NHTSA Complaint #10069646 — 1995 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

6/15/03 I DO NOT HAVE THE EXACT DATES OF PROBLEMS, BUT I WILL RELATE MY EXPERIENCES. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE USED IN 1999, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, WHICH ALSO CONTROLS THE SHIFT INTER- LOCK, FAILED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND AN OPEN CONNECTION BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX THAT CONTROLS THE SWITCH OPERATION. THEY FIXED THAT OPEN CONNECTION AND THE SWITCH WORKED FINE. THEN THE SWITCH PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. TRIED A NEW SWITCH AND THAT FAILED AFTER A FEW MONTHS. HAVE GONE THROUGH SIX OR SEVEN SWITCHES AND HAVE ONE NOW THAT SEEMS TO WORK. I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED NEW SWITCHES MYSELF AFTER THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE FORD WAS CHARGING ME ABOUT $15 FOR THE PART AND AROUND $90 TO INSTALL. ASKED SERVICE PEOPLE AT FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SOME SWITCHES WORK AND SOME DON'T. ASKED ANOTHER SERVICEPERSON AT DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THESE STOP LIGHT SWITCHES RARELY FAIL? GOT A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FORD STATING THAT THE FRONT STRUT SPRINGS COULD FAIL BUT NOT TO BRING THE CAR IN UNTIL THEY DID FAIL. GOT ANOTHER BULLETIN STATING THAT THE MAIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTER FOR THE ENGINE UNDER THE HOOD COULD FAIL BUT AGAIN DON'T BRING THE CAR IN UNTIL THIS FAILURE HAPPENS. FORD DID REPAIR A FAILED HI-SPEED HEATER BLOWER CONNECTION AT THEIR COST. I ASKED THE TECH WHY HE HAD TO RAISE THE CAR AND HE SAID, POOR DESIGN. POOR DESIGN SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THEME WITH THE '95 MYSTIQUE. BY THE WAY MINE IS A FOUR BANGER. I GUESS THE MOST TROUBLING WAS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. NOT ONLY CAN THE CAR NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WON'T WORK EVEN WHEN THE MANUAL OVER RIDE IS USED. NOTHING LIKE NOT HAVING BRAKE LIGHTS ON TODAY'S ROADS! THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 78,000 MILES. WHY SO FEW? DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I SEE THE '95 MYSTIQUE/CONTOUR WAS NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. I DON'T KNOW HOW SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING FRONT SPRING FAILURE OR MAIN ENGINE HARNESS FAILURE WHICH I DESCRIBED ABOVE CANNOT BE CLASSIFIED AS RECALLS. ROBERT SODERLUND