MercuryMystique2000Overview/mercury/mystique/2000/base/

2000 Mercury Mystique

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2000 Mystique.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Defined as a passenger car requiring 5.8 quarts of 5W-20 API oil, the 2000 Mercury Mystique recorded 65 total owner complaints with structure identified as the top complaint area and 5 recalls. These figures exist within a 1994-2002 production history where complaint volumes fluctuated from a low of 2 in 1994 to a peak of 409 in 1995. Positioned between these extremes, the 2000 edition represents a moderate entry in the vehicle's overall reliability history.

Model year200019991998199719961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque94 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 40R · 590 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 40R · 590 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP185-70R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5 inOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.8 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 94 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.8 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)47.0-53.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts88 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12.0-15.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts13.0-16.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0-22.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts94 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub199 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub210 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)845 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)55 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)MT: 772.5, AT: 730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)MT: 42.5, AT: 30 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.056-0.056 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.76 oz
Standard BCI Group Number40R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance590 cca
Standard BCI Group Number40R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance590 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature187-194 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)35.0-55.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 DOHC ohms

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket30 ft-lbs / 88 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle43 ft-lbs / 85-105 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.125; Rear: 0.125 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in / 0.006 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.79 in / 0.95 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., step 2: 9037 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat bolt threads with clean engine oil.

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
233.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
3105 degrees105 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
At 150,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2000 Mercury Mystique sits on a clear downward arc across its federal record, with complaints falling from a 1998 peak of 257 (and 11 recalls) to 65 in 2000 — a drop of more than half from 1999's 140. Recalls (5) and investigations (1) for 2000 also trail the 1995–1998 high-issue years, though they remain more active than the 2-complaint, 0-recall, 0-investigation records logged for 2001 and 2002. Within the 2000 model year, complaint concentrations are led by Structure (13), Visibility (7), Air Bags (5), and Engine & Engine Cooling (5), and the 8 crash-related complaints — with zero fire complaints — are a meaningful flag that warrants a targeted inspection. The data does not specify root causes for these component issues, so a pre-purchase check of body integrity, airbag system status, and cooling system service history is advisable. Overall, 2000 is a defensible year to buy within this generation, provided recalls have been completed and the specific candidate is inspected against the listed concern areas.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
81
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
65
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 65 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure13
Visibility7
Air Bags5
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Electrical System4
Unknown Or Other4
Fuel System, Gasoline3
Suspension2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E033000SuspensionReported 14/04/2008

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS… Remedy: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

06E022000Service Brakes, HydraulicReported 13/03/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA… Remedy: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 81 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
041892004-12-13VisibilityREAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR…
0421072004-12-13Power TrainGENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
042172004-11-01Power TrainGENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
041742004-09-06Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES…
0315012004-07-12VisibilityINOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Mystique. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2000 Mystique take?

5.8 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2000 Mystique have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.