MercuryTracer1995Overview/mercury/tracer/1995/base/

1995 Mercury Tracer

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Tracer.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1995 Mercury Tracer, a passenger car spanning the model's 1990–2003 production run, logged 112 total owner complaints across its lifespan with three documented recalls, placing it below the model's 1997 peak of 159 complaints but well above the 1990 baseline of just 2—suggesting mid-cycle reliability fluctuations worth noting for researchers.

Model year199919981997199619951994199319921991

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
Lug nut torque65-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 460 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 460 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP175-65R13OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5-JJ inOEM · 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. Torque lug nuts to 65-87 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)2.0-2.5 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)15.0-22.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs47-59 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)36.0-45.0 ft-lbs
Clutch Pressure Plate Bolts13.0-20.0 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings35.0-37.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)4.3-6.5 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14.0-19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-87 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts31.0-42.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)AT: 780 MT: 725 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)25 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75-2.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeYN-12-D
Oil Capacity6.6-7.0 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance460 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35

Service checks

Pressure Test13 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13 psi
Thermostat Opening TemperatureSub: 185, Main: 190 °F
Pressure TestMT: 13, AT: 16 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure ReliefMT: 13, AT: 16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature195 °F

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle34-44 ft-lbs / 29-36 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.040 in
Drum Nominal Diameter9 in / 7.874 in
Drum Maximum Machining9.059 in / 7.933 in
Drum Discard at-or-over9.06 / 7.934
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.35 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.35 in / 0.866 in

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; coolant at 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Wheel Lug Nut (torque)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Wheel Lug Nut (torque)
Every 15,000 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV Valve (replace)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)

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 1995 Mercury Tracer sits at the complaint peak of the 19911996 generation with 112 reports — the highest of that span — and ties 1991 for the most recalls at three, alongside one investigation and 78 TSBs. Complaints surge from 76 in 1994 to 112 in 1995 before collapsing to 19 in 1996, while recall counts drop from three to zero in the same step. The leading complaint categories for 1995 are Fuel System, Gasoline (32), Engine & Engine Cooling (15), Seat Belts (10), and Electrical System (7), with six crash complaints and no fire reports recorded. The data does not specify root causes for these patterns. Compared to the subsequent 1997 redesign that jumps to 159 complaints, 1995 represents a late-generation concentration of issues rather than an isolated anomaly. Buyers should treat the 1995 as the most heavily reported model year of its platform and budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection of fuel, engine cooling, and restraint systems.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
78
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
112
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 112 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline32
Engine & Engine Cooling15
Seat Belts10
Electrical System7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Suspension6
Vehicle Speed Control5
Power Train4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V145000Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank AssemblyReported 03/09/1997

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… 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…

97V144000Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank AssemblyReported 03/09/1997

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 78 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
031482003-07-21Power TrainNEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER - SERVICE TIPS. 2003 ESCORT AND SUPER DUTY F SERIES…
022082002-10-14EquipmentCLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH
021762002-09-02Exterior LightingLAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ
02142002-01-21Engine And Engine CoolingSOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO…
012462001-12-10Engine And Engine CoolingENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE…

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

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VIN
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Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

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

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1995 Tracer take?

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

Does the 1995 Tracer have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.