Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 Mercury Tracer
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
735.0%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Brakes
420.0%
Other & Unspecified
210.0%
Median failure at 90,000 miles
Seat Belts
210.0%
Wheels
15.0%
Tires
15.0%
Suspension
15.0%
Electrical System
15.0%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Transmission & Drivetrain
15.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1995peak 3Aug 2017
Recalls on the 1989 Mercury Tracer
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 199510619,615 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
DEFECT: THE (Takata) ABS PLASTIC FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTONS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BREAK ALLOWING PLASTIC PIECES TO FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, A NO LATCH, FALSE LATCH OR FAILURE TO UNLATCH CONDITION COULD OCCUR CREATING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. CORRECTION: FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS NECESSARY.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Washington, NCFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #505133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Concord, VTFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PARKED VEHICLE ON LOT LATER VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #983371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochester, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, SAW SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #983348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 90,000 milesUniversity Park, MD
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THERE IS A STALLING PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN DRIVING! THE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I HAD TO BE PUSHED OF A MAIN ROAD. IT TOOK HOURS TO RESTART. IF I WAIT OVER 10 HOURS, MOST TIMES THE CAR WILL RESTART. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE IGNITION MODULE AND /OR THE MAGNET AND/OR THE ROTOR. I HAVE SPENT NEARLY $2,300.00 REPLACING PARTS. THE CAR STILL STALLS OUT EVEN WHEN DRIVING! IT IS POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR OR THE IGNITION MODULE. THE CONTACTS TO THE RELAY IN THE FUSE BOX WERE CLEANED BUT IT STILL STALLS RANDOMLY. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL WITH THE IGNITION MODULE, ROTOR AND MAGNET SET. IS THAT TRUE?
NHTSA complaint #11014936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Marcos, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THEY HAVE A LEAP SEAT BELT IN THE BACK ONLY.
NHTSA complaint #756208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waterford, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I AM A SINGLE 66 YR OLD ON A FIXED INCOME, PURCHASED THE THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2000 SINCE THAT DATE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE GETS HOT OR MORE SO WARMED UP IT QUITS WHEREVER IT MAY BE, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN INTERSECTIONS AND ALSO THE EXPRESSWAYS. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES AND NOW HAVE SPENT OVER $600.00 NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE, AFTER READING THE ARTICLE IN THIS WEEKS ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND PRESS IN REQUARDS TO FORD PRODUCTS THAT WOULD CERTANLY PINPOINT MY PROBLEM.. IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP ME ON THIS ISSUE I WOULD GREATLY APPERICATE IT.. LUCILLE ROBBS
NHTSA complaint #734260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waterford, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I AM A SINGLE 66 YR OLD ON A FIXED INCOME, PURCHASED THE THE VECHILE IN JUNE OF 2000 SINCE THAT DATE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE GETS HOT OR MORE SO WARMED UP IT QUITS WHEREVER IT MAY BE, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN INTERSECTIONS AND ALSO THE EXPRESSWAYS. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES AND NOW HAVE SPENT OVER $600.00 NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE, AFTER READING THE ARTICLE IN THIS WEEKS ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND PRESS IN REQUARDS TO FORD PRODUCTS THAT WOULD CERTANLY PINPOINT MY PROBLEM.. IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP ME ON THIS ISSUE I WOULD GREATLY APPERICATE IT.. LUCILLE ROBBS
NHTSA complaint #734260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Monroe, MI
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 14,700 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED ON APRIL 5, 1998, TRAVELING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS SEIZED AND THE WHEEL FELL INWARD PULLING THE CAR SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT. THIS NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION WITH A SEMI IN THE NEXT LANE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BEARING ASSEMBLIES FAILED ON MAY 5, 1999; AGAIN THE LEFT REAR TIRE TIPPED IN. THE RIGHT REAR FAILED AS WELL. BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AGAIN ON 10-6-99. ON ALL OCCASIONS NEW BEARINGS AND SEALS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. MY SISTER OWNS A 1989 MERCURY TRACER AS WELL AND HER BEARINGS HAVE FAILED THREE TO FOUR TIMES. I HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS REPAIR MY BEARINGS. MY SISTER HAS HAD AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE MECHANICS REPAIR. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PROVIDING A SAFE PRODUCT. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF AN EXPRESS WARRANTY BUT DESIGNING PRODUCTS THAT ARE FIT FOR THEIR INTENDED USES AND WILL NOT INJURY PEOPLE. I HAVE LOCATED THREE NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS THAT MIGHT RELATE: BC3130890301 (ITEM SB005908) AND 90-12-5 (ITEM SB014830) AND 90-19-9 (ITEM SB017139). THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT DESIGN BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
NHTSA complaint #713350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sterling, VA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
AT 64,000 MILES THE ENGINE FAILED, OIL LEAKING IN PISTONS, THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS REPLACE.
NHTSA complaint #547568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coatesville, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME WITH THIS I CANNOT GET COMPLIANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS PART OR WHAT I SHOULD DO OR WHO I SHOULD TALK TO. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE THIS PART WENT AND CANNOT GET ANY HELP. IT HAS BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO HELP ME. I JUST TOW IT FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND THE PART WAS SUPPOSSED TO BE ORDERED IN FEBURARY AND I HAVENT RECEIVED NOTHING YET. IF I COULD JUST KNOW WHO TO TALK TO IT MIGHT HELP ME SOME. CARS SHOULD NOT BE MADE IF THE PARTS CANNOT BE FOUND FOR THEM. WHAT SHOULD I DO? PLEASE HELP ME I LOVE THAT CAR. I TRIED TO ORDER THIS PART AND IT WAS ON ORDER FROM FEBURARY TILL JUNE AND NOTHING FROM NO ONE. WHY IS THINGS BUILT IF THEY CANNOT BE FIXED? I REFUSE TO GIVE UP. JUST GIVE ME SOME NUMBERS IF YOU CANNOT HELP ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE. LISA MITCHELL. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #707617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grand JCT, CO
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #703277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salt Sprin, FL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TRANSMISSION VERY SLUGGISH, NOT ENOUGH POWER TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHEN VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED, THE MECHANIC PULLED THE BOLT FROM THE PULLY ON THE CRANKSHAFT AND THE END OF THE CRANKSHAFT FELL OFF.
NHTSA complaint #538670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Washington, NCFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #505133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Concord, VTFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PARKED VEHICLE ON LOT LATER VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #983371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochester, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, SAW SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #983348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shawnee, OK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER