2000 Mercury Mystique Problems

What owners report

Complaints about the 2000 Mercury Mystique center on a warped, peeling dashboard whose defroster vent pushes up and blocks part of the windshield view, plus intermittent engine stalling and loss of power that owners often link to the fuel pump or the intake manifold. Many reports come in under 60,000 miles, with dash complaints appearing early in the car's life and stalling showing up at both low and high mileage.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Dashboard warping and peeling at the windshield

   • 19 complaints (30%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2008

   Owners describe the padded dash cover lifting and curling away from the windshield, with the adhesive letting go so the defroster vent strip bows up or pops out of the dash. Several say the raised edge blocks part of the view or distracts the driver, and some worry the passenger airbag area is being affected. According to the complaints, dealers often said the work was not covered or quoted a repair cost, and some owners were told a related program or bulletin had already expired. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 88,000 miles, often after a few years of sun exposure and in warm weather.

   What to check: Look along the base of the windshield for a lifting or wavy dash edge and check that the defroster vent strip sits flush. Ask whether the dash has been repaired or replaced and whether any related customer program was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Instrument dash panel cover is , and has continued to peel back at the defrost vents at the windshield since 2003. It appears the glue had begun to fail. Each time I brought my car in for service my concerns and complaint of the dash board were largely ignored. Simply blown off to say it was not covered under the warranty. When asked if there had been any recall or widespread complaints I was told no to both questions. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10227159, filed 2008-05, 15,873 miles

   “The dashboard and the dashboard frame just poped out two days ago.its bending towards the divers seat. There is a 3 inches gap between the dashboard and the car's body itself. My concern is about the passanger's air . If it ( the dashboard) keeps bending like hat the the air bag could blow while I'm driving the car. For me it is a factory defect because the service advisor told me that he had several complains about the same problem. How could a three year old car have this kind of problem?”

   NHTSA complaint #10070541, filed 2004-01, 68,200 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Defroster and heater vents not clearing the windshield

   • 22 complaints (35%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2008

   Complaints describe the defroster failing to clear the windshield, or air flow being diverted because the vent cover has lifted out of the dash, which owners say makes seeing the road difficult in wet or cold weather. A separate group of reports mentions a musty, mold-like smell from the vents when the heater or air conditioning runs, which dealers tried to treat by cleaning and spraying the ducts without lasting results. Reported across a wide mileage range, often in wet, cold or humid conditions and after several years of use.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a damp morning, run the defroster and confirm air comes out at the base of the windshield across the full width. Ask whether the blower and vent ducts have been cleaned or repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10037590, filed 2003-09

   “Well over the period of three years my dash board has been working fine until this summer when it began to malfuction and warp. Soon after my grill for my defroster popped out of the dashboard and and began to impropery defrost my windshield making it very difficult to drive. I recived a notification just after I pruchased my car about a defect in the unit but no recall was issued so the time of replacement had expired and nothing is going to be done because ford refuses to pay for the parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #10086931, filed 2004-08
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalling or losing power while driving

   • 11 complaints (17%)
   • median 51,300 mi at 5.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2008

   Owners report the engine cutting out or losing power while driving or when pulling away, sometimes requiring a wait of a couple of minutes before it restarts, and one report notes a leak at the intake manifold. In several cases a shop or dealer pointed to the fuel pump, and some owners describe repeated stalls that no repair resolved. Others mention a check engine light that no one could trace. Reported from about 26,000 to 88,000 miles, sometimes when the engine is warm and sometimes shortly after filling or at low fuel level.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump, fuel filter or intake manifold gaskets have been replaced, and take a test drive long enough to get the engine fully warm, including a stop-and-restart.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On the 476 near philadelphia, my 2000 Mercury Mystique chugged and continued to lose power as we carefully pulled over to the side of the rode. There was almost 1/2 tank of gas at the time. After about 2 minutes we started the engine back up and continued on with our trip. Fifty miles done the rode, it happened again. After two minutes we restarted the car and were able to drive to our destination without incident. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10033478, filed 2003-08, 47,000 miles

   “Fuel indicator showed 1/4 tank of gas in tank. Engine cut off because tank was empty. Filled with gas and car started. Two weeks later gas indicator show a little more than 1/4 tank of gas and engine cut off. Filled with gas and car started. I now fill the gas tank when the odometer gets to 170 miles. I can't trust the fuel indicator anymore.”

   NHTSA complaint #754009, filed 2001-11
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on and no deployment in a crash

   • 9 complaints (14%)
   • median 82,000 mi at 5.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2005

   Complaints describe the airbag warning light staying on before a collision, and in several reports the front airbags did not deploy in impacts the owners considered serious. Some owners also raised concern that the warped dash could interfere with the passenger airbag, and a few mention the light coming on with no other symptom. Reported from crashes at moderate speeds and from warning lights appearing at various mileages through the car's life.

   What to check: Turn the key to the run position and confirm the airbag light comes on and then goes out. Ask whether the system has been scanned for stored airbag codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Rainy day, SUV vehicle in front of me completely stopped in the middle of street to make a left hand turn, he must have just stopped, because when I slowed down to brake my car slid and hit him in the rear, my whole front of car was smashed with the radiator partially up in the air, the car totalled, I would say, yet the air bags did not deploy, and it had dual air bags. I had a cut on my nose, not bad, but with bleeding inside nose, and lower back pains, my head hitting steering wheel. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10140525, filed 2005-10, 80,000 miles

   “Warped dashboard (right side), possibly effecting the proper use of the passenger side air bag and causing the defrost vent across the entire dashboard to be lifted out of its proper location, possible causing grievous injuries to anyone involved in an accident in this vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10058641, filed 2004-02
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission overdrive light and harsh shifting

   Mentioned in 4 of 50 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the overdrive light flashing or staying on, harsh or delayed shifting, and in some cases the car shutting down or cutting out afterward. One report mentions the shift lever jamming with a grinding noise, which a dealer attributed to a tangled cable connector, and another notes a transmission rebuild followed by the same cutting-out behavior later. Reported around 42,000 to 69,000 miles, often after the transmission had already been serviced once.

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and watch for a flashing overdrive light, and feel for firm or delayed shifts. Ask for any transmission service records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transmission rebuilt at 45,000 miles by dealer when we got it back it died at a 1/4 of a tank of gas, so we can never let it go below even a half a tank now. Over drive light flashes on and off periodically then goes off. At 69,000 miles car is now cutting out like it did when it first had transmission problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #10118591, filed 2005-04

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10113495, filed 2005-04, 42,000 miles

Buying note. Check the dashboard and defroster carefully, since that is the most common complaint and repairs are often paid by the owner, and take a longer test drive to look for stalling, a flashing overdrive light, and a working airbag warning lamp.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 50 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.