Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Mercury Tracer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
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
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WOULD TURN ON WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN IGNITION. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
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
IGNITION FAILURE. PINS HOLDING THE CYLINDER IN PLACE WERE NOT STABLE. PROBLEMS INCLUDED: STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND KEY WILL NOT TURN, KEY CAN BE REMOVE WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAN BE STARTED BY TURNING FACE PLATE OF CYLINDER WITHOUT KEY, SENSOR DOES NOT DETECT KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED AFTER ENGINE IS TURNED OFF, AND PRESENTLY ENGINE IS LOCKE IN THE ON POSITON AND THE KEY CANNOT TURN ENGINE OFF.
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK
WENT TO THE START THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH. HAD TO REPLACE SWITCH AND THE STARTER. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER SMELLED A BAD ODOR IN THE VEHICLE (REPLACED THE IGINTION SWITCH). *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER SMELLED WIRING BURNING IN THE VEHICLE. *AK
THE IGNITON STARTED SMOKING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE, IGNITION SWITCH KEY OUT OF SWITCH; ENGINE KEPT RUNNING, WOULD NOT TURN OFF; BURNED UP/MELTED DOWN STARTER; SMOKE CAME OUT. *AK
WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE BECAUSE OF WIRING PROBLEMS IN THE FRONT END. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE OF WIRING PROBLEMS IN THE FRONT END. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .