1998 Mercury Tracer

Defect. CERTAIN TRW DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED ON DECEMBER 6 AND 9, 2002, FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR 1997 FORD ESCORT 4-DOOR AND STATION WAGON PLATFORM VEHICLES, FORD'S P/N F7CZ54611B09AAC. THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES EXHIBIT A NO-LOCK CONDITION WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. TRW WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 27, 2004.

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. *TR

WHILE I AM ON THE FOOT BRAKE SLOWING DOWN, CAR SUDDENLY REVS, SHIFTS INTO GEAR AND ACCELERATES. I AM UNABLE TO HOLD BACK THE VEHICLE EVEN WHEN PUSHING AS HARD AS I CAN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HAVE TO KNOCK THE SHIFT LEVER INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP.*AK

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. *AK

DT : TRUNK LATCH WAS FAULTY. TRUCK LATCH HAD A SENSOR IN IT THAT WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE NOT TO RUN. THE PART THEY REPLACED WAS CALLED A TRUNK LATCH. IT WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO DECELERATE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE TRUNK LID WAS CLOSED BUT THE SENSOR INSIDE OF IT WAS FAULTY BECAUSE IT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL EVEN THOUGH THE LID WAS CLOSED. THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE.*AK *NM

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...

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF HER 1998 MERCURY TRACER AND COLLIDED HEAD ON INTO A GUARDRAIL. NEITHER OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS SMASHED INTO THE ENGINE. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE HORN STARTED BLOWING AND I HAD TO TAKE THE FUES OUT TO STOP IT. *AK

ON DECEMBER 11, 2004 I WAS OUT SHOPPING AND I GOT IN THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START I LEFT IT SIT THERE OVER NIGHT AND WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND IT STARTED. I HAVE HAD 3 MACHANICKS LOOK AT IT AND NONE OF THEM KNOW WHY IT DID IT.*AK

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.

HOLE IN MY BLOCK WITH OIL LEAK AND VALVE GASKETS SO BAD I TURNED THE CAR IN.

DURING A VEHICLE INSPECTION REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE AND WERE REPLACED. *AK

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. *AK

THE HORN STARTED BLOWING ON ITS ON.*JB

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. *JG

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. *YD

BROKEN REAR COIL SPRINGS AT VERY LOW MILEAGE,COULD HAVE CAUSED TIRE BLOWOUTS,SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK

BROKEN REAR COIL SPRINGS AT VERY LOW MILEAGE, COULD HAVE CAUSED BLOWOUTS, SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 20-25 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK *SLC

ENGINE FAILED AFTER COMPLETE TUNEUP. *YH

ENGINE FAILED AFTER COMPLETE TUNEUP. *YH