Most common 2000 Mercury Mystique problems
Share of the 63 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 →
2000 Mercury Mystique recalls (3)
Seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on certain seat belt buckles of your vehicle and replace all seat belt buckles that fall within the suspect date code range. Owner notification began October 26, 2000.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An incorrect label was installed on the driver side rear door. This label contains instructions for the activation of the childproof safety locks.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a replacement label and installation instructions.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2000 Mercury Mystique:
Instrument panel cover warpage
The agency has denied a petition requesting an investigation of instrument panel warpage for the subject vehicles. The notice of denial was published in the federal register, volume 72, number 67, on Monday, April 9, 2007, pages 17605 and 17606.see document search for details.
What 2000 Mercury Mystique owners say
Body & structure
At 17,000 glue failed too hold padded covering in place,at this time fixed by dealership described as design flaw. At 32,000 dash fell apart again. This time was told we fixed it once do not have too again,but would repair for approximately $1000.00. I am a widow on a fixed income and can not do it.I have contacted the dealer ship and Ford motor and was told they would not do any thing else unless I paid for it. The car is basically a good carbut this lets moisture get in between dash and padding from defroster.
Consumer's vehicle was involved in a collision travelling approximately 20-25mph and was hit on the passenger's side door. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Both front and rear bumpers were off track. The front right & rear doors were pushed 2 feet into the drivers side, with the front & rear seats. The consumer suffered a broken nose , broken clavical in 2 places, 4 broken ribs, facial impairment and cracked the front bridge in mouth. (vehicle was totalled)
A/C & heater
While driving to work on 12-09-2000, with heater on, became very disoriented, hit concrete barrier, arrived 2 hours late to work, was taken by ambulance to hospital,, my co-workers will confirm that I could not talk or walk properly, was very confused, checked out by neurologists, all tests results normal, said it could have been co2 or other fumes or odors inside car that made me sick. And totaly disoriented, by the grace of god, it was a miracle I was not killed while driving in this state. Due to odors inside my Mercury 2000 Mystique.
The air conditioning has failed twice in two years in a 2000 Mercury Mystique gs. While often considered a luxury rather than a safety item, I live in south florida were it is already reached 95 degrees. Last year a device in the dash had to be repaired. The mechanic said that this was a common problem with this model but that the company wasn't issuing a recall because not enough people complain. The new problem appears to be the air conditioning freezing up or with the blendor; the A/C is cold but barely blows, even when on high.
Engine & cooling
The rear wheels are locking when the driver is slowing down to stop. This occurs when the weather is cold. The owner was informed by a mechanic that the rear brake assembly was completely rusted. The owner contacted the manufacturer, but received no assistance. There was a bad noise when the vehicle was started and the vehicle would hesitate when trying to increase in speed along with hard shifting. Recall campaign # 00V075000.
In March of 2002 the dash starting coming unglued and rolling up, which caused my defogger to pop out and not defog my windshield correctly. The car also stalls out when taking off from a starting position or changing to passing gear. The engine has to then be shut off and restarted for it to clear up. This will last about 30 minutes before it happens again.
2000 Mercury Mystique engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Mercury Mystique a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Mystique rates better than average: 63% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Mystique at the same age. It is one of the best Mystique years by this measure. 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 2000 Mercury Mystique?
The body & structure — 18 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frame and members. Next are the a/c & heater (11) and engine & cooling (8).
How many recalls does the 2000 Mercury Mystique have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2000 Mercury Mystique, the most recent from August 18, 2000 (seat belts). 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 2000 Mercury Mystique problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 39% 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.