1991 Mercury Tracer Fuel system Problems

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

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

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

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

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

NHTSA ID

847574

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

WHILE FORD HAS A SAFETY RECALL LISTED ON YOUR WEB PAGE (NHTSA 92V-117) WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM OR THE REQUIRED FIX. OUR CAR DEVELOPED A SEVERE FUEL LEAK WHICH WE HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD ABOUT THIS MATTER BUT THOUGHT YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE DATES ON THE SAFETY RECALL COVER THE PERIOD OF 6/1/91 TO 6/30/91 FOR THE MERCURY TRACER LTS. OUR CAR WAS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO THIS YET EXHIBITS THE SAME FAILURE. MY FEAR IS THAT FORD'S RECALL IS NOT WIDE SPREAD ENOUGH AND OTHER TRACER OWNERS MAY BE INJURED DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID

536869

Incident

Jun 29, 1997

VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING DRIVEN APPROX. 200 YDS.

NHTSA ID

527508

Incident

Dec 12, 1997

STARTED TO SMELL GAS AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC CALLED MARSTALLER MOTORS. MARSTALLER MOTORS SAID BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HONOR THE RECALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

813716

Incident

Jun 18, 1997

THE FUEL PUMP HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE GAS TO SPILL OVER THE ENGINE, THE WIRING FROM THE GAS TANK WOULD MELT TOGETHER WHICH IT COULD OF CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

811002

Incident

Apr 12, 1997

WHEN GAS TANK IS FILLED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAS A GASOLINE ODOR. *SD

NHTSA ID

483161

Incident

Aug 21, 1995