1993 Mercury Tracer Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1993 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE THREE INJURIES REPORTED THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. MAILED 10/16/14*LJUPDATED 11/13/14*LJ UPDATED 4/29/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID

10633490

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY TRACER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FRONT AXLE IN PLACE DID NOT HAVE THE HOLE DRILLED IN THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CASLATED NUT AND THE CUTTER PIN. THE BOLT SIZE WAS IRREGULAR AND NO ONE WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE BOLT THAT WAS .034 INCHES IN DIAMETER. ONCE THE BOLT DRIFTED OFF, IT WOULD LOOSEN, DROP OFF INTO THE ROAD, AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO TAILSPIN. HE STATED THAT HIS FINGERS WERE ABLE TO REACH AND TWIST THE BOLTS. IN ADDITION, THE BOLTS ON THE POWER STEERING DETACHED. HE STATED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TOTAL OF FOUR BOLTS TO SUPPORT THE AXLE, BUT THERE WERE NOT. THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS LABELED AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE ASSEMBLY LINE OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT NEED TO BE NOTIFIED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID

10211176

Incident

Dec 30, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

TWO BOLTS HOLD THE FRONT AXLE IN PLACE. TWO ON EACH SIDE. THESE '!@#$% BOLTS ARE .43 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND ARE THREADED 20 TPI. (THESE DO NOT CONFORM TO ANY STANDARD BOLT I COULD FIND IN THE LITERATURE, METRIC OR SAE). THESE FOUR BOLTS ARE FITTED WITH CASTELATED NUTS, A VERY GOOD IDEA. HOWEVER, THE BOLT HAD NO HOLE DRILLED FOR THE NECESSARY COTTER PIN. ON MY VEHICLE, THE NUT LOOSENED AND FELL OFF. THE BOLT EVENTUALLY WORKED ITSELF UP AND OUT OF THE HOLE. I WAS GOING 65 MPH ON THE US 5 FREEWAY AND SLOWLY TURNING ON TO THE 405 FREEWAY. THE STEERING OF THE CAR WAS LOST. I ALMOST HIT TWO ADJACENT CARS. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS POINTING SIDEWAYS, PIVOTING ABOUT THE REMAINING BOLT. HOW I GOT THE CAR STOPPED WITHOUT DAMAGE,I DON"T KNOW. 1. WHY NOBODY IN 13 YEARS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF THE MISSING COTTER KEY HOLE. ASK FORD. 2.WHY IN THE YEAR 2007 DOES FORD NOT SELL REPLACEMENT BOLTS OR NUTS, AS THESE ARE '!@#$% PARTS. 3.AS THIS WAS A LEMON RECALL AUTOMOBILE; WHY NOT MAKE THE CORRECTION AT THAT TIME? 4. UPON LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE . I NOTICED THAT THE REMAINING BOLTS (3) WERE VERY LOOSE. IN ADDITION TO THE AXLE BOLTS BEING LOOSE, I NOTICED THAT THE 4 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE POWER STEERING TO THE FIRE WALL WERE LOOSE. 5. I FEEL THAT THE STEERING AND BRAKES ON A CAR ARE IMPORTANT. ENOUGH SAID. 6. AN AUTOMOBILE GETS ONLY ONE CHANCE TO KILL OR HURT ME. I GAVE THE CAR AWAY AFTER MAKING REPAIRS. NO MORE FORDS FOR ME. *JB *TR

NHTSA ID

10197093

Incident

Dec 29, 2006

Mileage

103,001 mi

1993 MERCURY TRACER, 1.9L SOHC. IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE. BURNT UP EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE STARTER, IGNITION SWITCH, START SAFETY SWITCH. THIS CAUSED SMOKE IN THE CAB AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEN WHEN I PULLED THE KEY OUT AND WENT TO UNHOOKED THE BATTERY CABLE THE CAR TRIED TO START ITSELF.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060774

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

Mileage

113,800 mi

I HAVE A 1.8 ENGINE AND I NEEDED IT TO BE REBUILT. I DID NOT PUT ANY MILES ON THE ENGINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DECIDED TO DIE. THIS CAR IS AN IMPOSSIBLE CAR TO GET PARTS FOR. IF I CAN GET THE PARTS, THE BOOK OR THE COMPUTER GIVES ME THE WRONG PART AND CANNOT FIND A REPLACEMENT PART. I NEED A PARTS BOOK AND WHATEVER TO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND IT CAN NOT BE FOUND. WHERE CAN I FIND PARTS THAT DO NOT COST ME THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT THAN OTHER CARS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PAIN FOR ME.

NHTSA ID

10070768

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

28,500 mi

AFTER HEARING A FLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE TIRES HAD SEPARATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017602

Incident

Apr 25, 2003

MOTOR SEAT BELT WOULD STICK MIDWAY AND LOCK UP, AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN, LEAVING OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

8016782

Incident

Aug 12, 2002

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN RIGHT, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM REAR END. MECHANIC DETERMINED BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME PLACE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015110

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH HOOD LATCH BROKE, CAUSING HOOD TO FLEW UP INTO WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS

NHTSA ID

890895

Incident

Jun 20, 2001

CAR STALLED AFTER 15-20 MINUTES OF DRIVING PRIMARILY IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER. STALLING SEEMED DIRECTLY RELATED TO HEAT. THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL IDILING OR AT 65 MPH, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FINALLY, A YEAR AND HALF AFTER THE, AND THREE MECHANICS, THE MERCURY DEALER ISOLATED THE PROBLEM TO THE EEC IV PROCESSOR. THEY REPLACED THE PROCESSOR AND THE STALLING HAS STOPPED. *AK

NHTSA ID

742586

Incident

Jun 28, 1999

VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO DEALER TWICE. THE SECOND TIME THE DEALER CHARGED $300 FOR BRAKE REPAIR. VEHICLE IS NOW AT ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP FOR SAME PROBLEM, INCLUDING AXLE DAMAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

741348

Incident

Feb 22, 2001

SOMETIMES WHENEVER TRYING TO START VEHICLE WILL NOT START. AT OTHER TIMES VEHICLE WILL START RIGHT UP. STARTER AND THE BATTERY HAVE BEEN CHANGED. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

879052

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

FAILURE OF ALL SEATBELTS CAUSED INJURIES WHICH INCLUDE BLINDNESS AND BRAIN DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

733969

Incident

Aug 25, 2000

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS LIGHTING UP ON THE DASH PANEL. THIS CAUSES HORN NOT TO WORK BECAUSE AIR BAG IS HAVING A PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. CUSTOMER SAYS THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TRADED FOR NEW. *YH

NHTSA ID

872192

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE STARTING COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL PUMP SHORTED OUT THE WIRE HARNESS, WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. FUEL PUMP AND WIRE HARNESS WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

871303

Incident

Sep 14, 2000

WHINNING NOISE COMMING FROM REAR DIFFERENTAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

725506

Incident

Feb 25, 1999

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS GOING OFF AND ON SOMETIMES LOOSING LEGAL DRIVER SPEED. THEN MUST DOWNSHIFT OF PRESS ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL UNTIL IT REACHES NORMAL SPEED.

NHTSA ID

725315

Incident

Aug 20, 1998

WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING ABOUT 3 GALLONS OF FUEL LEAKED FROM THE SEAM OF THE FUEL TANK. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. FUEL TANK WILL BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FUEL TANK WAS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. VEHICLE HAS SAME FUEL TANK AS TRACERS RECALLED FOR 97S80-FUEL TANK HEAT SHIELD MODIFICATION. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

863833

Incident

Jun 15, 2000

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED IN AREA WHERE IT'S BOLTED TO VEHICLE. IT'S MADE OF PLASTIC & IS LEAKING FUEL. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

847443

Incident

Jul 28, 1999

NONE

NHTSA ID

704644

Incident

Mar 5, 1999

WIRING HARNESS IN THE HATCHBACK HAS SHORTED OUT, CAUSING THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE. DEALER SAID IT CAME FROM ORDINARY WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

833051

CONSUMER TRIED TO MOVE THE PAWL FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE PAWL DID NOT GO ANYWHERE, AND THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

824500

Incident

Jun 16, 1998

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DRIVER IS SHOCKED EACH TIME HE EXITS THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

536413

Incident

Aug 1, 1994

CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL WHEN MAKING HARD ADJUSTMENT TO LEFT TO AVOID A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

535259

Incident

Apr 25, 1998

THE REGULATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, ONCE IN JULY OF 93, ONCE IN 95. THE REGULATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME. THE WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THE REGULATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER AT ALL TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

819625

Incident

Jul 7, 1993