Mercury TRACER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
371 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
82,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1987 to 2000 model years. Data snapshot: . 69 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 35 of 371 complaints (9.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 43 | 11.6% |
| Braking behavior | 38 | 10.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 7.3% |
| Steering behavior | 22 | 5.9% |
| Engine operation | 11 | 3.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 35 |
| Air Bags | 25 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 23 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 17 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 14 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 12 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 35; Air Bags: 25; Air Bags:Frontal: 23; Vehicle Speed Control: 18; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 17; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 16; Unknown Or Other: 14; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 17 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 8
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 302 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 60 |
| 1996 | 40 |
| 2000 | 57 |
| 2001 | 63 |
| 2002 | 40 |
| 2003 | 41 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
1995: 60; 1996: 40; 2000: 57; 2001: 63; 2002: 40; 2003: 41; 2004: 20; 2005: 14; 2006: 6; 2007: 7; 2008: 5; 2009: 6; 2010: 4; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2017: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 43 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 27 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
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.
Owner report 10133689 · 2005-08-22 (August 22, 2005)
(1) SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT MOVE TO DRIVING POSITION, COOLANT FAN WOULD NOT RUN WHEN NEEDED WITH ENGINE RUNNING ONLY WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, OIL LIGHT STAYED ON AND ALTERNATELY FLASHED WITH THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR. (2) A SHORTING CONNECTOR TO THE FUEL PUMP BURNED THE WIRE BUNDLE TO THE FUEL PUMP IN THE TANK. IT ALSO BURNED WIRES BEHIND THE FUSE BLOCK AND UNDER THE DASH!!! (3) THE CONNECTOR, HARNESS UPDATE, FUEL PUMP/PUMP ASSEMBLY, LOCK RING, WERE REPLACED, BURNED WIRES WERE REPLACED BEHIND THE FUSE BLOCK. THE CAR CANN…
Owner-reported narrative. 78,768 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133689 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 483161 · 1995-08-21 (August 21, 1995)
WHEN GAS TANK IS FILLED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAS A GASOLINE ODOR. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483161 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 971140 · 1995-08-28 (August 28, 1995)
FRONT BRAKE HOSES CRACKING, REPLACE ONE. OTHER ONE CRACKED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 971140 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 971399 · 1995-08-31 (August 31, 1995)
BRAKE FAILURE, FAILURE OF MASTER CYLINDER, SURGE WHILE DRIVING, PEDAL FADED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 971399 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 984295 · 1996-05-09 (May 9, 1996)
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED SMOKE TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN, WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 984295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 983348 · 1996-04-23 (April 23, 1996)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, SAW SMOKE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 983348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 502672 · 1996-03-17 (March 17, 1996)
STEERING COLUMN UNBOLTED. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502672 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11014936 · 2017-08-13 (August 13, 2017)
THERE IS A STALLING PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN DRIVING! THE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I HAD TO BE PUSHED OF A MAIN ROAD. IT TOOK HOURS TO RESTART. IF I WAIT OVER 10 HOURS, MOST TIMES THE CAR WILL RESTART. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE IGNITION MODULE AND /OR THE MAGNET AND/OR THE ROTOR. I HAVE SPENT NEARLY $2,300.00 REPLACING PARTS. THE CAR STILL STALLS OUT EVEN WHEN DRIVING! IT IS POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR OR THE IGNITION MODULE. THE CONTACTS TO THE RELAY IN THE FUSE BOX WERE CLEANED BUT IT STILL STALLS RANDOMLY. I …
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11014936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 742586 · 2001-03-17 (March 17, 2001)
CAR STALLED AFTER 15-20 MINUTES OF DRIVING PRIMARILY IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER. STALLING SEEMED DIRECTLY RELATED TO HEAT. THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL IDILING OR AT 65 MPH, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FINALLY, A YEAR AND HALF AFTER THE, AND THREE MECHANICS, THE MERCURY DEALER ISOLATED THE PROBLEM TO THE EEC IV PROCESSOR. THEY REPLACED THE PROCESSOR AND THE STALLING HAS STOPPED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 742586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070768 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
I HAVE A 1.8 ENGINE AND I NEEDED IT TO BE REBUILT. I DID NOT PUT ANY MILES ON THE ENGINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DECIDED TO DIE. THIS CAR IS AN IMPOSSIBLE CAR TO GET PARTS FOR. IF I CAN GET THE PARTS, THE BOOK OR THE COMPUTER GIVES ME THE WRONG PART AND CANNOT FIND A REPLACEMENT PART. I NEED A PARTS BOOK AND WHATEVER TO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND IT CAN NOT BE FOUND. WHERE CAN I FIND PARTS THAT DO NOT COST ME THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT THAN OTHER CARS. THIS CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070768 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 959695 · 1995-02-07 (February 7, 1995)
SHIFTED INTO REVERSE VEHICLE SURGED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD INTO BRICK WALL. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 959695 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 1 |
| 1988 | 3 |
| 1989 | 1 |
| 1990 | 0 |
| 1991 | 2 |
| 1992 | 1 |
| 1993 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 |
1987: 1; 1988: 3; 1989: 1; 1990: 0; 1991: 2; 1992: 1; 1993: 0; 1994: 1; 1995: 3; 1996: 0; 1997: 1; 1998: 0; 1999: 0; 2000: 0