AI Damage1999 Mercury Mystique: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercury Mystique filed 128 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 128
- involving a crash
- 14
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 22% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 5% of all complaints
- Structure: 28 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 21 complaints (16% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 15 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 14 complaints (11% of all).
- Visibility: 14 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 128 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 21 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I did have an accident I thought the brakes didnt work properly but dont know if it is related
Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. The occupant of the vehicle that was killed was seated in the rear seat. According to the par the occupant was not buckled. According to the detective that investigated the crash, the impact was not to the direct front of the vehicle. Cw
Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries. Vehicle was totaled.
Air bags did not deploy. Consumer had neck/ shoulders/ knees and back injuries, consumer was currently trying to contact ford to find out why air bags did not deploy.
Consumer's vehicle was in parking lot when consumer tapped the accelerator lightly, then suddenly engine roared, and vehicle accelerated on it's own up to 40-50 mph. Consumer could not slow down vehicle, after 50-100 yards vehicle crashed into guardrail, causing extensive damage to vehicle. No injuries.
The airbags did not deploy. I was told at the hospital that you need to be going 35mph or faster for them to deploy. Don't know about that. I have never had any accidents before. I know that I did not put my foot on the accelerator when I engaged reverse. I could hear the motor revving higher than normal.
Consumer's wife was attempting to park, and when she placed right foot on the brakes, automobile accelerated on its own and increased the rpms, causing automobile to advance forward. It jumped the concrete.
While in a parking spot consumer put foot on brake and gas pedal went to the floor, as if it was sticking. If tapped, it would release. Consumer's car went over an embankment, consumer hit a tree, 20 feet after the embankment. That was how the car was stopped, consumer was injured in accident.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,990 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mystique has 102 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 128, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercury Mystique?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 128. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (5%), brake failure (4%), A/C or heater (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Mercury Mystique?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Mercury Mystique from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.