NHTSA Complaint #711838 — 1995 MERCURY TRACER

HAD A FORD DEALER PERFORM THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER. WITHIN 2 WEEKS, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE / DRIVE WHEN SHIFTED TO THAT GEAR: QUITE A FEW SECONDS WOULD PASS & THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRAB WITH A BANG. WHEN CHECKED, THE FLUID WAS BLACK AND SMELLED BURNED. HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AGAIN. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, WE DEVELOPED FORWARD CLUTCH FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. PRIOR TO ORIGINAL FORD TRANSMISSION SERVICE AT 60,000 WE HAD NO PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND. HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING A USED TRANSMISSION AS ALL THE USED PARTS DEALERS CAN NOT KEEP THEM IN STOCK - THEY GO OUT FASTER THAN THEY CAN FIND THEM. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A MAJOR DEFECT SUFFERED BY A LOT OF TRACER OWNERS.