Mercury tracer car starts and runs but engine is sluggish and shifts hard while driving. takes a long time to get up to speed

SOURCE: 1985 Toyota Camry sluggish acceleration

check the fuel filter and when was the last time you had a tranny service done and a tune up also check the drivebelt

SOURCE: Does a broken timing belt permanently damage a Mercury Tracer

depends on the Engine in the car.

1.9L SOHC (SEFI on Valve Cover)engine, no, they are non-interferance engines, put a new timing belt on it and go.

1.8 DOHC engine, yes, it will destroy the valves, head, pistons, and if really bad, the block too. These engines are interferance engines, where the valves just barely miss the piston as it comes up, and when the belt breaks it will hit the valves and destroy the engine.

SOURCE: 93 Mercury Tracer will not shift out of park.

This is probably happening because, underneath your shift console, there is a lever that keeps you from shifting from park without the keys in. The best way I found to fix this was, there are 6 screws, that keep you from getting to it, they are pretty visible, two right in front of the passenger and driver seat, 2 closer to where your feet would be if you were sitting in those seats, and two at the back of the e-brake console. Take this entire plastic off and you'll find that when you sit in your passenger seat, you can see a piece that is most likely dirty from spilled drinks and such, and if you push it, it may not budge, this is a solenoid, this is that piece that is keeping you from shifting from park, I recommend keeping and cleaning the solenoid if your solenoid is not completely corroded, in my case, I had to just destroy the entire thing.

The reason that solenoid piece is why you can't shift from park is because you have that solenoid piece, underneath your shifter, and when you push the button, it's hitting the solenoid. The reason for this is, the fact that your shifter uses a small cylindrical piece to guide and stay in gears, and that small cylindrical piece is probably hitting your solenoid.

SOURCE: 1994 nissan sentra shifting hard

change fluid in trans add lucas for trannys let me know if theres metal in the pan or if you have trouble tell fixya bout me ok

SOURCE: 98 Mercury Tracer idle drops at a dead stop and

Check your PCV valve tube (to the right side of the top of the engine. When mine did this, the tubing for the PCV valve had dry rotted and cracked, thus losing pressure and stalled the car. Ford parts department has these at any dealership if that is the problem.