Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
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Get plain-language explanations of recalls and complaints for the
Mercury Capri. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
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Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Mercury Capri,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 1971–1994 with 43 recall campaigns and 60 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 1974 (6), 1971 (6), and 1979 (5).
Years with the most complaint volume: 1991 (33), 1992 (14), and 1993 (6).
Top recall themes: Seats and restraints, Steering and suspension, and Brakes.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Power train:automatic transmission, Structure:body:roof and pillars, Electrical system:ignition:switch.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Seats and restraints
4 campaigns · Years: 1971–1974, 1981, 1984–1985
These campaigns relate to seats, belts, airbags restraint integration, or child restraint anchoring components.
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Mercury Capri in NHTSA complaint data are
Power train:automatic transmission, Structure:body:roof and pillars, Electrical system:ignition:switch.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
1994
1
2
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, Vehicle speed control.
1993
1
6
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Power train:automatic transmission, Power train:manual transmission, Suspension:front:stabilizer bar.
1992
1
14
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Structure:body:roof and pillars, Exterior lighting:headlights, Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module.
1991
2
33
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Power train:automatic transmission, Air bags:frontal, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
1985
2
4
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system:ignition:switch.
1984
3
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1983
1
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1981
1
1
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Structure:body.
1979
5
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1977
1
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1976
2
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1975
3
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1974
6
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1973
3
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1972
5
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
1971
6
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Power train
, Service brakes
and Seats
Show recall evidence by year
1994
Vehicle speed control:
Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
1993
Power train: Cooling unit and lines:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The transmission fluid rubber tube connecting the transmission to the transmission oil cooler located in the radiator can become disconnected from the transmission, resulting in discharge of transmission fluid.
1992
Air bags:
Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The air bag modules do not meet the ford specifications for high ambient temperature performance.
1991
Power train: Cooling unit and lines:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The air bag modules do not meet the ford specifications for high ambient temperature performance.
1985
Service brakes, hydraulic: Vacuum:
Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Brake booster rear shells may have reduced wall thicknesses which could cause the shell to break. Consequence of defect: repeated brake use could cause the shell to crack and the booster assembly to come apart. Service brakes capability would be totally lost without warning and could result in an
Seat belts: Anchorage:
Safety recall involving the seat belts area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic sleeve in the front safety belt tongue assembly which retains the lock bar can deteriorate from prolonged exposure to sunlight and become displaced, causing the tongue to detach from the safety belt webbing.
1984
Seat belts: Anchorage:
Safety recall involving the seat belts area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: 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".
Fuel system, gasoline: Carburetor system:
Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The plastic sleeve in the front safety belt tongue assembly which retains the lock bar can deteriorate from prolonged exposure to sunlight and become displaced, causing the tongue to detach from the safety belt webbing.
1983
Structure: Hood:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Inadequate clearance between the underside of the hood and the throttle linkage could damage the linkage and prevent the throttle from returning to idle position. This condition is due to installation of the incorrect hood style during vehicle assembly.
1981
Seats: Recliner:
Safety recall involving the seats area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The housing plates on the driver seat back latch recliner assemblies were manufactured with substandard material products. This tainted steel was used to produce seatback latches for both the right and left side seat assemblies. Under certain conditions, the defective housing plates may distort,
1979
Steering: Column:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The tilt steering columns on the involved vehicles contain in-process temporary alignment pins rather than the permanent press-fit pivot pins. The temporary pins are slightly undersized and could separate from the steering column during vehicle operation. This can cause steering wheel lockup.
Engine and engine cooling: Fan:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The involved vehicles are equipped with flexible cooling fan blades that may crack when subjected to high engine speed operating conditions. Fan blade cracking can lead to fragments separating from the fan.
Steering: Steering wheel/handle bar:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: An incorrect steering gear flange may have been installed, which may slip and cause eventual loss of steering control.
Engine and engine cooling: Fan:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: With the engine operating at high speed, the plastic engine fan finger guards may contact the engine fan and breakage of the guard may occur. This could cause fragments of the finger guard to scatter.
Service brakes, hydraulic: Pedals and linkages:
Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The involved vehicles were produced with brake push-rod to brake pedal retaining pins which were not heat-treated as specified. This could allow the brake pedal to become disengaged from the push-rod.
1977
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The gear shift selector lever may break during shifting.
1976
Service brakes, hydraulic: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings:
Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Service brakes, hydraulic: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings:
Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The gear shift selector lever may break during shifting.
1974
Electrical system: Front underhood:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Service brakes, hydraulic: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings:
Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The reclining seat assemblies may have a poor quality or a missing weld in the seat back frame. This could cause additional loading on other supportive elements in the seat which could result in loosening and eventual breakage of the seat back.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The reclining seat assemblies may have a poor quality or a missing weld in the seat back frame. This could cause additional loading on other supportive elements in the seat which could result in loosening and eventual breakage of the seat back.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The gear shift selector lever may break during shifting.
1972
Steering: Steering wheel/handle bar:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The reclining seat assemblies may have a poor quality or a missing weld in the seat back frame. This could cause additional loading on other supportive elements in the seat which could result in loosening and eventual breakage of the seat back.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The gear shift selector lever may break during shifting.
1971
Steering: Steering wheel/handle bar:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Steering: Steering wheel/handle bar:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: The reclining seat assemblies may have a poor quality or a missing weld in the seat back frame. This could cause additional loading on other supportive elements in the seat which could result in loosening and eventual breakage of the seat back.
Power train: Floor shift assembly:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
