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1998 Mercury Tracer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Mercury Tracer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 22.5.

About this comparison →
44Owner complaints

Model-year median: 22.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
96
199512
1996142
199744
199820
19992
2000
Compare all Tracer years →

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

What owners reported most

Suspension
11Engine And Engine Cooling
8Electrical System
6Air Bags
5Power Train
4
All reported categories
Steering
3Structure
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Unknown Or Other
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Visibility
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Tires
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: 7 of 44 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.

  • Suspension. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

44 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 1998
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHEN PUMPING FUEL INTO THE FUEL TANK, IT DOES NOT ENTER THE TANK PROPERLY AND BACKS UP IN THE FILLER NECK, WHICH CAUSES THE FUEL PUMP TO SHUT OFF AND FUEL TO SPILL FROM THE TANK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832495

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 1998
Visibility

GLASS ON VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH IN SUNLIGHT DUE TO LARGE AREA OF GLASS AND SLANT OF GLASS (DESIGN), POSSIBLE TINTING WOULD ILLIMINATE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #543090

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 1998
Electrical System

HORN DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE DUE TO DESIGN.

NHTSA ODI #533304

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CALIPER SEALS FAILED, CAUSING FLUID LOSS AS WELL AS BRAKE FAILURE. ALSO, MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #531653

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

1

DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001

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

No summary supplied.