1993 Mercury Tracer

Defect. THE OFFSET TOE ADJUSTING PIN CAN FRACTURE UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS TORSIONAL LOADS, FLEXING MOTION, IMPACT LOADS, AND OVERTORQUING.

Risk. THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE STEERING CONTROL ANDAN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DANA WILL PAY FOR REPLACEMENT AND LABOR COSTS OF THE ADJUSTMENT PIN WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE INSTALLING FACILITY AND THE VEHICLE OWNER. THESE PINS SHOULD BE REPLACED BY A FORD ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PIN ASSEMBLY. OWNER OR INSTALLER INQUIRIES CONCERNING THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN SHOULD CONTACT DANA SERVICE CENTER AT 1-800-248-9606.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHINNING NOISE COMMING FROM REAR DIFFERENTAL. *AK

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.

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

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

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