1999 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.

THE TRUNK REFLECTOR PLASTIC PEGS BROKE AND I'VE SEEN THIS ON OTHER TRACERS AS WELL. WE ARE UNABLE TO FIND ANOTHER. IF WE WERE TO GO TO A USED CAR PARTS LOT, MOST LIKELY, THEY WOULD BREAK BEFORE WE COULD POP ONE OFF. WE ARE FORCED TO USE TAPE TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT PART COULDN'T BE ORDERED ANYMORE. YES, THIS IS AN OLD CAR, BUT STILL, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT OUR TRUNK REFLECTOR BLOWING OFF AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER REAR TAIL LIGHT IS DOING THE SAME THING TOO. THE LIGHT WORKS, BUT THE PLASTIC FITTINGS BREAK AND THE LIGHT COULD BLOW OFF AS WELL--BUT IT IS MOSTLY INTACT AT THIS TIME AND I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN BUY ANOTHER, HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME OUR TAPE DOES RUN FROM MOST OF THE REFLECTOR TO THE LIGHT AS WELL. I JUST THINK THEY SHOULD MAKE A TRUNK REFLECTOR THAT DOESN'T BLOW OFF. I DON'T CARE HOW OLD THE CAR IS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY TRACER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN CONTINUES TO FAIL. THE HORN HAS BEEN REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. FOR THE MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT, THE WIRING CONNECTED TO THE AIR BAG BURNED. THE DEALER WIRED A SEPARATE BUTTON FOR THE CONTACT TO PUSH IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. THIS REMEDY DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND ENABLED THE VEHICLE'S ALARM SYSTEM. THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW IF THE AIR BAGS ARE FULLY OPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RESPONDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,605 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

BROKEN REAR SPRINGS. *NM

HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLAMP ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS, DUE TO MELTING FROM EXCESS HEAT. *JB

THE FRONT PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENS ARE DETERIORATING, CONDITIONS ARE CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. BOTH LENS WAS REPLACED AND REPAIRED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *NM...THE TWO HEADLIGHT LENS BECAME YELLOW AND DISCOLORED. THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. REPLACED HEADLIGHTS AT COST OF $317.OO, INCLUDING PENNSYLVANIA STATE TAX. *AK

THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START IT .THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP FOR AN INSPECTION AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH WAS NEEDED. *JB

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

WE BOUGHT A 1999 MERCURY TRACER USED CAR ON 04/2000, LATER THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING BADLY, THIS VIBRATION CAN BE FELT THRU OUT THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR 8 TIMES. THE SERVICE MANAGER NOW SAYS THAT THIS VIBRATION IS NORMAL. WHEN WE TOOK IT BACK SAT IN THE CAR AND SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT DRIVE THAT CAR VIBRATING LIKE THAT AND HE WOULD NOT EXPECT US TO. . I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, HE SAID HE COULD NOT ANSWER THAT. MY CONCERN IS, WITH THIS SEVERE VIBRATION IS THE STEERING COLUMN GOING TO DISCONNECT OR LOCKUP AND CAUSE SEVERE BODILY HARM. IF THIS PROBLEM IS "NORMAL" THEN WHY ISN'T THE CONSUMER WARNED ABOUT THIS IN THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS.FROM READING OTHER NHTSA REPORTS I SEE THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD STEERING PROBLEMS DUE TO LOCKUP AND BREAKAGE AFTER REPORTING UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND ENGINE. THA LAST MONTH MY CAR BROKE DOWN COMPLETED. I TOOK TO THE MIDAS AND THE MANAGER SAID ME THE WAS ALL MOTOR MOUNTS AND TWO FRONT AXXELS, THEN I FIXED DID HE TOLD ME IT WAS EVERITHING. AND THEN I TOOKED BECAUSE I'M STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THEN I TOOKED BACK TO MIDAS THEY CHECKED FOR THE FOUR TIME THEN HE TOLD ME THE WAS THE TRASMISSION PROBLEM. I'M STIIL HAVE A PROBLEM. *AK

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

WHILE TRAVELING 40-45 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF A REAR END COLLISION, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THE ELECTRICAL HEADLAMP ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED, DUE TO EXCESS HEAT.*JB

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A TIRE COMPANY, AND LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT HE PUT VEHICLE ON RACK, AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SEPARATING ON SIDEWALL. KELLY, SPRINGFIELD, P17565R14. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE PARKING IN PARKING LOT. NLM

WE BOUGHT A 1999 MERCURY TRACER BRAND NEW ON 03-09-99, 6 MONTHS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING BADLY, THIS VIBRATION CAN BE FELT THRU OUT THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES. THE SERVICE MANAGER PETE SOLIC NOW SAYS THAT THIS VIBRATION IS NORMAL. WHEN WE TOOK IT BACK THE 3RD TIME PETE SAT IN THE CAR AND SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT DRIVE THAT CAR VIBRATING LIKE THAT AND HE WOULD NOT EXPECT US TO. WELL 4 REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND 5 MONTHS LATER HE STILL EXPECTS US TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE HE NOW SAYS IT IS NORMAL. I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, HE SAID HE COULD NOT ANSWER THAT. MY CONCERN IS, WITH THIS SEVERE VIBRATION IS THE STEERING COLUMN GOING TO DISCONNECT OR LOCKUP AND CAUSE SEVERE BODILY HARM. IF THIS PROBLEM IS "NORMAL" THEN WHY ISN'T THE CONSUMER WARNED ABOUT THIS IN THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS.FROM READING OTHER NHTSA REPORTS I SEE THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD STEERING PROBLEMS DUE TO LOCKUP AND BREAKAGE AFTER REPORTING UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND ENGINE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS SOLD NEW, HOWEVER WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED AND WRECKED, THE AIR BAG SENSORS WERE MISSING FROM PREVIOUS ACCIDENT (SOLD FRAUDULENTLY). *MJS

PARKED INTO A PARKING LOT TRYING TO PUT IN REVERSE AND WON'T GO INTO GEAR RIGHT AWAY WHEN IT DID GO IN REVERSE IT JERKED AND AS A RESULT HIT A WALL. COULN'T GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGINITION WHEN IN PARKED.

RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP UNDER LIGHT BRAKING CONDITIONS. THIS HAPPENED ON THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY AND WET PAVEMENT. *AK

BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN REAR END COLLISION. MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK