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Mercury TracerYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 566 NHTSA owner complaints across 14 model years, no Mercury Tracer year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1998. The Tracer has 10 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 1997Best years'91 '93 '95 '98Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints566Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls101987–2000 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Mercury Tracer years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Tracer median. Tap a year for its full report.

'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2000Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1999Not rated–/10020 complaints · 0 recalls1998Solid66/10044 complaints · 0 recalls1997Caution32/100142 complaints · 1 recall1996Not rated–/10012 complaints · 0 recalls1995Solid49/10096 complaints · 3 recalls1994Solid45/10065 complaints · 1 recall1993Solid51/10062 complaints · 0 recalls1992Not rated–/10024 complaints · 1 recall1991Solid56/10060 complaints · 2 recalls1990Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1989Not rated–/10016 complaints · 1 recall1988Not rated–/10021 complaints · 3 recalls1987Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Mercury Tracer problems

All model years combined: 566 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system7926
Air bags7440
Engine and engine cooling738
Fuel system, gasoline695
Seat belts6313
Service brakes, hydraulic5311
Suspension454
Power train374
Vehicle speed control3412
17 other systems14228
10 recalls

Mercury Tracer recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive02V-323 · 1997 · Dec 9, 2002 · 396,217 vehicles–Storage: tank assembly97V-145 · 1995 · Sep 3, 1997 · 600 vehicles–Storage: tank assembly97V-144 · 1995 · Sep 3, 1997 · 64,000 vehicles–Front: buckle assembly95V-103 · 1987–1989 · Jun 27, 1995 · 265,000 vehicles–Air bags: frontal94V-218 · 1994–1995 · Nov 10, 1994 · 240 vehicles–Anti-theft: control module93V-057 · 1991 · Apr 15, 1993 · 91,000 vehicles–Fuel system, gasoline92V-117 · 1991 · Aug 19, 1992 · 22,000 vehicles–Brake lights: switch92V-103 · 1992 · Jul 13, 1992 · 43,000 vehicles–Front: retractor89V-085 · 1988 · May 22, 1989 · 66,300 vehicles–Tank assembly: filler pipe and cap87V-092 · 1988 · Jun 15, 1987 · 191 vehicles
6 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Tracer

  1. WATER INTRUSION INTO AIRBAG MONITOREA02008 · 1997 · closed Dec 11, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-323
  2. INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR WATERPE02010 · 1997 · closed Jun 10, 2002
    No recall
  3. AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENTDP01001 · 1998–1999 · closed Nov 1, 2001
    No recall
  4. FUEL TANK ASSEMBLYRQ97010 · 1995 · closed May 22, 2000
    Led to recall 97V-144
  5. FUEL PUMP WIRING SHORTAGEEA94002 · 1991–1993 · closed Jan 31, 1995
    No recall
  6. SEATBELT RETRACTOR JAMSPE89037 · 1988 · closed May 25, 1989
    Led to recall 89V-085