1991 MERCURY TRACER Complaints

DRIVERS PASSENGER SIDE MOTORBELT MOVING INADVERTANTLY CAUSING DRIVER TO SMELL SMOKE, WIRING HARNESS WAS RECALLED BUT CONSUMER DID NOT RECIEVE RECALL NOTICE THEREFORE WAS DENIED SERVICE.

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUOUSLY STALL. THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART MINUTES LATER. *AK

WHILE FORD HAS A SAFETY RECALL LISTED ON YOUR WEB PAGE (NHTSA 92V-117) WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM OR THE REQUIRED FIX. OUR CAR DEVELOPED A SEVERE FUEL LEAK WHICH WE HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD ABOUT THIS MATTER BUT THOUGHT YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE DATES ON THE SAFETY RECALL COVER THE PERIOD OF 6/1/91 TO 6/30/91 FOR THE MERCURY TRACER LTS. OUR CAR WAS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO THIS YET EXHIBITS THE SAME FAILURE. MY FEAR IS THAT FORD'S RECALL IS NOT WIDE SPREAD ENOUGH AND OTHER TRACER OWNERS MAY BE INJURED DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY.

MASTER CYLINDER FAILS AND REPLACED REPEATEDLY THREE TIMES WITHIN 50000 MILES. TT

IGNITION FAILURE. PINS HOLDING THE CYLINDER IN PLACE WERE NOT STABLE. PROBLEMS INCLUDED: STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND KEY WILL NOT TURN, KEY CAN BE REMOVE WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAN BE STARTED BY TURNING FACE PLATE OF CYLINDER WITHOUT KEY, SENSOR DOES NOT DETECT KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED AFTER ENGINE IS TURNED OFF, AND PRESENTLY ENGINE IS LOCKE IN THE ON POSITON AND THE KEY CANNOT TURN ENGINE OFF.

STARTED TO SMELL GAS AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC CALLED MARSTALLER MOTORS. MARSTALLER MOTORS SAID BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HONOR THE RECALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

THE FUEL PUMP HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE GAS TO SPILL OVER THE ENGINE, THE WIRING FROM THE GAS TANK WOULD MELT TOGETHER WHICH IT COULD OF CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

DESIGN OF BRAKES CAUSES THEIR COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION TO INCREASE WITH TEMPERATURE. THIS CAUSES PERFORMANCE IN A PANIC STOP FROM HIGH SPEED TO BE ACCEPTABLE. HOWEVER, IF BRAKES ARE AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *AK

OWNER HAS POWER BRAKES, HE STATES THAT HIS BRAKES GET BETTER WHEN THEY ARE HOT. HE WAS TOLD THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW, ALSO BRAKES DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO STOP IN LOW SPEED STOPS. *AK

DRIVING ABOUT 15 MILES W/WARM ENGINE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY, W/O WARNING, DIED ON INTERSTATE, COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO START, TRIED TO START, NOTHING TURNED OVER, LIGHTS & RADIO STILL WORKING. *AK