1997 Ford Escort vs 1997 Mercury Tracer
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Escort | 1997 Mercury Tracer |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 543 | 142 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 150 | 143 |
| Investigations | 2 | 2 |
| Crash reports | 67 | 15 |
| Fire reports | 83 | 17 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 26–28 | 26–28 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 78,000 mi | 73,547 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escort | Mercury Tracer |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 152 | 47 |
| Electrical System | 114 | 22 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 66 | 21 |
| Suspension | 67 | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 39 | 11 |
| Visibility | 31 | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 5 |
| Power Train | 29 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 33 | 5 |
| Airbag warning light | 32 | 10 |
| Electrical failures | 25 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 9 | 8 |
| Brake problems | 8 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 7 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 6 | 0 |
1997 Ford Escort
1997 Mercury Tracer
Compare all Ford Escort vs Mercury Tracer years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.