Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Mercury Mystique owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Mercury Mystique. While pulling away from a curb at 5 MPH, the front passenger side coil spring failed and punctured the tire, causing a blow out. The VIN is not included in NHTSA campaign id number 01V255000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs). The current and failure mileages were 87,000.
Mcpherson strut assembly rusted at the base of the assembly where it was attached to the lower control arm. While driving on a mountainous winding road weight of the vehicle swayed to the right, and the wheel disassembled. Vehicle swayed, and stopped in a grassy area while being driven at approximately 50 MPH.
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.
Recall 01i013000, while driving front left coil spring broke and the front end collapsed. This occurred six months after the shield was installed. Dealership was unable to replace the coil spring because the part was not available.
1998 Mercury Mystique. Electrical sub-harness connector problems. 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. …
Took vehicle in for recall 01V255000 repairs. Dealership fixed problem, but recall remedy failed. Also coil spring was fractured when vehicle was in for recall repairs. Consumer stated vehicle was taken in for corroded coil spring, and shield were put on not knowing that the coil was fractured, when consumer arrived to pick up the vehicle it was leaning and rattling, consumer then pointed out that the coil spring was broken because of it leaning, dealer informed consumer that struts were needed, consumer stated if the coil springs had not went bad there would be no need for struts.
Flat tire while driving. When consumer went to check what problem was, he found out that coil springs snapped and punctured tire. Contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything. Consumer did not have a flat tire while driving, the vehicle was sitting in consumer's garage and that is when he noticed the flat tire, while changing tire, consumer noticed that the coil spring had snapped, which had punctured the tire and destroyed the wheel speed sensor and made the vehicle not being able to move, vehicle had to be towed.
NHTSA recall 01V255000/manufacturer recall01s23//front coil spring corrosion: recall repair failure. Installed shield placed too close to snow tires which posed a risk to vehicle if involved in a sudden turn or stop. Repairs done by heritage Ford, south burlington, vt; phone# 802/865-8150. Dealer repaired by replacing coil springs and cutting the back inner fender shields, consumer still has a rubbing sound when turning the wheel in either direction, possibly the lower spring came into contact with the sidewall.
Related recalls
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…
Suspension complaints in other Mystique years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1998 Mercury Mystique?
NHTSA has 49 complaints about the suspension of the 1998 Mercury Mystique, 21% of the model year's 231 complaints. The component named most often is front › springs › coil springs (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Mercury Mystique suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-255 (coil springs, Aug 8, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Mercury Mystique suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 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.