Ford 500 vs Mercury Tracer
Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.
Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.
| Measure | Ford 500 | Mercury Tracer |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints on file | 303 | 754 |
| Model years covered | 2005–2007 | 1988–2000 |
| Worst model year | 2005 | 1997 |
| Best model year | 2007 | 1998 |
| Crashes reported | 13 | 93 |
| Fires reported | 12 | 60 |
| Injuries reported | 12 | 71 |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 3 |
| Most complained-about part | Transmission & Drivetrain | Electrical System |
| Share of complaints involving harm | 12.2% | 30.1% |
Ford 500 by year
What breaks
Transmission & Drivetrain
59
19.5%
Engine & Cooling
57
18.8%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
50
16.5%
Electrical System
42
13.9%
Fuel & Propulsion
20
6.6%
Other & Unspecified
13
4.3%
Lights
11
3.6%
Body & Structure
10
3.3%
Mercury Tracer by year
What breaks
Electrical System
99
13.1%
Fuel & Propulsion
84
11.1%
Engine & Cooling
83
11.0%
Airbags
76
10.1%
Brakes
67
8.9%
Seat Belts
64
8.5%
Suspension
48
6.4%
Transmission & Drivetrain
43
5.7%