SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

1997 Mercury Tracer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Tracer years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Mercury Tracer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 22.5.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
142Owner complaints

Model-year median: 22.5

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1997 Mercury Tracer

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 142 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 47 reports
  • Electrical System: 22 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 21 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 11 reports
  • Suspension: 11 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
66
199496
199512
1996142
199744
199820
19992
2000
Compare all Tracer years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
47Electrical System
22Engine And Engine Cooling
21Service Brakes, Hydraulic
11Suspension
11
All reported categories
Tires
9Unknown Or Other
9Visibility
9Vehicle Speed Control
5Seat Belts
4Steering
3Equipment
2Exterior Lighting
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Power Train
2Structure
2Fuel System, Diesel
1Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 26 of 142 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports17 fire reports15 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2002
Exterior Lighting

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 K…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #8014326

Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 1999
Exterior Lighting

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

NHTSA ODI #549963

Recall campaigns

1

02V323000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Dec 9, 2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

2

EA02008 · Water Intrusion Into Airbag Monitor

Opened Jun 10, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

BY LETTER OF DECEMBER 6, 2002, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL 1997 FORD ESCORT AND MERCURY TRACER VEHICLES.FORD FOUND THAT ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM)DUE TO LIQUID INTRUSION OF WATER OR ENGINE COOLANT CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO IT'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE FORD'S DECEMBER 6, 2002 DEFECT AND NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT FOR DETAILS.

PE02010 · Integrated Air Bag Monitor Water

Opened Jan 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 10, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

No summary supplied.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.