1991 Mercury Capri

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

75/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 1991 Mercury Capri, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Visibility	6	15%
Power train	6	15%
Electrical system	5	13%
Air bags	5	13%
Engine and engine cooling	5	13%
Structure	4	10%
Fuel system	2	5%
Seats	1	3%
Power train	1	3%
Engine and engine cooling	1	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

DRIVING, THEN COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN, WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING, AND WILL NOT RE-START. AT FIRST IT RESTARTED AFTER ABOUT 4 HOURS. NEXT WHEN IT HAD HAPPENED IT DID NOT RESTART UNTIL OVERNIGHT REST.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH A POLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG "EXPLODED", CRACKING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, AND CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER'S HEAD, CHIN, AND NECK.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I HAVE TAKEN CAR OFF ROAD. TWO FORD DEALERS AND TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE TOLD ME UNLESS IT STALLS WHILE THEY HAVE IT THEY CAN NOT FIX IT- IT IS A SENSOR OR SOMETHING WHICH DOESN'T SHOW ON THE COMPUTER CODE
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

CONSUMER'S SON DROVE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR SERVICE DEALER NOTICED A RIP IN CONVERTIBLE TOP. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SMALL RIP IN LEFT BACK CORNER OF CONVERTIBLE TOP. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Structure

CONSUMER HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED SINCE 1996. CAUSE OF PREMATURE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN. ALSO, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Power train

CRANKSHAFT TWISTS THE CRANK KEY CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

THE PULLEY END OF CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF ON THE INSIDE LANE OF THE SOUTH BOUND SIDE OF IH 35 AT MOORE, OK. THE END OF THE SHAFT AND THE PULLEY SPUN ACROSS THE NORTH BOUND SIDE OF I-35 BETWEEN CARS. NO ONE WAS INJURED AS
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1991 Mercury Capri. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines 91V009000

THE RUBBER TUBE THAT CONNECTS THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER (IN THE RADIATOR) MAY DISCONNECT CAUSING DISCHARGE OF FLUID.

Risk: DISCHARGED TRANSMISSION FLUID MAY STRIKE THE EXHAUSTMANIFOLD OR THE EXHAUST PIPE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Fix: INSTALL REVISED LINE AND CLAMPS TO IMPROVE LINE RETENTION TO THE TRANSMISSION.

Air bags 92V080000

THE AIR BAG MODULES DO NOT MEET THE FORD SPECIFICATIONS FOR HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE.

Risk: AT HIGH AMBIENT INTERIOR VEHICLE TEMPERATURES ABOVE140 DEGREES, THE AIR BAG MAY TEAR AND MALFUNCTION UPON DEPLOYMENT.

Fix: REPLACE THE AIR BAG MODULES WITH MODULES THAT MEET SPECIFICATIONS.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	91	excellent
Longevity est.	83	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	60	average
Performance	41	below average
Efficiency	41	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 68% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 82% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 56% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 91: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 83: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1991 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1991 Mercury Capri?

Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and visibility is the most reported area with 6 of them (15%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1991 Mercury Capri reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 91/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1991 Mercury Capri last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1991 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1991 Mercury Capri?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.