1997 Mercury Tracer Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 10, 2010 · Filed: October 11, 2010

1997 MERCURY TRACER TRIO VIN [XXX] MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM WANTED AUTO SALES IN WORLEY IDAHO. MY WE HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. WE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. MY WIFE THOUGHT WE WERE BOTTOMING OUT. I CAME TO DISCOVER THAT BOTH REAR FACTORY STRUTS THE COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUT HOUSING. IT LOOKS LIKE THE METAL HAS JUST FRACTURED AND FAILED. THE COILS MATERIAL MUST BE DEFECTIVE AND NOT UP TO SPECS FROM FORD THIS IS CLEARLY A FORD DEFECT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR US WITH A ONE YEAR OLD IN THE CAR. WE ARE NOT HAPPY IF THIS COULD COST THE DEATH OF A CHILD BECAUSE OF A UNSAFE CONDITION. THE CAR IS NOT NEW BUT THE SPRINGS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR NOT BREAK LIKE THIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

Incident: June 25, 2010 · Filed: July 19, 2010

WE HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO GET IT CHECKED BY A COMPUTER AT A LOCAL SERVICE PARTS SHOP. WHEN WE CAME BACK WE STOPPED MY CAR AND IT WAS NOT RUNNING, IGNITION OFF. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND ITS AIR BAGS HAD GONE OFF, BREAKING MY CAR'S WINDSHIELD AND OBVIOUSLY MAKING A MESS IN MY CAR. THIS CONCERNS ME SINCE MY HUSBAND AND I HAD JUST BEEN IN THE CAR A WHILE AGO AND COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY TO US WITHOUT CAUSE. *TR

Incident: June 19, 2010 · Filed: June 22, 2010

WHILE DRIVING FELT SEVERE VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISE AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT HARD. VIBRATION BECAME WORSE ABOUT 8 MILES LATER, CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. PULLED OVER, PUT THE SPARE ON. PEP BOYS REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES, THE OTHER TIRE HAD TREAD FAILURE ALSO. PEP BOYS REFUSED TO GIVE ME THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. *TR

Incident: November 10, 2004 · Filed: March 18, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A JUNKYARD. THE CONTACT LATER SOLD THE VEHICLE TO THE JUNKYARD FOR $100. THE DEALER STATED THAT BECAUSE HE NO LONGER OWNED THE VEHICLE, THEY COULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000. UPDATED 04/16/08 *BF UPDATED 04/16/08 *TR

Incident: October 8, 2007 · Filed: November 7, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY TRACER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE INTO THE MEDIAN TO AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS BLOWN. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD IN THE ENGINE FAILED AND CAUSED HER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO HONOR THE WARRANTY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE WARRANTY INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ON OCTOBER 8, 2007, THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. AFTER THREE HOURS OF INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS STILL UNDETERMINED. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN A FEW DAYS. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING SPEED AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH ANOTHER COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE WARRANTY COMPANY, BUT THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WORK. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE SHE REPORTED THE DEALER TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91,698. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERATIVE. THE AC DID NOT BLOW OUT COLD AIR, THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 12/12/07

Incident: August 30, 2007 · Filed: August 31, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V323000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE). THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HER HANDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,437. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB UPDATED *JB

Incident: February 10, 2006 · Filed: May 10, 2006

THIS CAR IS A FORD MERCURY TRACER, 1997, VIN #1MELM10P2VW6246 THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING ACID AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER THE CAR BURST IN FLAMES WE LOST THE ENTIRE INTERIOR. *JB

Incident: February 27, 2006 · Filed: February 28, 2006

1-CAR SEEMED TO BOTTOM OUT IN THE REAR WHEN 4 OCCUPANTS WERE IN CAR, ALSO SCRAPING NOISE. 2-CHECKED CAR AND FOUND CONTACT-COIL SPRINGS RUBBING AGAINST CAR, APPEARED TO BE OUT OF THE HOLDER. CHECKED AND FOUND BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN. SPRINGS PROVIDE VEHICLE STABILITY, CONTROL AND HANDLING. 3-REPLACED BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS, I HAVE BOTH OLD SPRINGS. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW SPRINGS HAVE THE SPRINGS INSTALLED 180 DEGREES FROM THE POSITION OF THE OLD SPRINGS. TIGHT COILS UP, OEM WAS TIGHT COILS DOWN. *NM

Incident: June 1, 2004 · Filed: March 26, 2005

RPM'S LOWER AND STALL CAR-TOOK TO SHOP IN 2004 TOLD PLUG/WIRE MISFIRE AND VACUUM LEAK. PAID ALMOST $200. ONE WEEK LATER STARTED AGAIN. CAR VIBRATES BADLY WHEN BRAKE APPLIED, BOTH BACK SPRINGS HAVE GIVEN OUT, CRANKSHAFT/PULLEY WOBBLES BADLY, HAS SNAPPED SERPENTINE BELT, REPLACED BELT TENSIONER AND BELT, SNAPPED AGAIN ONE MONTH LATER, REPLACED BELT AGAIN, BUT HAS ONLY BEEN TWO MONTHS. CAR SWAYS IN LANE DUE TO BAD BACK SPRINGS. CAR MAKES VIBRATING NOISE UNDER HOOD WHEN PARKED AT AN IDLE. TIE ROD REPLACED TWO TIMES. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT AND ALL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING A BLOWN RADIATOR, AND UNEXPLAINED WEAR ON BRAKES ALL STARTED AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES. THIS CAR HAS BEEN ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELTS LOCKING TOO TIGHTLY FOR NO REASON. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS CAR; HOWEVER, THE 1ST OWNER WAS AN OLDER FAMILY MEMBER THAT DROVE TO AND FROM WORK.*AK

Incident: November 19, 2004 · Filed: November 19, 2004

THE HORN SUDDENLY GOES OFF AND WON'T STOP UNTIL THE FUSE IS PULLED-ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I HAVE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE HORN FUSE AND DRIVE AROUND WITH NO HORN FOR A YEAR NOW DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. MUCH TIME AND MONEY WAS SPENT TRYING TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIRBAG/HORN UNIT, AT A COST OF $600.00. *AK