NHTSA vehicle safety data

1996 Mercury Tracer Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 1996 Mercury Tracer has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 12 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercury dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1996 Mercury Tracer, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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1996 Mercury Tracer owner complaints

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Mercury Tracer, describing incidents dated July 18, 1996 to February 7, 2006.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 3 complaints
Seat Belts 3 complaints
Seats 2 complaints
Steering 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint
Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint

Of the 12 complaints on file, 4 report a crash; across all 12 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10150759 · Filed February 21, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE SEAT, CYLINDER HEAD, AND…
ODI #10027207 · Filed July 14, 2003
VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE EXHAUST.*AK
ODI #893567 · Filed August 6, 2001
WHILE DRIVING DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO A DITCH. AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY AND EXPLODE. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE.*JB

Read all 12 complaints

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1996 Mercury Tracer as of November 3, 2026. New recalls can be issued at any time, so check the specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before buying.

1996 Mercury Tracer 4-DR.

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

12 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Mercury Tracer.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10150759

Incident: February 7, 2006 · Filed: February 21, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE SEAT, CYLINDER HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10027207

Filed: July 14, 2003

VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE EXHAUST.*AK

Steering; Air Bags; Seat Belts

ODI #893567

Crash 1 injury

Incident: July 22, 2001 · Filed: August 6, 2001

WHILE DRIVING DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO A DITCH. AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY AND EXPLODE. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE.*JB

Seat Belts

ODI #878964

Incident: December 1, 1998 · Filed: January 24, 2001

RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS UP, AND WHEN DOOR IS OPENED IT SLIDES QUICKLY BACK. *AK

Air Bags

ODI #874100

Crash

Filed: October 30, 2000

THIS VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 45 MPH, AND FORNTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

Structure

ODI #821348

Incident: July 18, 1996 · Filed: January 5, 1998

THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S DOORS WOULD POP & GRIND WHENEVER THEY ARE OPENED. AIR COMES THROUGH THE WINDOW. TOOK TO DEALER 4 TIMES & GOING FOR 5TH TIME. PROBLEM GETTING WORSE. DOORS ARE HARDER TO OPEN. *AK

Air Bags

ODI #817788

Incident: July 1, 1997 · Filed: October 28, 1997

WHEN DRIVING ON ANY ROAD CONDITION A VIBRATING NOISE COMES FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG. THE PASSANGER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND 3 TO 4 DAYS LATER THE VIBRATION STARTED AGAIN. *AK

Seats

ODI #708379

Crash 5 injuries

Incident: June 25, 1999 · Filed: July 8, 1999

ON 6-25-99 WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER REAR-ENDED US GOING ABOUT 35-40MILES PER HOUR. AT IMPACT BOTH FRONT SEATS LATCH BROKE AND THE SEATS SLID BACK AND RESTED IN THE LAPS OF MY 3 CHILDREN SEATED IN THE BACK. THE DRIVERS SEAT ALSO SEEMED TO BECOME UNBOLTED AND TWISTED BEFORE IT SLID BACK HITTING MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BETWEEN THE EYES. AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THEY DID NOT. OUR CAR SLID ONE CITY BLOCK AT IMPACT. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED AND THE REAR DOORS JAMMED. I HAD TO LEAN AND PULL ON THE FRONT SEATS TO PULL MY CHILDREN FROM THE BACK SEATS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR MY 3AND 1 YEAR OLDS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOCKED IN CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *AK

Steering

ODI #603445

Filed: July 1, 1997

POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNING.

Power Train

ODI #550453

Incident: September 1, 1999 · Filed: January 18, 2000

SPEEDOMETER DIAL ASSEMBLY FAILED. NLM

Other Mercury Tracer model years

Check your 1996 Mercury Tracer VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercury Tracer at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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