FaultScore

Mercury Tracer acceleration problems

36 of the 754 complaints filed about the Mercury Tracer are about the throttle and cruise control — 5% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1993.

36

Complaints

5%

Share of all complaints

11

Crashes

1

Fires

Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year

1988 Tracer 2 5.6%
1991 Tracer 1 2.8%
1992 Tracer 1 2.8%
1993 Tracer 10 27.8%
1994 Tracer 6 16.7%
1995 Tracer 8 22.2%
1997 Tracer 5 13.9%

Median failure at 51,000 miles

1998 Tracer 2 5.6%

Median failure at 82,000 miles

1999 Tracer 1 2.8%

What owners said

1993 Mercury Tracer Leesville, LA Crash 3 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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

NHTSA complaint #10633490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Mercury Tracer at 82,000 miles Concord, OH

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SPEEDS UP ON ITS OWN WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS. OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. MOST OF ALL IN THE WINTER TIME. TRIED TO REPAIRED IT AT STATION BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO.

NHTSA complaint #10311877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Mercury Tracer Spring, TX Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

AT AROUND 3 PM, I WAS DRIVING, AND HAD STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, AT 1960 @ INVERNESS FOREST. HEARD A POP THEN HAD A BIG FLAME COME FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. CALLED 911. BOTH THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE SCENE. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH THE POLICE THE CAR STARTED BACK UP FOR A FEW MOMENTS, AND THE HORN BLASTED.

NHTSA complaint #10114599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Mercury Tracer at 51,000 miles Medford Lakes, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. AIR BAG MONITOR WATER SHIELD REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA complaint #10007369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Mercury Tracer Kansas City, MO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. (THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WOULD BE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL) THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAS ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS. *SLC *SCC

NHTSA complaint #565386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Mercury Tracer Tehachapi, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

PURCHASED THE CAR USED, A/C HAS NOT BE OPERATIONAL SINCE-EMITS A FOUL ODOR. CONTINUOUS HEATER CORE LEAKS AND FAILURE, EMITS FOUL ODOR RESEMBLING ANTIFREEZE. CAUSES NAUSEA AND HEADACHES. NOT SURE IF A/C PROBLEMS AND HEATER CORE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED. SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AROUND AFTER 30MPH IS EXCEEDED. CRUISE CONTROL CUTS OFF WHEN GOING UP AN INCLINE. AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS STICK IN POSITION. BEEP THAT ALERTS WHEN YOU HAVE A KEY IN THE IGNITION AND A DOOR OPEN, BEEPS CONSTANTLY EVEN WHEN NO KEY IS IN IGNITION, CANNOT FIND CAUSE. CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOES NOT WORK, CANNOT FIND CAUSE. AUTOMATIC BELT TENSIONER RATTLES. HAVE READ THROUGH THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I JUST ABOUT HAVE THEM ALL. CHECKED DATE OF MANUFACTURE FOR FUEL TANK RECALL, ONE MONTH SHORT OF BEING IN RECALL, HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT LEAKAGE. SOMETIMES I DO HAVE A FUEL ODOR IN THE CAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN CAR HAS JUST BEEN FILLED UP. ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.

NHTSA complaint #762160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Mercury Tracer Rahway, NJ Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE MAKING A U TURN AND APPLYING BRAKES TO STOP, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A POLE.*JB THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.

NHTSA complaint #8008920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Mercury Tracer Middle Village, NY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE STOPPING AT SPOT LIGHT AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE SURGED WHILE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED.*AK CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONS CHECKED. TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED AND ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE.

NHTSA complaint #8004888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 Mercury Tracer Duncan, OK

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAR WILL NOT REMAIN AT SPEED FOR MORE THAN 25 SECONDS.

NHTSA complaint #757220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Mercury Tracer Monnona, WI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE STALLED OUT AT STOPS AND ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. DEAELR WILL BE CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION TO COMPLETE THE FORM.

NHTSA complaint #895738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Mercury Tracer Sanford, NC

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

NHTSA complaint #872192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Mercury Tracer Shenandoah, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

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 complaint #725315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Mercury Tracer Shenandoah, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

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 complaint #725315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Mercury Tracer Lowell, MA Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON SEPT.2,1999,VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSING DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A PARKED VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN TOTAL DAMAGE AND INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #550371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Mercury Tracer Cape Caravel, FL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON-GOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATING WHENEVER SPEED CONTROL IS ENGAGED AT SLOW SPEED. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFED AT THIS TIME. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #851066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Mercury Tracer Toledo, IL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THREE OCCASIONS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION.

NHTSA complaint #544908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Mercury Tracer Johnstown, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #836079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Mercury Tracer Denison, IA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

WHEN FOOT IS OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE SPEEDS UP. DEALER INSISTS VEHICLE WORKS RIGHT, AND THAT ACCELERATION HAS TO DO WITH USE OF EXCESS FUEL.

NHTSA complaint #822967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Mercury Tracer Southampton, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN VEHICLE IS SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #832926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Mercury Tracer Auburn, NY Crash 2 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

CONSUMER PARALLEL PARKED WHEN GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR AND A PUBLIC TREE. ALSO BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE'S ESTIMATED DAMAGES WAS $4000.00 PLUS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WER NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *NLM

NHTSA complaint #830014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Mercury Tracer problems