Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Mercury Villager submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 91 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 91, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCURY VILLAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS FRACTURED, CAUSING A LEAK OF EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
WHY WASN'T THE 94 VILLAGER EVER RECALLED FOR EXHAUST STUDS BREAKING OFF? THIS CAUSES EXHAUST GAS TO FILL THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I STILL HAVE THE REAR MANIFOLD LEAKING. I MEASURED 300 PPM C.O. WHILE THE VAN WAS IDLING. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
MANIFOLD BOLT FAILURE ON A 1994 MERCURY VILLAGER. THIS HAS NOW OCCURRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPAIRED BY A NISAN DEALER. *JB
1) BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND WAS SITTING IDLING 2) ENGINE STOPPED, TRIED TO RESTART IT AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT SOUNDED DIFFERENT 3) HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC'S GARAGE FOR EVALUATION. LEARNED THAT TIMING BELT HAD BROKEN BUT THE DAMAGE DONE TO CYLINDER HEADS IS THE ISSUE. *JB
CRANKSHAFT FAILED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. DEALER REPAIR COST WAS GOING TO BE $4200, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY WITH LESS THAN 25000 MILES, AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM WAS WELL KNOWN WITH THIS ENGINE. NOTE THAT THIS HAPPENED 8 YEARS AGO, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO FORMALLY DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM, AND JUST FOUND THE NHTSA COMPLAINT SITE.
MY 1994 MERCURY VILLAGER HAS 26 CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS, ONE OF WHICH APPARENTLY BROKE OFF SPONTANEOUSLY ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. AS A RESULT, THE BROKEN PIECE JAMMED THE CAMSHAFT, CAUSING IT TO FRACTURE NEAR THE END (WHERE THE PIN IS LOCATED). THE TIMING BELT REMAINED INTACT. COINCIDENATLY, THIS EVENT OCCURRED THREE DAYS AFTER THE VILLAGER WAS REPAIRED BY THE SAME MECHANIC FOR A FAILED TENSIONER THAT SNAPPED THE 5-MONTH-OLD TIMING BELT.*AK
PROBLEMS WITH BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPRESSES HIS CONCERNS ABOUT HIS VEHICLE'S EXHAUST LEAKS AND BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS. THE DEALER DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH A SERVICE BULLETIN EXIST TO REPLACE THE OLD BOLTS WITH A STRONGER NEW BOLT. *NM
PROBLEMS WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ON VEHICLE. *MR THE EXHAUST CYLINDER HEAD DEVELOPED A LEAK THAT BEGAN WHEN THREE OF THE SIX MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF LEAVING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ONLY PARTLY ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE. (TWO MORE OF THE MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN OFF) THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB
1994 MERCURY VILLAGER EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS FAILED AND CAUSED EXHAUST LEAK AND WARPING OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, AND FORD, AND NISSAN (QUEST) ARE NOT HONORING THIS DEFECT. THEY OFFER A DIFFERENT BOLT REPLACEMENT, INDICATING A DESIGN DEFECT. *LA
HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE BACK HEATER NOT WORKING AT ALL. TRANSMISSION HAS A SLOW SHIFT AND WILL SHIFT HARD WHEN DOWN SHIFTING, STERRING WHEEL GET HARD WHEN TEMP. ARE IN THE TEEN,S. CLUCK NOISES WHEN HITTING LIGHT BUMPS. BRAKES GRIND WHEN BRAKES ARE COLD. RADIO WILL LOOSE MEMORY. HEATER SWITCH WHEN ONE 1, MAKES A TICKING NOISE. SLIDING DOOR GETS HARD TO CLOSE. GAS TANK, HAVE TO TURN CAP SLOWLY SO GAS AIR WILL LEAK OUT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS THEN GOES OUT.
MOTOR MOUNTS KEEP BREAKING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED FOUR SETS OF MOTOR MOUNTS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB *NM
MANIFOLD EXHAUST BOLT SHEARED OFF AT 55,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK THERE WERE FIVE BROKEN BOLTS. THE CONSUMER WOULD GET NAUSEATED DUE THE EXHAUST FUMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REMOVED ALL 12 BOLTS AND REPLACED THEM WITH NEW UNITS. (COMMON PROBLEM) *SCC *JB
EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF. BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND CROSSOVER PIPE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WARPING. EXHAUST FUMES COULD BE LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE SO I HAD THE WORK DONE AT THE MERCURY DEALER. *LA
WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF.*AK
WHILE TEST DRIVING THE 94 MERCURY VILLAGER, WITH ONLY 74000 MILES, AT AROUND 40 MPH VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND LOST ALL POWER TO BRAKES AND STEERING, WITH NO WARNING. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A "BUILT-IN MECHANISM" AND THAT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY TO "RESET THE COMPUTER SYSTEM." OF COURSE THIS IS COMPLETELY FALSE. THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL THIS VEHICLE IN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION AND FRANKLY I BELIEVE SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THE DEALER, GRAND AUTO MART IN ND STILL HAS THE VEHICLE FOR SALE FOR NEARLY $8,000. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR REPAIR, AND WOULD COST ABOUT $4500 TO FIX. BUYER BEWARE! FOR THIS DEALERS INFO, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. [email protected]. *NLM
BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS ON OUR '94 MERCURY VILLAGER. *NLM
3 EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS BROKE OFF. SERVICE TECH SAYS THAT'S COMMON WITH VILLAGERS. *NLM
BROKEN CRANKSHAFT ON 94 MERCURY VILLAGER. MANY DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS IN YOUR DATABASE. FORD OASIS REPORT SSM 04925 STATES "ENGINEERING DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS THE INITIAL TENSILE FORCE SET ON THE ENGINE ACCESSORY BELTS DURING ASSEMBLY." IN FEB 1995 A NEW CRANKSHAFT THAT IS 2MM THICKER AT FRONT WAS IMPLEMENTED. IF FORD IS AWARE OF THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHY WAS A RECALL NOT REQUIRED? MANY WELL-MAINTAINED VEHICLES HAVE PERFORMED BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND NOW CONSUMERS MUST PAY TO REPAIR A DEFECT FORD ACKNOWLEDGED OCCURRED "DURING ASSEMBLY" FORD REFUSES ANY ASSISTANCE. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. *NLM
CONSUMER NOTICED NOISE FROM THE EXAUST MANIFOLD. MECHANIC TOLD MANUFACTURER USED IMPROPERLY MATERIAL REASON WHY THE MANIFOLD BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN TURNING A CORNER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THREE MECHANICS, NONE OF WHICH CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. TFI (THICK FILM IGNITION) MODULE WAS THOUGHT TO BE A POSSIBLE CAUSE. *YH THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT OF THE MONIES SPENT ON TOWING AND ATTEMPTED REPAIR. *SCC
THE ENGINE NOISE I REPORTED TO THE DEALER WAS FOUND TO BE A LEAK AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD DUE TO ONE OR MORE STUDS BREAKING OFF IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE DEALER'S SERVICE REP. TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VILLAGER, WHICH I HAVE SINCE CONFIRMED AT YOUR WEB SITE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT, WHICH THE SERVICE REP. TOLD ME COULD CAUSE EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER THE VEHICLE.
YOU CAN SMELL GAS WHEN I START MY CAR; ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD WEATHER, MY CAR ALSO HAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD; UPON INSPECTION FROM THE DEALER IN MARYLAND THEY STATED MY EXHAUT HEAD HAD A BROKE STUD WHICH WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT AFFECT THE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE; BUT WOULD COST ME $1000.00 TO FIX. AFTER SPEAKING WITH OTHER MERCURY VILLAGER OWNERS; THEY ALSO WERE TOLD THEIR VECHICLE HAD THE SAME DEFECT; I FEEL A BROKE STUD IN THE EXHAUST HEAD IS A DEFECT; ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY OTHER VILLAGERS/PATHFINDERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SMELL OF GAS IS NAUSEATING AT TIMES. I HAVE MY INVOICE WHICH STATES THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK
FOR PAST 3-4 YEARS HAVE HAD NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES OF POWER FAILING AND CAR STALLING WITH NO WARNING. MOST TIMES OCCURS WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, AND OFTEN TIMES DURING MOIST WEATHER, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY. HAVE WORKED WITH A DEALER ON THIS MANY TIMES AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ID CAUSE. (HAVE RECORDS). CONTINUES TO OCCUR RANDOMLY WHICH IS A REAL HAZARD AS IT HAS HAPPENED WITH OTHER CARS BEHIND ME. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AS YET, AND HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. SIMPLY WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SIMILIAR ISSUES AND HAVE THEY BEEN RESOLVED.*AK
THERE IS A FUEL ODOR, RECALL 00V419002 WAS DONE IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, BUT FUEL SMELL PERSISTED. TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE VENT HOSE WAS PUT ON BACKWARD. CONSUMER STILL SMELLS FUEL.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST FUMES COMING INTO VEHICLE. PROBLEM IS DUE TO BROKEN STUDS ON ENGINE HEAD PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .