IllustrationI UNDERSTAND AN IGNITION MODULE IS SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF A CAR. MINE FAILED AT ABOUT 44,000 MILES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT; THE CAR STALLED AS WE WERE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. STILL THERE CLEARLY IS A PROBLEM, AND YOU NEED TO ADDRESS IT.*AK
1986 Merkur XR4TI
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all XR4TI years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
7 reportsWHILE DRIVING EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LET FUMES INTO VEHICLE, CONSUMER REPLACED MANIFOLD, AND IT CRACKED AGAIN. THIS WAS OWNER'S THIRD MERKUR, AND ON EACH ONES EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD A/C LINES RUN DIRECTLY OVER TURBO, AND EXCESSIVE HEAT CAUSED A/C LINE TO BURST, RELEASING R12 FREON IN THE ENVIRONMEN…
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WHILE DRIVING EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LET FUMES INTO VEHICLE, CONSUMER REPLACED MANIFOLD, AND IT CRACKED AGAIN. THIS WAS OWNER'S THIRD MERKUR, AND ON EACH ONES EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD A/C LINES RUN DIRECTLY OVER TURBO, AND EXCESSIVE HEAT CAUSED A/C LINE TO BURST, RELEASING R12 FREON IN THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO EVERYONE AS WELL. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS POOR DESIGN BY MANUFACTURER. *AK
THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE HADZARD SWITCH WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. AS SUCH THERE ARE NO HAZARDS OR TURN DIGNALS. I HAVE REPLACED THIS ONCE AND THE HAZARDS SWITCH IS GOING ON THIS TOO. I HAVE A SPARE PART BUT ON THAT ONLY THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WORKS. THIS IS VERY …
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THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE HADZARD SWITCH WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. AS SUCH THERE ARE NO HAZARDS OR TURN DIGNALS. I HAVE REPLACED THIS ONCE AND THE HAZARDS SWITCH IS GOING ON THIS TOO. I HAVE A SPARE PART BUT ON THAT ONLY THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WORKS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE AT NIGHT OR ON THE HIGHWAY IF I BROKE DOWN NO ONE COULD SEE ME. THIS HAPPENED ONCE. LUCKILY A COP STOPPED AND PUT OUT FLARES FOR ME. THIS BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT COMPLETE. THE GAS TANK HAS A PROBLEM AND THAT THE GAS GAUGE IS DEFECTIVE. THIS WAS THE REASON WHY I BROKE DOWN, NO GAS, BUT THE GAUGE READ FULL.
I OWN OR HAVE OWNED 5 DIFFERENT XR4TI'S. ALL WERE BOUGHT USED, BUT SOME WERE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. IN ALL CASES, THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED. ITS BASIC DESIGN IS PRONE TO FAILURE BECAUSE THE PLASTIC GETS BRITTLE AND EVEN HAS A BURNED LOOK TO IT. FORD SHOULD EITHER RECALL, OR OFFER REPLACEMENT AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
THIS SWITCH ASSEMBLY IS MISDESIGNED. IT WILL NOT REMAIN FUNCTIONAL EVEN UNDER LIGHT USE AND RESULTS IN A HAZARDOUS CONDITION.
THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHT SWITCH IS INTEGRAL TO THE TURN SIGNAL/HIGH BEAM LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. DISINTEGRATION OF THE INTERNALS OF THE HAZARD SWITCH (WHICH IS USED VERY RARELY) HAS REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY ON TWO OCCASSIONS IN THE 11 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. FAILURE OF THIS SWITCH POSES A POTENTI…
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THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHT SWITCH IS INTEGRAL TO THE TURN SIGNAL/HIGH BEAM LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. DISINTEGRATION OF THE INTERNALS OF THE HAZARD SWITCH (WHICH IS USED VERY RARELY) HAS REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY ON TWO OCCASSIONS IN THE 11 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. FAILURE OF THIS SWITCH POSES A POTENTIAL DANGER IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY NIGHT-TIME STOP ON THE HIGHWAY.
ENGINE FIRE, OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT. *TW
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.