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 -
The worst 1996 Mercury Tracer problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Seat belts4
- Airbags3
- Seats2
- Steering2
- Body1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts4
- Airbags3
- Seats2
- Steering2
- Body1
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
- Transmission1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Mercury Tracer 83
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- New transmission cooler flusher - service tips
- Climate control a/c service tech tips
- Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock
- Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant...
- Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure
- Brake shift interlock
- Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks
- Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts
- Some vehicles produced through july 1999 may exhibit rear suspension spring failure with no resulting...
- Subject pertaining to revised door latch switch service procedure
1996 Mercury Tracer fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22-26 | 29-35 | 25-30 |
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20-22 | 27-28 | 22-24 |
What 1996 Mercury Tracer owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Vehicle had a fuel leak which was caused by a crack in the fuel tank near the exhaust.
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.
Retractor on driver's side locks up, and when door is opened it slides quickly back.
This vehicle rear ended another vehicle at 45 MPH, and forntal air bags did not deploy. Dealer has not been contacted.
The drivers side motorbelt failed. Nlm
Drivers side motor belt failed. Nlm
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 year olds because they were locked in child safety seats.
The driver's/passenger's doors would pop & grind whenever they are opened. Air comes through the window. Took to dealer 4 times & going for 5th time. Problem getting worse. Doors are harder to open.
During a rear end collision both front bucket seats slid back and then fell back into arecline dposition on top of the passengers in the rear seat, causing them to hit their heads on the front seats.
Compare the 1996 Mercury Tracer
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Questions about the 1996 Mercury Tracer
Is the 1996 Mercury Tracer reliable?
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1996 Mercury Tracer, fewer than a typical Tracer model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Mercury Tracer?
Seat belts, with 4 complaints. Next is airbags (3).
How many recalls does the 1996 Mercury Tracer have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Mercury Tracer have the most seat belts problems?
The Mercury Tracer model years with the most seat belts complaints are 1994 (12 complaints), 1995 (12 complaints) and 1991 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Mercury Tracer get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Mercury Tracer range from 22 to 30 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.9L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 22-26 city and 29-35 highway.
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