AI Damage1993 Mercury Tracer: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Mercury Tracer filed 62 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 62
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 19% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 15% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 12 complaints (19% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 10 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 9 complaints (15% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 1.9 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 62 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. There were three injuries reported that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Mailed 10/16/14*ljupdated 11/13/14 updated 4/29/2015
Failure of all seatbelts caused injuries which include blindness and brain damage.
Came to a stop, vehicle rearended, driver went forward, seat belt did not hold, then jerked backwards suddenly; fuel cut off switch failed to work. Took vehicle to dealership.
Four wheel disc brake failed twice, resulting in two accidents.
Shifted into reverse vehicle surged and shifted into drive vehicle surged forward into brick wall. Tt
In addition, the bolts on the power steering detached. He stated that there should be a total of four bolts to support the axle, but there were not. The original design was labeled as a manufacturer defect that could have been developed in the assembly line of ford motor company.
In addition to the axle bolts being loose, I noticed that the 4 bolts that hold the power steering to the fire wall were loose. 5. I feel that the steering and brakes on a car are important. Enough said. 6. An automobile gets only one chance to kill or hurt me. I gave the car away after making repairs.
I have a 1.8 engine and I needed it to be rebuilt. I did not put any miles on the engine when the transmission decided to die. This car is an impossible car to get parts for. If I can get the parts, the book or the computer gives me the wrong part and cannot find a replacement part.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,759 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tracer has 41 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 62, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1993 Mercury Tracer?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 62. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (6%), seat belts (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Mercury Tracer?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1993 Mercury Tracer from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1993 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.