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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

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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: 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

Tires complaints

9 reports
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69,093 miles · Jun 22, 2010
Tires

WHILE DRIVING FELT SEVERE VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISE AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT HARD. VIBRATION BECAME WORSE ABOUT 8 MILES LATER, CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. PULLED OVER, PUT THE SPARE ON. PEP BOYS REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES, THE OTHER TIRE HAD TREAD FAI…

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WHILE DRIVING FELT SEVERE VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISE AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT HARD. VIBRATION BECAME WORSE ABOUT 8 MILES LATER, CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. PULLED OVER, PUT THE SPARE ON. PEP BOYS REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES, THE OTHER TIRE HAD TREAD FAILURE ALSO. PEP BOYS REFUSED TO GIVE ME THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339479

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2001
Tires

SI, P185/65R14, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT WITH 7000 MILES ON A 1997 MERCURY, TRACER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THERE WAS VIBRATION AND A LOUD NOISE. LONG PIECE OF TREAD HAD COME OFF LEFT REAR TIRE. DID MAJOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #885559

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspensionTires

UPON INSPECTION THE TIRE HAD UNEVEN WEAR AND THERE WAS A CRACK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHICH WAS CAUSING NOISE WHILE DRIVNG OVER 35 MPH (BF GOODRICH ADVANTAGE PLUS 185/65/14 DOTBF76TU1135). NLM

NHTSA ODI #559922

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2001
Tires

SEE ATTACHED LETTER. NO LETTER ATTACHED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: BF76TU1135 TIRESIZE: 185/65/14)

NHTSA ODI #741373

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2000
Tires

WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES ON MY CAR, I SAW THE INSIDE SIDEWALL HAD PEELED AWAY FROM THE CASING. THIS CONDITION IS ON BOTH FRONT TIRES AND CONSISTS OF ABOUT 12 INCHES OF DAMAGE PER TIRE. I CALLED GOODYEAR CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS NOT OF ANY GREAT CONCERN AND THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION …

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WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES ON MY CAR, I SAW THE INSIDE SIDEWALL HAD PEELED AWAY FROM THE CASING. THIS CONDITION IS ON BOTH FRONT TIRES AND CONSISTS OF ABOUT 12 INCHES OF DAMAGE PER TIRE. I CALLED GOODYEAR CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS NOT OF ANY GREAT CONCERN AND THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE LIMITED WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT POLICY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: T278408GCW TIRESIZE: P18565 R14)

NHTSA ODI #736891

Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 2000
Tires

THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES DUE TO THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE THAT HAD A KNOT ON IT AND THE TWO BACK TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND. (GOODYEAR 185-65 ADV+822626). *YH

NHTSA ODI #555192

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2000
Tires

WHILE DRIVING COULD FEEL TIRES VIBRATING. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND DEALER FOUND OUT THAT RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS HAVING A TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE RESPOND P185/65 R14. *AK FIRESTONE P185/65/R14 *MW

NHTSA ODI #869398

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 1998
Tires

ALL FOUR TIRES HAD SAME FAILURE BETWEEN 38000 AND 40000 MILES. INNER SIDE WALL SEPERATED CAUSING SLOW AIR LOSS. TIRE WOULD PEEL APART HALFWAY BETWEEN THE TREAD AND THE BEAD. TIRES WERE ROTATED OFTEN AND SHOWED NO EXCESS OR IRREGULAR WEAR.

NHTSA ODI #530777

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 1997
Tires

3 OF 4 TIRE WERE DRY ROT ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALLS (GOODYEAR CONQUEST SIZE 185-65R 14). NLM

NHTSA ODI #545923

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA 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.