Most common 1999 Mercury Tracer problems
Share of the 20 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 →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Mercury Tracer:
Air bag non-deployment
What 1999 Mercury Tracer owners say
Electrical system
Tl 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 remedy did not work properly and enabled the vehicle's alarm system. The contact does not know if the air bags are fully operable. The manufacturer has not responded. The current mileage was 100,605 and the failure mileage was unknown.
Parked into a parking lot trying to put in reverse and won't go into gear right away when it did go in reverse it jerked and as a result hit a wall. Couln't get the key out of the iginition when in parked.
Brakes
We bought a 1999 Mercury Tracer used car on 04/2000, later the steering wheel started vibrating badly, this vibration can be felt thru out the car. The car has been in for repair 8 times. The service manager now says that this vibration is normal. When we took it back sat in the car and said that he would not drive that car vibrating like that and he would not expect us to. . I asked if it was safe to drive, he said he could not answer that. My concern is, with this severe vibration is the steering column going to disconnect or lockup and cause severe bodily harm. If this problem is "normal" then why isn't the consumer warned about this in their advertisements.from reading other NHTSA reports I see that other individuals have had steering problems due to lockup and breakage after reporting unusual vibrations in the steering column and engine. Tha last month my car broke down completed. …
When slowing down and coming to a complete stop with a bump in the road, the vehicle would accelerate. (the consumer's foot would be on the brake pedal) the dealer could not find the problem. The consumer stated that she has almost had accidents because of this.
Air bags
We bought a 1999 Mercury Tracer used car on 04/2000, later the steering wheel started vibrating badly, this vibration can be felt thru out the car. The car has been in for repair 8 times. The service manager now says that this vibration is normal. When we took it back sat in the car and said that he would not drive that car vibrating like that and he would not expect us to. . I asked if it was safe to drive, he said he could not answer that. My concern is, with this severe vibration is the steering column going to disconnect or lockup and cause severe bodily harm. If this problem is "normal" then why isn't the consumer warned about this in their advertisements.from reading other NHTSA reports I see that other individuals have had steering problems due to lockup and breakage after reporting unusual vibrations in the steering column and engine. Tha last month my car broke down completed. …
While traveling 40-45 MPH and as a result of a rear end collision, air bags did not deploy at any time. Please provide further information.
1999 Mercury Tracer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 34 / 28 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Mercury Tracer a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Tracer rates better than average: 67% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tracer at the same age. It is one of the best Tracer years by this measure. 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 1999 Mercury Tracer?
The electrical system — 6 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › switch. Next are the brakes (5) and air bags (3).
How many recalls does the 1999 Mercury Tracer have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Mercury Tracer. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 1999 Mercury Tracer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 33% 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.