Most common 1995 Mercury Tracer problems
Share of the 96 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Tracer complaints by model year
Best Tracer years: 1996, 1999. Years to avoid: 1997, 1995. Compare all years →
1995 Mercury Tracer recalls (3)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 1.9l engines, built at the hermosillo or wayne assembly plants and originally sold or currently registered in nevada, florida, hawaii, texas, california, louisiana, georgia, south carolina, mississippi, oklahoma, alabama and arkansas.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the heat shield attachments. This will not affect heat shield location or function, as the attachments are intended to keep the shield in place until the fuel tank is installed in the vehicle.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 1.9l engines, built at the hermosillo assembly plant and originally sold or currently registered in arizona. Cracks can develop in the fuel tank near the heat shield attachment resulting in fuel leakage if the cracks go through the fuel tank wall.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the heat shield attachments. This will not affect heat shield location or function, as the attachments are intended to keep the shield in place until the fuel tank is installed in the vehicle.
Air bags › Frontal
The driver side air bag module can have an inadequately welded inflator canister.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new air bag module.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1995 Mercury Tracer:
Fuel tank assembly
There is no summary currently available
What 1995 Mercury Tracer owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 40 →
I smelled gasoline in my garage on Tuesday June 11. Laying between the cars I found several steady drips from the fuel tank. I pushed the car out of the garage and two days later it had leaked to a level for the leak to stop. I contacted Ford/merc. Motor co. About the existing recall , notes:Mercury Tracer 97s79,for the potential units affected 64000 vehicles. Even though I had a serious potential for a house fire I was told that my VIN did not qualify for the recall. I was further told to get it fixed by a for dealer and they May review the data in the future. I am looking for immediate relief for this problem. Can you help?
The plastic gas tank on our 1995 Mercury Tracer cracked open. The shop that we took it to knew of a recall because he owned one previously that was recalled for this specific problem. Ours is not under the recall, but the crack is identical to what is in recalls 97V145000 and 97V144000. The heat shield that is mounted directly to the gas tank, cracked the tank and caused what could have been a potential fire if we had not noticed that there was gas leaking onto the roadway. The repairs have been made, but we feel that this vehicle should have been included under the recall. It is a 1.9l engine and was built in Mexico.
Engine & cooling
Tl contact owns a 1995 Mercury Tracer. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly hesitated and lost engine power without warning. The driver pulled over at a service station and inspected underneath the hood. He detected that the timing belt failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing and they replaced the water pump and serpentine belt. In addition, the number four piston exploded within the engine compartment. The vehicle is currently inoperable and has not been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 61,607 and current mileage was 135,722.
When I bought the Mercury Tracer back in 1996, I was very excited, but after the first year of owning the vehicle there was a recall on the gas tanks, at which time I took the car in to be checked. Soon after that I began to have many problems with the car. The electrical system failed at which time it was covered under warranty, the key swithch stop working meaning the switch would not turn to off position, the door locks would not lock, the electric seatbelt stop working a few months after holiday Ford said they fixed it. Every year for the past 3 years I have had to have the braked fixed(roters). The just last year the heating system went out, the radiator had a small leak and it . I don't go on major trips, I have kept the car up with regular maintenance for having this car for six years I have had all these problems and maby a few more, I will sit down and write list. …
Seat belts
Purchased the car used, A/C has not be operational since-emits a foul odor. Continuous heater core leaks and failure, emits foul odor resembling antifreeze. Causes nausea and headaches. Not sure if A/C problems and heater core problems are related. Speedometer bounces around after 30mph is exceeded. Cruise control cuts off when going up an incline. Automatic seatbelts stick in position. Beep that alerts when you have a key in the ignition and a door open, beeps constantly even when no key is in ignition, cannot find cause. Cigarette lighter does not work, cannot find cause. Automatic belt tensioner rattles. Have read through the consumer complaints, and it seems as though I just about have them all. Checked date of manufacture for fuel tank recall, one month short of being in recall, have concerns about leakage. …
Driver's seat belt failed to operate properly. Belt would stop the middle of track, leaving driver without proper retraint. Also, passenger's seat belt would intermittently stop operating. Dealer notified, and informed consumer that repairs would be done only at consumer's cost because this vehicle was not covered under a manufacturer's recall.
1995 Mercury Tracer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 26 / 34 / 29 |
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 28 / 24 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Mercury Tracer a good car?
Based on 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 Tracer rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tracer at the same age. It is one of the Tracer years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Mercury Tracer?
The fuel & propulsion system — 40 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the engine & cooling (14) and seat belts (12).
How many recalls does the 1995 Mercury Tracer have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1995 Mercury Tracer, the most recent from September 3, 1997 (tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Tracer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997 and 1995. See the full Mercury Tracer years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Mercury Tracer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 6% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.