← New search

1989 Mercury Tracer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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: 1 of 16 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports3 fire reports0 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
90,000 miles · Aug 13, 2017
Unknown Or Other

THERE IS A STALLING PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN DRIVING! THE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I HAD TO BE PUSHED OF A MAIN ROAD. IT TOOK HOURS TO RESTART. IF I WAIT OVER 10 HOURS, MOST TIMES THE CAR WILL RESTART. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE IGNITION MODULE AND /OR THE MAGNET AND/OR THE ROTOR. I HAVE SPENT NEARLY $2,300.00 REPLACING PAR…

Read full complaint

THERE IS A STALLING PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN DRIVING! THE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I HAD TO BE PUSHED OF A MAIN ROAD. IT TOOK HOURS TO RESTART. IF I WAIT OVER 10 HOURS, MOST TIMES THE CAR WILL RESTART. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE IGNITION MODULE AND /OR THE MAGNET AND/OR THE ROTOR. I HAVE SPENT NEARLY $2,300.00 REPLACING PARTS. THE CAR STILL STALLS OUT EVEN WHEN DRIVING! IT IS POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR OR THE IGNITION MODULE. THE CONTACTS TO THE RELAY IN THE FUSE BOX WERE CLEANED BUT IT STILL STALLS RANDOMLY. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL WITH THE IGNITION MODULE, ROTOR AND MAGNET SET. IS THAT TRUE?

NHTSA ODI #11014936

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 1999
Unknown Or Other

I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME WITH THIS I CANNOT GET COMPLIANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS PART OR WHAT I SHOULD DO OR WHO I SHOULD TALK TO. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE THIS PART WENT AND CANNOT GET ANY HELP. IT HAS BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO HELP ME. I JUST TOW IT FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND THE PAR…

Read full complaint

I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME WITH THIS I CANNOT GET COMPLIANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS PART OR WHAT I SHOULD DO OR WHO I SHOULD TALK TO. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE THIS PART WENT AND CANNOT GET ANY HELP. IT HAS BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO HELP ME. I JUST TOW IT FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND THE PART WAS SUPPOSSED TO BE ORDERED IN FEBURARY AND I HAVENT RECEIVED NOTHING YET. IF I COULD JUST KNOW WHO TO TALK TO IT MIGHT HELP ME SOME. CARS SHOULD NOT BE MADE IF THE PARTS CANNOT BE FOUND FOR THEM. WHAT SHOULD I DO? PLEASE HELP ME I LOVE THAT CAR. I TRIED TO ORDER THIS PART AND IT WAS ON ORDER FROM FEBURARY TILL JUNE AND NOTHING FROM NO ONE. WHY IS THINGS BUILT IF THEY CANNOT BE FIXED? I REFUSE TO GIVE UP. JUST GIVE ME SOME NUMBERS IF YOU CANNOT HELP ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE. LISA MITCHELL. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #707617

Official recalls

1

95V103011 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Jun 27, 1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THAT LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.