1999 Mercury Tracer problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1999 Mercury Tracer. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1999 Mercury Tracer vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 6 | 30% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 20% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 10% |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 10% |
| Power Train | 2 | 10% |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The trunk reflector plastic pegs broke and I've seen this on other tracers as well. We are unable to find another. If we were to go to a used car parts lot, most likely, they would break before we could pop one off. We are forced to use tape to hold it in place. The auto repair shop said that part couldn't be ordered…”
Structure · filed Mar 20, 2013
“Tl*the contact owns a 1999 mercury tracer. The contact stated that the horn continues to fail. The horn has been replaced on numerous occasions. For the most recent replacement, the wiring connected to the air bag burned. The dealer wired a separate button for the contact to push in order to activate the horn. This…”
Electrical System · filed Feb 4, 2008
“The front plastic headlight lens are deteriorating, conditions are causing poor visibility while driving at night. Both lens was replaced and repaired by a local repair shop. The dealer was not notified. *nm...the two headlight lens became yellow and discolored. They did not provide adequate visibility at night…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Jan 21, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT
Defect Petition DP01001 · opened Apr 19, 2001 · closed Nov 1, 2001
Technical service bulletins
85 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1999 Mercury Tracer. The 10 most recent:
General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt
042107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 13, 2004
Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair. *tt
04189 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 13, 2004
General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures. *tt
04217 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2004
Trw vehicle safety systems, inc. Is recalling certain service replacement seatbelt retractors (driver's side front retractor in gray) manufactured in december 2002 and sold as a service replacement part between december…
04V09 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 12, 2004
Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair. *tt
041514 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 9, 2004
Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns. *tt
031501 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 12, 2004
Malfunction indicator lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457 or p1442 or a check fuel cap lamp illuminated with dtc p0457 for the evaporative emission system. *tt
03203 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 13, 2003
Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips. *tt
03181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2003
Idle vibration on vehicles equipped with 2.0l spi or zetec engine only. *tt
031515 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 4, 2003
New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt
03148 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2003
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1999 Mercury Tracer in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1999 Mercury Tracer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.