1991 Mercury Tracer problems
NHTSA has received 76 complaints about the 1991 Mercury Tracer, and 28% of them involve electrical system. After that come fuel system (21%) and seat belts (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 76 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 28% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 11
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 11 complaints mention a fire; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1991 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Mercury Tracer with enough data (30 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Rearended another vehicle, slammed on brakes, did not stop vehicle. Front /rear seat belts failed, resulting in injuries. Other vehicle from 985156.
Stopped for school bus, bronco rear ended vehicle at full speed, driver's seat broke on impact, vehicle was airborne, driver was thrown against dashboard.
While parked in garage, ignition switch key out of switch; engine kept running, would not turn off; burned up/melted down starter; smoke came out.
(1) shoulder belt would not move to driving position, coolant fan would not run when needed with engine running only when the ignition was turned off, oil light stayed on and alternately flashed with the right turn signal indicator. (2) a shorting connector to the fuel pump burned the wire bundle to the fuel pump in the tank. It also burned wires behind the fuse block and under the dash!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 1991 mercury tracer. After the vehicle was filled with fuel and parked in the garage, the contact smelled a fuel odor and noticed fuel leaking onto the garage floor. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 160,000.