 2 yrs after it was issued. 2.never received notice of a "service campaign" (01i013000) to replace springs if found to be corroded or break. 3.recall did not address issue of recall or problem.(corrisive,rusted springs).recall did instruct dealer/repairer to install spring brackets (completed satisfactorly). Comparison: batteries dead in flashlight,owner replaces bulb. The springs were causing the problem. 4.vehicle now has loud thumps that weren't there before the "spring brackets" were installed. 5.regional recalls. Notes: car has been inspected by a cerified mechanic and found not to have defective cv joints or wheel bearings, no under carriage parts loose. Car is scheduled for inspection by a Ford dealership on 11/07/03. Car previously operated in new england state (3 yrs).
While driving, the consumer heard a noise, and proceeded to pull off the road to investigate the noise. Upon existing the vehicle, the consumer noticed that the driver's side front suspension collapsed. The vehicle was towed to a dealership, who indicated that driver's side coil spring broke. Recall# 01V255000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 38 →
Took my car in October 15, 2003.jim dobson Ford in winamac to check my car out and they told me it wasn't an electrical problem with my transmission it was hydrolic or the second speed gear went out. I told them to go ahead and rebuild the transmission. They pulled the transmission out on the 16th. Called them on the 17th. They told me that the mechanic called off sick and that they did not have a chance to open the transmission up to find out exactly what is wrong with it. Mechanic called of again on the 18th and the 20th. Asked them about a loaner car. They said they don't have loaner cars . Doesn't my transmission look pretty on a pedestal!
I have had shifting problems with the automatic transmissions on a 1998 Mercury Mystique. From my research this transmission made by a joint venture between Mazda and Ford has had major problmes. I have had it to the local Ford dealer seven times to get it fixed. They thought it was all electrical but now tell me they need to pull the transmission and check three things inside it. The car has been undriveable for three months through this process. I have already spent $650.00 and now the real expensed process starts.
Engine & cooling all 34 →
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! …
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.
1998 Mercury Mystique engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 32 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 28 / 22 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Mercury Mystique a good car?
Based on 231 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Mystique rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mystique at the same age. It is one of the Mystique years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mercury Mystique?
The suspension — 49 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › coil springs. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (38) and engine & cooling (34).
How many recalls does the 1998 Mercury Mystique have?
There are 8 recalls for the 1998 Mercury Mystique, the most recent from August 8, 2001 (coil springs). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Mystique?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000, 1997 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1998 and 1996. See the full Mercury Mystique years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Mercury Mystique problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 19% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.