The 1986 Mercury Lynx has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,975,500 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE FORWARD OUTBOARD PEDESTAL OF THE SEAT TRACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURE.
THIS COULD RESULT IN A LIMITED DEGREE OF ROCKING MOTIONOF THE DRIVERS SEAT ASSEMBLY UPON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION, WHICH COULDCAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT ON ALL MODELS AND A NEW SEAT TRACK AS NECESSARY
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“While parked next to garage, started up engine, left in park , returned, flames were shooting out from underhood, used pails of water to put out fire, cause unknown, not inspected by dealer or fire department. *ak”
“Alternator wiring harness has caught on fire twice, once while driving and the second time while parked. Please describe details. *ak”
“Alternator wiring harness has caught on fire twice, once while driving and the second time while parked. Please describe details. *ak”
“Car was in the car wash front driver side window blew out. Tt”
“Driver's seat belt retractor replaced three times. *skd”
“Driver's outside door handle replaced.”
“One headlight replaced.”
“Windshield wiper blades replaced.”
REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:FORD BELIEVES THAT THE AL-LEGED DEFECT ONLY OCCURS IN A SMALL NUMBER OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ANDRECALLED ABOUT 195,732 1984 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES IN JUNE 1986.ANALYSIS: VEHICLES POTENTIALLY INVOLVED INCLUDE TEMPO/TOPAZ, ESCORT/LYNX/EXP, MUSTANG/CAPRI, LTD/MARQUIS, AND…
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE ALLEGED FIRES RESULT FROMA VARIETY OF CAUSES.FIRE RATE REMAINS ABOUT THE SAME DESPITE MAJORCHANGES WITH 85-1/2 MODELS.IT BELIEVES THAT THE FIRE RATE IS LESS THANINDUSTRY AVERAGE.MFGR REQUEST COPIES OF SPECIFIC FIRE REPORTS FOR TRENDANALYSIS.ANALYSIS:SEVERAL AREAS OF FIRE…
SUMMARY: A FRACTURED FRONT SEAT TRACK RECEIVED FROM AN ESCORT OWNER SHOWSTHAT METAL FATIGUE OCCURRED WHICH COULD CAUSE PARTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT.ANOTHER OWNER SENT PICTURES SHOWING FRACTURE AT THE SAME LOCATION. TENOF THE EIGHTEEN ODI COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.MANUFACTURER INFORMATION:…
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SUMMARY: A FRACTURED FRONT SEAT TRACK RECEIVED FROM AN ESCORT OWNER SHOWSTHAT METAL FATIGUE OCCURRED WHICH COULD CAUSE PARTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT.ANOTHER OWNER SENT PICTURES SHOWING FRACTURE AT THE SAME LOCATION. TENOF THE EIGHTEEN ODI COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.MANUFACTURER INFORMATION:…
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1986 Mercury Lynx as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.