1998 Mercury Mystique Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 18about this part
- Share
- 8%of 231 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 112,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 18 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 1998 Mercury Mystique, 8% of the 231 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 112,000 miles. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Headlights are malfunctioning. My 17yo daughter got pulled over because only her high beams were working. The regular headlights are dim. Very dangerous. This happens at all times and unexpectedly.”
NHTSA complaint #10818563, filed 2016-01, 58,000 miles“Consumer has a concern about the plastic lens over the headlight are discoloring and causes poor visibility when driving at night. Dealer was notified. Please provide any further information.”
NHTSA complaint #10083271, filed 2004-07, 123,000 miles“Interior light harness just broke off and hit me in the head while I was driving. There was no applied force to the harness, and the force it hit me with caused me to momentarily loose control of my car. The part should not have been so cheaply built.”
NHTSA complaint #729263, filed 2000-08“We purchased a ford Mercury vehicle, used, and found it had no tail lights. We identified a recall notice. The dealer refused to fix the problem because they said the recall work had already been done. We took the car to another mechanic and found it had original equipment, with the defect still present. Ford refused to honor the recall, citing that it was our responsibility to fix the problem because the work had been done. The dealer refused to check to make sure the problem had been fixed. The broken part was original equipment and had the cited problem in the recall notice.”
NHTSA complaint #10082545, filed 2004-07“The contact stated the interior lights and tail lights do not work. This component has been replaced once and failed a second time. There is NHTSA recall, campaign 99v103000, regarding the headlight switch. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however, it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.”
NHTSA complaint #10147635, filed 2006-01, 112,000 milesRelated recalls
- 99V103000May 5, 1999Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of…Covers: Mercury Mystique 1996–1998, Ford Contour 1996–1998
- 98V028000Feb 10, 1998Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not…Covers: Mercury Mystique 1998, Ford Taurus 1997–1998, Mercury Sable 1997–1998 +4 more
Exterior lighting: other model years
Other parts of the 1998 Mercury Mystique
49 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
38 complaintsEngine cooling
34 complaintsBrakes
28 complaintsElectrical system
28 complaintsAir bags
18 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsVehicle speed control
14 complaintsSteering
11 complaintsFuel system
9 complaintsOther or unknown
7 complaintsSeat belts
7 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Mercury Mystique
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology