1991 Mercury Tracer Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MERCURY TRACER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH FUEL AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT SMELLED A FUEL ODOR AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING ONTO THE GARAGE FLOOR. ALL AMERICAN FORD (3306 BRIDGE AVE, POINT PLEASANT, NJ 08742, (732) 451-3582) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ALL AMERICAN MAZDA (575 BURNT TAVERN RD, BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ 08724, (732) 451-6848) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11222731

Incident

Jun 16, 2018

Mileage

160,000 mi

(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 CANNOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE BURNED WIRES TO REPAIR UNDER THE DASH. UPDATED01/09/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133689

Incident

Jul 5, 2004

Mileage

78,768 mi

I HAD TO REPLACE TWO IGNITION SWITCHES ON MY 1991 MERCURY 1.9 TRACER TO THE TUNE OF $360.00. THE FIRST ONE THEY INSTALLED, THE TUMBLERS FELL APART AFTER ONE DAY, I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC TO INSTALL A SECOND IGNITION SWITCH. I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON TRACER IGNITION SWITCHES. HOW DO I RECOVER MY EXPENSE? *JB

NHTSA ID

10023232

Incident

Aug 8, 2002

THERE WAS A FATIGUE FRACTURE IN FUEL TANK AND FUEL WAS LEAKING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018279

Incident

Sep 2, 2002

CAR WILL NOT REMAIN AT SPEED FOR MORE THAN 25 SECONDS. *AK

NHTSA ID

757220

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

NHTSA ID

899196

Incident

Nov 1, 2001

CONSUMER SMELLS FUEL INSIDE VEHICLE, THERE IS A RECALL, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

894606

Incident

Aug 1, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A MAIN STREET AND CLUTCH PEDAL FELL OFF ON HIS LEG, AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. BUT HE WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO COMPLETE STOP. ARM OF CLUTCH WAS VERY SMALL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS CASE SHOULD INVESTIGATED. *YH

NHTSA ID

886501

Incident

Apr 21, 2001

1991 TRACER IS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 1991 4-DOOR ESCORT AND USES THE SAME ELECTRICAL HARDWARE, PER CHILTON'S MANUALS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IGNITION SWITCH FIRES FOR ESCORTS (NHTSA 96V071000) FOR MODELS 8/87 TO 9/92, BUT THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A RECALL AND THERE WAS NEVER ONE ISSUED BY MERCURY FOR OUR PARTICULAR MAKE. THE SERVICE REPS IN INDIANA AND ARIZONA APPEARED TO HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS BUT STOPPED SHORT OF OFFERING ANY RECALL COVERAGE FOR THE REPAIR..*AK

NHTSA ID

744186

Incident

Feb 7, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

732715

Incident

Sep 28, 2000

CONCERNED ONLY ABOUT GAS TANK. DROVE 33 MILES OVER SMOOTH HIGHWAY TO CANAL WHERE I FISH ABOUT EVERY 2 MONTHS,NO SPEED BUMPS, NO POTHOLES, NO BUMPS OR HITS OF ANY KIND. FISHING DOWNWIND FROM CAR SMELLED GASOLINE. FILLED TANK BEFORE LEAVING HOME, WHEN PARKED AT HOME HAD ONLY HALF TANK GAS LEFT, FOUND TANK LEAKING FROM FRONT LEFT MOUNTING BOLT AT RATE OF ABOUT 1 DROP PER SECOND. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN HIT OR BUMPED, ALWAYS KEEP MY CARS 8=10 YEARS, PERFORMING ALL NEEDED MAINTENACE MORE OFTEN THAN MANUAL RECOMMENDS. DRIVING FOR 53 YEARS, 35 OF IT FOR BELL TEL., NO ACCIDENTS EVER. KNOW OF CARS OVER 20 YEARS OLD STILL ON ROAD WITHOUT TANKS LEAKING. FEEL THAT AN IMPLIED WARRANTY SHOULD BE IN EFFECT HERE, THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT OF EXPECTATION THAT A CAR I BUY NEW AND TAKE 5-STAR CARE OF SHOULD NOT DEVELOP A LEAKING GAS TANK WITHOUT CAUSE.DEALER WANTS $600 FOR NEW TANK, WON'T INSTALL A USED ONE BECAUSE OF "POSSIBLE LEGAL LIABILIY DOWN THE ROAD". YOUR OPINION APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. MEC. *AK

NHTSA ID

723090

Incident

Apr 11, 2000

THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE FOR A 1991 MERCURY TRACER, BUT MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

714684

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

VEHICLE WOULD TURN ON WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN IGNITION. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

848936

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WENT OUT BECAUSE CLUTCH BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. TORQUE CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ALL THE BUILD UP TRASH FROM THE TRANSMISSION (FAILURE). MJS

NHTSA ID

848692

Incident

Apr 1, 1999

THE GAS TANK HAS SEPARATED AT THE SEAM, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

847574

CAR RUNNING PERFECTLY FINE ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE CUT OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

842744

Incident

Jul 14, 1999

I'VE HAD 4 HEATER CORES AND 3 TIMING BELTS REPLACED, THE THIRD JUST AFTER 50,000 MILES. AND NOT WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE IF MILEAGE.

NHTSA ID

707700

SHOULDER BELT TRACK AND CABLE FAILED, WE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS THE PARTS COMING BY ORDERING THEM FOR A NEWER CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY. FORD HAS A SHORTAGE OF THESE PARTS AND IS SENDING THEM ONLY FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF FAILING PARTS. WE WAITED TO GET THIS REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID

706648

Incident

Feb 9, 1994

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON THE RAIL. SHOULDER BELT IS IN CLOSED/BACK POSITION ON THE RAIL. THE DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

836156

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

782024

THE CAR FUEL GAUGE FAILED FIRST SOON AFTER PROBLEMS BEGAN TO OCCUR WITH THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY NOT STARTING. AFTER A FEW DAYS THE CAR WOULD NOT START UPON LEAVING FROM MY WORK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY DETERMINED. REMOVAL OF THE REAR SEAT REVEALED THAT THE WIRING TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS SEVERELY MELTED AWAY. THE POWER WIRES TO THE FUEL PUMP DO NOT APPEAR TO BE THE MAIN PROBLEM HOWEVER, BUT THE SENDING UNIT WIRES HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED AND IN THE PROCESS DESTROYED THE OTHER WIRING AS WELL. THE FUSE TO THE FUEL PUMP HAS NEVER BLOWN WHICH IS THE ORIGIONAL FUSE.

NHTSA ID

703629

Incident

Feb 9, 1999

WHEN GETTING INTO VEHICLE AND TRYING TO USE DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELTS, SHOULDER'S BELTS JAM AND CONSUMER CAN'T GET THEM OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

835068

Incident

Feb 3, 1999

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY. WHEN CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE HEARD A BAN, AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. WHEN SHE LOOKED UNDERNEATH SAW ASHES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

830991

Incident

Nov 17, 1998

REAR LIFT GATE SUPPORT FAILED.

NHTSA ID

780706

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

DRIVERS PASSENGER SIDE MOTORBELT MOVING INADVERTANTLY CAUSING DRIVER TO SMELL SMOKE, WIRING HARNESS WAS RECALLED BUT CONSUMER DID NOT RECIEVE RECALL NOTICE THEREFORE WAS DENIED SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

541382

Incident

Feb 1, 1998