48 of the
754 complaints filed about the Mercury Tracer
are about the suspension —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
1997 MERCURY TRACER TRIO VIN [XXX] MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM WANTED AUTO SALES IN WORLEY IDAHO. MY WE HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. WE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. MY WIFE THOUGHT WE WERE BOTTOMING OUT. I CAME TO DISCOVER THAT BOTH REAR FACTORY STRUTS THE COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUT HOUSING. IT LOOKS LIKE THE METAL HAS JUST FRACTURED AND FAILED. THE COILS MATERIAL MUST BE DEFECTIVE AND NOT UP TO SPECS FROM FORD THIS IS CLEARLY A FORD DEFECT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR US WITH A ONE YEAR OLD IN THE CAR. WE ARE NOT HAPPY IF THIS COULD COST THE DEATH OF A CHILD BECAUSE OF A UNSAFE CONDITION. THE CAR IS NOT NEW BUT THE SPRINGS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR NOT BREAK LIKE THIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10359948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1-CAR SEEMED TO BOTTOM OUT IN THE REAR WHEN 4 OCCUPANTS WERE IN CAR, ALSO SCRAPING NOISE. 2-CHECKED CAR AND FOUND CONTACT-COIL SPRINGS RUBBING AGAINST CAR, APPEARED TO BE OUT OF THE HOLDER. CHECKED AND FOUND BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN. SPRINGS PROVIDE VEHICLE STABILITY, CONTROL AND HANDLING. 3-REPLACED BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS, I HAVE BOTH OLD SPRINGS. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW SPRINGS HAVE THE SPRINGS INSTALLED 180 DEGREES FROM THE POSITION OF THE OLD SPRINGS. TIGHT COILS UP, OEM WAS TIGHT COILS DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10151381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND THE DEALER DISCOVERED THE REAR PASSENGER STRUT BROKE. INSIDE THE STRUT WAS A PIECE OF RUBBER. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.
NHTSA complaint #10144120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REAR COIL SPRING FRACTURED, WITHOUT PROVOCATION, IN MY 1998 MERCURY TRACER SEDAN. AFTER SPEAKING TO 3 DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND 2 DIFFERENT FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT FORD/MERCURY HAS A KNOWN MATERIAL DEFECT THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE. EVERYONE CONCEDES THAT THESE SPRINGS ARE FAILING AT ABSURD RATES BUT FOMO CO POLICY IS TO DENY EVERYTHING (DESPITE WHAT THEIR OWN SERVICE TECHNICIANS ARE ADMITTING) CATASTROPHIC FAILURES WHILE DRIVING FREQUENTLY RESULT IN TIRE BLOWOUTS... THIS PROBLEM OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE TAURUS/SABLE, ESCORT/TRACER, AND TOPAZ/CONTOUR CAR LINES... I STILL HAVE THE SHATTERED SPRING IN MY POSSESSION, FOMOCO EXPRESSED ZERO INTEREST WHEN I CONTACTED THEM...
NHTSA complaint #10124980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE ON MY 1998 MERCURY TRACER. WHEN SEEKING A REPAIR, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH FORD/MERCURY MODELS OF THIS SIZE (ESCORT/TRACER/TEMPO). WITH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN, ONE CAN OBSERVE THE REAR TIRES OF A CAR WITH THESE SPRINGS BROKEN COME OFF THE ROAD. WITH FORD WELL AWARE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW IN THESE AUTOS, THERE OUGHT TO BE A RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE ONLY 47,700 MILES ON THIS CAR; I HAVE NOW REPLACED A BUSTED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND THE RESISTOR ASSOCIATED WITH CIRCULATION SYSTEM WHICH COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND FORD SHOULD ADDRESS THESE FLAWS.
NHTSA complaint #10058486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 1997 MERCURY TRACER FAILED THE PA STATE INSPECTION DUE TO BOTH REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS BEING BROKEN. A REVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS VEHICLE INDICATES THAT THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER LIKE VEHICLES BUT THERE SHOULD BE NO RESULTING OPERATIONAL CONCERN. WHY THEN DID THE STATE INSPECTION FAIL THE VEHICLE? WHAT COURSE OF ACTION CAN I TAKE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH REAR SPRINGS?
NHTSA complaint #10049337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A RIGHT TIE ROD AND A RIGHT COIL SPRING. HE HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS REAL DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVEN. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE DAMAGED PARTS WITH THE WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 30000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10038293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS WERE DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LEAN TO THE RIGHT, WHICH CAUSED DIFFICULTY IN STEERING THE VEHICLE. *JB FORDS SYMPTOM (14993) STATES SPRINGS POSSIBLE TO BREAK IF THE PAINT WEARS OFF, THE SPRINGS ARE SUBJECT TO BREAK. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD NOISE IN THE REAR AND NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE ALSO LEANED TO THE RIGHT ALONG WITH A CHANGE IN THE STEERING. THE DEALERS STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION SPRING BREAKAGE WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10019506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #8015110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A CRACKING/SQUEAKING NOISE AND VEHICLE WAS HANDLING LOOSE/UNSTABLE, WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A 60,000 MILE MAINTENANCE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE REAR COILS SPRINGS WERE BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #564110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED THAT FIRST TIME 2 NEW TIRES WERE NEEDED AT 19,022 MILES, MECHANIC SAID NO PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION, PROBLEM DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION, SECOND TIME 4 NEW TIRES WERE NEEDED AT 26,851 MILES MECHANIC SAID PROBLEM WITH STRUTS AND COILS FOR EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. REPEATED COMPLAINTS TO FORD DEALER IGNORED.
NHTSA complaint #562470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED THAT FIRST TIME 2 NEW TIRES WERE NEEDED AT 19,022 MILES, MECHANIC SAID NO PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION, PROBLEM DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION, SECOND TIME 4 NEW TIRES WERE NEEDED AT 26,851 MILES MECHANIC SAID PROBLEM WITH STRUTS AND COILS FOR EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. REPEATED COMPLAINTS TO FORD DEALER IGNORED.
NHTSA complaint #562470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A CRACKING/SQUEAKING NOISE AND VEHICLE WAS HANDLING LOOSE/UNSTABLE, WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A 60,000 MILE MAINTENANCE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE REAR COILS SPRINGS WERE BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #564110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #899196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.