Model year record
1996 Mercury Tracer recalls & problems
The 1996 Mercury Tracer has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 12 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is seat belts (4 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1996 Mercury Tracer.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1996 Mercury Tracer 4-DR.
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Tracer
| City / highway | 26 / 35 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.9 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,250/year to fuel
Tracer Wagon
| City / highway | 26 / 35 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.9 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,250/year to fuel
Tracer
| City / highway | 22 / 29 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.9 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel
Tracer Wagon
| City / highway | 22 / 29 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.9 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel
Tracer
| City / highway | 22 / 28 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Tracer
| City / highway | 20 / 27 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Seat beltsFront › Retractor; Front › Anchorage | 4 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 3 | — |
| SteeringHydraulic power assist › Pump; Hydraulic power assist system | 2 | — |
| SeatsFront assembly › Recliner | 2 | — |
| StructureBody › Door | 1 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly | 1 | — |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Engine and engine cooling
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE SEAT, CYLINDER HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE EXHAUST.*AK
- Air bags › FrontalCrash1 injury
WHILE DRIVING DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO A DITCH. AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY AND EXPLODE. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE.*JB
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS UP, AND WHEN DOOR IS OPENED IT SLIDES QUICKLY BACK. *AK
- Air bags › FrontalCrash
THIS VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 45 MPH, AND FORNTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
- Seat belts
THE DRIVERS SIDE MOTORBELT FAILED. NLM
- Seat belts
DRIVERS SIDE MOTOR BELT FAILED. NLM
- Seats › Front assembly › ReclinerCrash5 injuries
ON 6-25-99 WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER REAR-ENDED US GOING ABOUT 35-40MILES PER HOUR. AT IMPACT BOTH FRONT SEATS LATCH BROKE AND THE SEATS SLID BACK AND RESTED IN THE LAPS OF MY 3 CHILDREN SEATED IN THE BACK. THE DRIVERS SEAT ALSO SEEMED TO BECOME UNBOLTED AND TWISTED BEFORE IT SLID BACK HITTING MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BETWEEN THE EYES. AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THEY DID NOT. OUR CAR SLID ONE CITY BLOCK AT IMPACT. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED AND THE REAR DOORS JAMMED. I HAD TO LEAN AND PULL ON THE FRONT SEATS TO PULL MY CHILDREN FROM THE BACK SEATS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR MY 3AND 1…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.