1997 Mercury Tracer complaints

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE BROKE DOWN. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT AIR BAG HAD DAMAGED WIRE HARNESS WHICH RESULTED IN BREAKDOWN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, A WIRE HARNESS FIRE OCCURRED IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND A MECHANIC SERVICED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED A SHORTAGE IN WIRE HARNESS AGAIN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. CONSUMER REMOVED THE CONNECTION TO BATTERY TO PREVENT A DRAINAGE OF THE POWER.*AK *SCC

HEADLIGHT COVERS HAVE YELLOWED OVER TIME, ALSO TINY CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED. THIS MAKES THEM INEFFECTIVE AT NIGHT.*AK WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEAD LIGHTS WERE SO FAINT THAT HE CAN GET MORE ILLUMINATION ON THE ROAD FROM THE VEHICLE TRAVELING BEHIND HIM THAN FROM HIS OWN HEAD LIGHTS. CONSUMER STATED THAT THESE KINDS OF HEAD LIGHTS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. *YH

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. *JG

WHILE MAKING A U TURN AND APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE JUMPED CURB AND HIT POLE AIR BAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE TOTALED.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THEN VEHICLE CAUGHTON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE PASSENGER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. NLM

HORN WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND AIRBAGLIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

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. *JB

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB(CLAIM#18-0629-945)

THE INSURED STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF SMOKE, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND THEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, THE WIRES UNDER THE DASH MELTED, IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH.*JB(CLAIM#25-5518-577)

AS THE INSURED WAS STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER THE INSURED THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, HOWEVER THE NEXT DAY THE INSURED DISCOVERED THAT THE DASH AREA OF THE VEHICLE HAD BURNED AND MELTED SEVERLY.*JB(CLAIM#18-0530-895)

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 18-0629-945. *SLC

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING, AND THERE IS A BEEPING SOUND. ALSO THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER DISCONNECTED BATTERY.*AK

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALL WIRES UNDER HOOD BURNED OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

HEARD FOR QUITE A WHILE A "CRACKING NOISE" IN THE REAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN BREAKING, BUT ALSO DURING SHARP TURNS. GARAGE LOOKED AT IT AT 60K MILES AND REPORTED BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN. ACCORDING TO GARAGE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ESCORT/TRACER. RECEIVED ADVICE NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR, PARTS WERE ORDERED, WHICH TOOK 2 WEEKS. ACCORDING TO A DEALER "THERE IS A SHORTAGE IN SPRINGS, DUE TO HIGH DEMAND"

ENGINE BLEW UP IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC - HUGE SAFETY CONCERNS FOR OTHER TRACER DRIVERS, NO LIGHT INDICATOR, NO GAUGE WARNING, ETC.- CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, JUST BLEW UP- NOTHING TO INDICATE REASON. SHOULD CONSIDER RECALLING TRACERS FOR INVESTIGATION OF ENGINE.

ENGINE FAILED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON FREEWAY WITH FAMILY IN CAR- NO LIGHT, NO GAUGE INDICATOR, NO HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR- HUGE SAFETY HAZARD, ABSOLUTELY DID NOT KNOW IT WOULD HAPPEN. FORD IS, THUS FAR, UNRESPONSIVE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR ENGINE BLEW UP (AT MAXIMUM FREEWAY SPEED) AND AFTER MAKING IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO LIGHT, NO NOTHING- STRANDED THE FAMILY IN MID TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR AT AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SECTION OF FREEWAY- CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD HAVE WARNED US WITH LIGHTS OR SOMETHING- WE NEED IT REPAIRED. VERY POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. FORD NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS PRONTO. OUR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BUT THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

WHY IS THIS DATABASE BEING ELIMINATED, FIRST OF ALL?! I LOVE THIS. CHECK COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON, COOLANT HAD ALL LEAKED WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO FROST PLUG HEATER SEAL FAILURE ON ENGINE CAUSING ALL COOLANT TO LEAK OUT. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY?! SEEMS THAT THIS IS AN ENGINE SEAL TO ME, FORD DISAGREES.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. NO INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE RUSTED AND BROKEN NEAR BOTTOM. *AK

WHILE GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED, THE NEXT DAY HE FOUND THAT THE DASH AREA OF THE VEHICLE HAD BURNED AND MELTED SEVERELY, THE ENTIRE DASH AREA AROUND STEERING MELTED, CLAIM 18-0530-895. *SLC

HOLES EATEN THROUGH HEATER CORE INLET & OUTLET PIPES-LEAKED CAUSING DAMAGE TO AIR BAG MONITOR WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. NEW MONITOR CAME WITH A SHILED NOT ON THE CAR WHEN I BOUGHT IT. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT NOTIFY ME ABOUT IT. I DID NOT TAKE MY CAR TO HAPER FORD SINCE WHEN I WAS THERE FOR MY 60 THOUSAND MILE CHECK UP , THEY CHARGED ME TO SERVICE MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND THE CAR I OWN DOES NOT HAVE ONE. I FEEL THE DIDNT SERVICE MY CAR CORRECTLY AT THE TIME. HEATER CORES GOING OUT IN FIVE YEARS, RUINING A REQURIED PART BY THE GOVERNMENT. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN, IT DIDNT JUST HAPPEN IN THE LAST 14,00 MILES AFTER MY WARRENTY EXPIRED. AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THANK YOU TRACY KAUFMAN. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

WINDSHIELD SEAL IS SEPARATING. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND THEN THE DASH LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND PARK LIGHTS WENT OUT, APPEARS PARTIAL FIRE STARTED IN FRONT OF DASH, CLAIM 25-5518-577. *SLC

SI, P185/65R14, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT WITH 7000 MILES ON A 1997 MERCURY, TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THERE WAS VIBRATION AND A LOUD NOISE. LONG PIECE OF TREAD HAD COME OFF LEFT REAR TIRE. DID MAJOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 25 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED A TRUCK, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BUT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER FEELS PRESSURE FROM GAS SPLASHING AROUND IN TANK MAY CAUSE A FIRE.*AK

UPON INSPECTION THE TIRE HAD UNEVEN WEAR AND THERE WAS A CRACK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHICH WAS CAUSING NOISE WHILE DRIVNG OVER 35 MPH (BF GOODRICH ADVANTAGE PLUS 185/65/14 DOTBF76TU1135). NLM

SEE ATTACHED LETTER. NO LETTER ATTACHED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: BF76TU1135 TIRESIZE: 185/65/14)

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON MONTHLY, AND CONSUMER HAD TO ADD COOLANT EVERY 3 MONTHS. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY PUT A NEW RADIATOR IN. *AK

WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES ON MY CAR, I SAW THE INSIDE SIDEWALL HAD PEELED AWAY FROM THE CASING. THIS CONDITION IS ON BOTH FRONT TIRES AND CONSISTS OF ABOUT 12 INCHES OF DAMAGE PER TIRE. I CALLED GOODYEAR CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS NOT OF ANY GREAT CONCERN AND THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE LIMITED WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT POLICY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: T278408GCW TIRESIZE: P18565 R14)

THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES DUE TO THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE THAT HAD A KNOT ON IT AND THE TWO BACK TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND. (GOODYEAR 185-65 ADV+822626). *YH

WHILE DRIVING COULD FEEL TIRES VIBRATING. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND DEALER FOUND OUT THAT RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS HAVING A TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE RESPOND P185/65 R14. *AK FIRESTONE P185/65/R14 *MW

CONSUMER WAS INSIDE OF STORE WHEN HE HEARD HORN GOING OFF. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT HORN ASSEMBLY WAS ATTACHED TO AIRBAG, AND THAT AIRBAG MODULAR UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED AS ONE UNIT. CONSUMER STATED THAT JUST BY TOUCHING ON HORN LIGHTLY IT WOULD GO OFF. *AK

RETAINING PINS THAT HOLD BRAKE PADS IN PLACE ARE LOOSE, CAUSING CONTACT TO THE WHEEL, AND EVENTUAL SEPARATION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK MORE SPECIFICALLY THE RETAINING CLIPS THAT HOLD THE RETAINING PINS IN THE FRONT BRAKE ASSEMBLY SNAP AND FLY OFF OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE PINS CONTACT THE WHEEL. *YH

REAR COIL SPRINGS RUSTED OUT AND ARE BROKEN PREMATURELY, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

CRANKSHAFT/PULLEY FELL APART, CAUSING THE BELT TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, AND DAMAGE TO THE TIMING CHAIN. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. NOT SURE IF VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT KEEPS GETTING STUCK, AND WOULD LOCK CONSUMER IN SEAT. ALSO REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT DEALER WILL NOT FIX IT. *AK

I OWN A 1997 MECURY TRACER, THAT HAS BEEN IN FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN WAS WHEN MY " ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WAS ON 1/18/2000, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED THAT MY #3 WAS MISFIRING AND THAT THEY NEED TO REPPLACE MY SPARKPLUGS AND GIVE THE CAR A TUNE-UP. ON 1/27/200, MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALSHIP AND THEY FOUND AN OIL LEAK AND TOLD ME THE COMPUTER READ OUT WAS THE SAME AS BEFORE "#3 WAS MISFIRING". WELL THAT NIGHT AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME BACK ON. SO THE NEXT DAY I CALLED TTHE DEALERSHIP OCE AGAIN AND I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THEM AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE SAME CODE AND THAT THEY WOULD CHECK INTO IT. THEY GAVE ME MY CAR BACK AND INFORMED ME THAT YES THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD PROBABLY COME BACK ON AGAIN AND THAT TO INFORM THEM IF THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. WELL THE NEXT WEEK, I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY STARTING TO STALL WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT AND THEY MADE ME AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY 2/7/2000 TO BRING THE CAR IN. WELL, THE CAR HAS BEEN THERE EVER SINCE. FIRST I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE VALVE GUIDE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT MY EXTENTED WARRANTY COMPANY WOULD PAY A PORTION OF THE COST INCLUDING ONLY SEVEN DAYS ON A RENTAL CAR. THEN ON 2/22/2000 I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT FORD NO LONGER MAKES THE VALVE GUIDES FOR THE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

LEFT TURN SIGNAL WOULD BLINK AT 3-4 TIMES THE NORMAL AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION DUE TO LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BEING OUT, ONCE BULB WAS REPLACED ALL TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONING WAS NORMAL. *MJS

HORN MALFUNCTIOND ( HORN WOULD CONTINUE TO BLOW). FUSE WAS REMOVED TO STOP IT FROM SOUNDING OFF. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE HORN SWITCH AND AIR BAG WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CAN NHTSA SHARE SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TURNED KEY ON AND THE EXHAUST PIPE BROKE. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND FUMES CAME UP IN THE CAR. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID WARRANTY RAN OUT A WEEK AGO. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED. CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH A DEER WAS ON THE ROAD. CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID HITTING THE DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND HIT A TREE. CONSUMER WENT TO UNHOOK SEAT BELT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, AND HEARD VEHICLE RUNNING. LEANED BACK TO CUT IT OFF, AND SEAT BELT CAME OUTOF BUCKLE AND KNOCKE DRIVER OUT. ALSO AIR BACK SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING THAT AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, WAS HOSPITALIZED. *AK