Mercury Lynx Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 20 safety recalls and 24 owner complaints across 7 model years of the Mercury Lynx (1981–1987). The most-complained-about year is 1985.
Pick your Mercury Lynx model year
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 Mercury Lynx | 3 | 4 |
| 1986 Mercury Lynx | 2 | 5 |
| 1985 Mercury Lynx | 3 | 5 |
| 1984 Mercury Lynx | 3 | 3 |
| 1983 Mercury Lynx | 4 | 4 |
| 1982 Mercury Lynx | 5 | 3 |
| 1981 Mercury Lynx | 10 | 0 |
What Mercury Lynx owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. The 1985 model year has the most, with 5.
All Mercury Lynx recalls (20)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Mercury Lynx, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Seats
The forward outboard pedestal of the seat track of driver's seat may be susceptible to fatigue fracture.
Remedy: Install a reinforcement on all models and a new seat track as necessary
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
External cracks above the number 3 cylinder (1984 models) or rocker arm cover gaskets splitting (1985 models) could allow oil to leak onto the exhaust manifold.
Remedy: Replace cracked cylinder heads (1984 models); replace rocker arm cover gaskets (1985 models).
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.
Remedy: Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage.
Model years: 1986, 1987
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Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)
Lug nuts could gall and possibly seize on the wheel studs without providing adequate clamping load on the wheels.
Remedy: Replace wheel lug nuts and if necessary, replace wheels and wheel studs.
Model years: 1987
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Seat belts: rear/other
Rear seat belt retractors may allow twisted webbing to enter the retractor housing and jam the retractor. Consequence of defect: a jammed retractor would interfere with webbing retraction and withdrawal. This will discourage seat belt usage.
Remedy: A clip will be inserted into the retractor housing webbing to prevent jamming.
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Vehicle speed control
The throttle lever may not return to idle position due to misalignment of the air conditioner shut off switch to the throttle lever pin. Consequence of defect: a jammed throttle could result in a loss of accelerator control, without prior warning, and an accident.
Remedy: Adjust shutoff switch and assure proper alignment to throttle lever pin.
Model years: 1985
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
The brake line may be positioned too close to an engine bracket. Normal engine movements may cause the bracket to rub against the brake line.
Remedy: The brake line will be inspected and rerouted if necessary.
Model years: 1984
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Seats
Screw that connects the seat back frame to the recliner mechanism may break.
Remedy: The attachment screw on the driver"s seat will be replaced by one of a larger diameter.
Model years: 1981
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Seats
Seat frame structure could sever front seat belts if vehicle is involved in an accident, depending on force of impact.
Remedy: Dealer will install a molded spacer between reinforcement plates and lower decorative plastic cover.
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Anchorage (seat belts)
The bolts that attach the d-shaped ring for the shoulder belt are inadequately supported by the material in which they are mounted. The attachment does not comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages".
Remedy: Dealers will install new attaching hardware to improve the strength of the mounting.
Model years: 1984
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Door lock pillars could develop fatigue cracks from normal usage of door, at the point where door latch striker reinforcements are attached.
Remedy: Any damaged lock pillars will be repaired and reinforcements will be installed between the door latch striker and lock pillars.
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Seat belts
The portion of the roof above frame (rail) to which the shoulder belt is anchored may have a slot that can compromise the strength of the shoulder belt anchor under certain severe loads. (the suspect area is not visible.) consequently, some vehicles included in this recall may not meet the 3000 pound anchorage strength requirements of…
Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, reinforce the roof rail inner panel surrounding the drainage hole at no cost to owner.
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Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)
During a crash barrier test, the rubber hose connecting the fuel tank and the metal filler pipe vent tube was cut, resulting in fuel leakage. The involved vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity".
Remedy: Dealer will install a brace between the right side rear quarter panel and the body side rail to improve fuel tank impact resistance.
Model years: 1983
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Air conditioner (equipment)
On the involved vehicles, a thermal limiter in the blower motor resistor circuit of the air conditioner/heater assembly may not function as intended. If the blower motor becomes jammed when the system is operating in the medium-low blower speed, the resistor coils can overheat causing melting and possible ignition.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the resistor assembly with an improved version without charge to owner.
Model years: 1982
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Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)
Some of the involved vehicles have an electrically ungrounded fuel inlet. These vehicles are subject to static charge accumulation at the fuel filler pipe opening, which can occur if these vehicles are refueled from an electrically ungrounded dispensing nozzle.
Remedy: A grounding connection from the filler pipe inlet to the vehicle body and a static electricity suppression rod inside the filler pipe will be installed at no charge to owner.
Model years: 1981
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Vacuum (service brakes)
Some vehicles equipped with power brake boosters have front and rear shells that may have been improperly joined. Improperly joined booster shells may separate either partially or completely during brake application.
Remedy: All defective boosters will be replaced at no charge to owner.
Model years: 1981
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Vehicle speed control
Fuel may possibly travel through the speed control vacuum lines and into the speed control actuation device (serv0). The fuel can damage seals in the actuator servo and allow vacuum leaks. Such a leak could activate the speed control without any action on the part of the driver. This would cause the vehicle to gradually accelerate.
Remedy: The vacuum check valve and hose assembly will be replaced and the speed control servo will be replaced if it has been damaged.
Model years: 1981
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Tank assembly (fuel system)
On certain vehicles, metal fasteners that were used to secure the carpeting to the floor pan may have accidentally penetrated the top of the fuel tank. This would result in a slight fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect vehicles for penetration of the fuel tank by carpet fasteners. Any leaking fuel tanks will be replaced and the floor pan will be sealed, without charge to owners.
Model years: 1981
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Electrical system: front underhood
Some of the involved vehicles were produced with an engine compartment wire assembly that may have been routed above the air conditioning suction hose. This hose may push up on the wiring harness causing it to contact the hood prop rod bracket attaching bolt. This could lead to penetration or chafing of the wiring insulation.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, correct the wiring harness routing at no charge to owner.
Model years: 1981
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Foundation components (service brakes)
On certain vehicles, the right and left hand rear brake backing plate attachment bolts may not have been tightened to the correct specifications. Backing plate bolts may not be able to withstand the loads experienced during truck shipment. If the bolts loosen from the spindle during operation, backing plate movement may result in…
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and tighten the bolts to the proper specifications. Rear brake tubes will be replaced, if necessary, at no charge to owner.
Model years: 1981
Other Mercury models
- Sable5,381 complaints
- Grand Marquis3,951 complaints
- Milan2,519 complaints
- Mountaineer1,992 complaints
- Cougar1,893 complaints
- Villager1,725 complaints
- Mariner1,296 complaints
- Mystique1,019 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.