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1999 Mercury Tracer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Mercury Tracer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 22.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 3 of 20 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

20 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2013
Structure

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10503846

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2008
Electrical SystemFire

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 D…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10216846

Mileage unknown · May 10, 2006
Suspension

BROKEN REAR SPRINGS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10157186

45,000 miles · Sep 4, 2005
Exterior Lighting

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

NHTSA ODI #10135281

92,214 miles · Jan 21, 2005
Exterior Lighting

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 HEADL…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10108589

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2004
Electrical System

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

NHTSA ODI #10105475

70,000 miles · Mar 26, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

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

NHTSA ODI #10065030

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2003
Air BagsElectrical SystemParking Brake

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 V…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10028971

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

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

NHTSA ODI #565386

Mileage unknown · May 31, 2002
Air BagsCrash

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

NHTSA ODI #8010801

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.