Your brake pedal may not be touching the sending unit to turn off the brake light. Try having somebody look while you pull up the brake pedal with your foot. You can adjust the unit to be closer to the brake pedal. There is no room to work, so have fun.
There is a small plastic disc/spacer between the brake pedal arm and the brake switch that often fractures and falls off. It is about the size of a nickel, and has a small post attached to it--costs about $3.00 at a Mercury dealership. Hi I have a 97 Mercury Tracer and when my brake light comes on I check my tire pressure if one or more is low I put air in and my Brake light goes out every time.
For a 1999 Mercury Tracer ( in North America ) ( DOT 3 brake fluid meeting Ford specification ESA-M6C25-A )
the brake light switch is just above the brake pedal. I just bought one for my own 97 tracer yesturday and need to install it.
On a ( 1996 ) Mercury Tracer : The brake fluid reservoir also is the clutch fluid reservoir and it takes : ( DOT 3 brake fluid meeting Ford specification ESA-M6C25-A )
According to the ( 1996 ) Mercury Tracer Owner Guide : ( the brake fluid reservoir is also the hydraulic clutch fluid reservoir )
On a 1997 Mercury Tracer : The AUTOMATIC transmission fluid dipstick would be on the side of the transmission ( transaxle ) in the area of the brake fluid reservoir . The manual transmission ( transaxle ) does not have a dipstick
Check the shift unlock solenoid. The solenoid is known to go bad and cause this issue in a tracer.
If it is just ( 1 ) lower brake light that is not working it is probably the bulb
Check the brake fluid level in your brake master cylinder in the engine compartment ( the brake light also comes on if the parking / emergency brake is applied )
Check bulbs Check Fuse Check stop light switch
On my 1999 Mercury Tracer, the fuel filter is mounted on the firewall. It's on the driver-side, on the passenger-side of the brake cylinder. I don't know how to get my hands in to change it though. Jonathon
The fuse for the horn is under the driver side dash right next to the brake pedal.
Probably the level of brake fluid in the reservoir is low. This is telling you the brakes need service.