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1994 Mercury Tracer

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 Tracer.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1994 Mercury Tracer is a passenger car specified for 4.0 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. With 76 total owner complaints and one recall, its most reported issue area is engine and engine cooling. In the broader model history spanning 1990 to 2003, the 1994 model year sits well below the peak complaint year of 1997 with 159 complaints, but above the low of 1990 with just 2 complaints, placing it in the middle of the model's reliability spectrum.

Model year1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	SYNTHETIC · 5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi.

At 5,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV Valve (replace)
Every 90,000 mi	Timing Belt (inspect)
At 120,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Mercury Tracer generation exhibits a general increase in federal complaints and technical service bulletins from 1990, peaking in 1997 with 159 complaints and 151 TSBs. The 1994 model falls within this rising trend, recording 76 complaints, 1 recall, and 81 TSBs. While 1994 shows fewer complaints than 1993 (93) and 1995 (112), it maintains a similar recall volume to the year prior. Primary complaint areas for 1994 include Engine & Engine Cooling, Air Bags, Seat Belts, and Hydraulic Service Brakes, though the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Additionally, the 1994 model recorded 20 crash complaints and 5 fire complaints. Given that complaints and TSBs trend upward across the generation and 1994 sits in the middle of this volatility, this is not a recommended year to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

20 involved a crash · 5 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93’94’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 76 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling10

Air Bags9

Seat Belts8

Service Brakes, Hydraulic8

Vehicle Speed Control6

Suspension5

Fuel System, Gasoline4

Steering4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94V218000Air Bags:FrontalReported 10/11/1994

THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CAN HAVE AN INADEQUATELY WELDED INFLATOR CANISTER. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG MODULE.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tracer. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4.0 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1994 Tracer take?

4.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1994 Tracer have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.