IllustrationWHILE 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
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tracer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
What owners actually said
142 reportsWHILE 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 K…
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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, VEHICLE JUMPED CURB AND HIT POLE AIR BAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE TOTALED.*JB
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
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE PASSENGER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THEN VEHICLE CAUGHTON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. 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
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)
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)
Official recalls
102V323000 · 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA02008 · 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.