Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

1981 Mercury LYNX problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

0 owner complaints analyzed

10 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1981 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

No owner complaints are recorded for this selection. A complaint can name multiple components.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

No usable records for this chart.

Component breakdown data
CategoryCount

No records.

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

No usable records for this chart.

Complaints over time data
CategoryCount

No records.

Pattern summary

There is not enough complaint evidence to summarize patterns.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

0 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

UnavailableUsable mileage0 / 0 records
UnavailableValid incident date0 / 0 records
UnavailableValid filing date0 / 0 records
UnavailableOrdered incident and filing dates0 / 0 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component1981198219831984198519861987
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

266.7%
ODI 504192

IGNITION SWITCH SMOKED. *SD

Look up ODI 504192 at NHTSA ↗

125.0%
ODI 983289

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

Look up ODI 983289 at NHTSA ↗

133.3%
ODI 872845

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. DEALER HAS REPLACED IGNITION MODULE FOUR TIMES. *AK DEALER REPLLACED IGNITION MODULE FOUR TIMES A T THE OWNER'S EXPENCE. *YH

Look up ODI 872845 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

120.0%
ODI 784023

IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. *CJ

Look up ODI 784023 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

250.0%
ODI 505187

ENGINE FIRE. *DH

Look up ODI 505187 at NHTSA ↗

133.3%
ODI 509936

VEHICLE FIRE.

Look up ODI 509936 at NHTSA ↗

120.0%
ODI 895518

VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN AT DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK *SLC

Look up ODI 895518 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Wiring
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

240.0%
ODI 983837

UPON PARKING AND WALKING IN HOME, DRIVER HEARD HORN AND SAW WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOTION. VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Look up ODI 983837 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

133.3%
ODI 504192

IGNITION SWITCH SMOKED. *SD

Look up ODI 504192 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

125.0%
ODI 983892

SMOKE WAS SEEN FROM THE STEERING COLUMN ONCE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Look up ODI 983892 at NHTSA ↗

Structure:Frame And Members
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

133.3%
ODI 483674

REAR STRUT UNIBODY TOP SUPPOTS RUSTED, CAUSING REAR WHEELS TO FALL INWARD INTO CAR, DISABLING VEHICLE. *AK

Look up ODI 483674 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

125.0%
ODI 984837

FRAME CRACKED NEAR THE WHEEL IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *AK

Look up ODI 984837 at NHTSA ↗

Electrical System
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

120.0%
ODI 804202

ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND THE SECOND TIME WHILE PARKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Look up ODI 804202 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

120.0%
ODI 804202

ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE, ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND THE SECOND TIME WHILE PARKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Look up ODI 804202 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Ignition:Module
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

125.0%
ODI 880449

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE TFI MOUDLE HAD FAILED, CONSUMER HAS HAD TO REPLACE 3 TIMES. *AK *TT

Look up ODI 880449 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

1986: 0 complaints · 1987: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
1986000
1987000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
1986410
1987310

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
No usable records for this analysis.

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.