RoadVitals

1997 Mercury Villager Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jan 24, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 125 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Mercury Villager submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jan 24, 2007

DRIVING MY '97 MERCURY VILLAGER INTO A COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 3 MPH, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON GOING OVER A SLIGHT BUMP. *NM

NHTSA ID
10180660
Incident
Jan 8, 2007
Mileage
134,912 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Jan 15, 2004

I WENT TO THE MERCURY DEALERSHIP TODAY FOR A FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT TODAY ON MY 1997 VILLAGER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLE REQUIRES A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT, DUE TO THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. I WAS INFORMED ALSO THAT IN ORDER FOR THE DEALER TO GET THE ALIGNMENT IN SPECS, REAR SHIMS WOULD NEED TO BE INSTALLED IN THE REAR TWO WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THESE SHIMS ARE NOT INSTALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BUILT, BUT ARE REQUIRED IN ALMOST ALL CASES ONCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT ON THE ROAD AND HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE PRICE TAG? A HEFTY $347 PLUS TAX! I HAD TO DECLINE THE REPAIR, I THINK IT IS PATHETIC FOR FORD TO CUT COSTS IN THIS MANNER, ALWAYS PASSING UP QUALITY IN THE INTEREST OF SAVING A BUCK! THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS I PAID 80.00 DOLLARS TODAY FOR A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED! I THINK FORD/MERCURY SHOULD BE CALLED ON THE CARPET AND REQUIRED TO INSTALL THIS PART ON ALL VILLAGERS. THIS IN MY OPINION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!

NHTSA ID
10070635
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
61,000 mi
AirbagsExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jul 12, 2001
Crash reported

PLEASE REFER TO MY E-MAIL THIS DATE TO THE "WEBMASTER". NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID
748344
Incident
Jul 15, 1997
Airbags
Filed Feb 28, 2001

PANEL RIGHT IN FRONT OF AIR BAG IS POPPING UP, AND AIR BAG HAS NOT COME OUT YET, BUT PANEL THAT COVERS IT HAS BEEN POPPING UP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
881678
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jan 30, 2001

PROBLEM: INTERIOR SYSTEMS:PASSIVE RESTRAINT:AIR BAG. - WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE ON SUNDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28TH ABOUT 6:15PM, THE "AIR BAG" RED WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY, MONDAY, 29TH AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO LOOK AT THIS ON THURSDAY, FEB 1 AT 7:30AM. THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH AS OF THIS WRITING AND HAS NOT STOPPED. SECOND PROBLEM: THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED UNTIL NOW BECAUSE I HAD ONLY JUST NOW WHILE RESEARCHING TSB'S THAT OWNERS HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH "INTERMITTENT SELF-ACTIVATION DOOR LOCKS." I WILL ALSO ADDRESS THIS WITH THE DEALER. THE MILEAGE INDICATED AT THE TIME OF THIS PROBLEM IS APPROXIMATE. I DO KNOW THAT IT FIRST OCCURED WHEN I USED DOOR LOCK MECHANISM WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE VAN ON A SATURDAY IN OCTOBER. I WAS ATTENDING MY SON'S FOOTBALL GAME. THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM OR COMPLAINT W/SKINNER SALES. SIGNED, RICH MONAHAN.*AK

NHTSA ID
740143
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Aug 29, 2000
Crash reported

DRIVER WAS AT A STOP AND LIFTED FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND LIGHTLY REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 1-2MPH, AND BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
869034
Airbags
Filed Jun 19, 2000

WHILE DRIVING BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT A CAUSE. ALSO, FOR TWO DAYS THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL WITHIN THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER PAID LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE SMELL. HOWEVER, THE SMELL MIGHT BE LINKED TO THE AIR BAG PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER REPAIRED AIRBAGS AND WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY. FORD SENT AN ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE VAN, CONCLUDED THE AIR BAGS WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO GENERAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
863753
Incident
Jun 17, 2000
Airbags
Filed May 26, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED AT ALL TIMES. PREVIOUSLY, THE SAME PROBLEM APPEARED, BUT WITH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON, AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
862601
Incident
May 25, 2000
Airbags
Filed Jun 1, 1999
Crash reported

DRIVING AT APRROXIMATELY 70 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, WENT INTO A SPIN AND HIT A BRIDGE RAIL WITH RIGHT FRONT BUMPER. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES AND TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
838664
Incident
May 30, 1999
AirbagsBody & structureTires & wheels
Filed Oct 7, 1998

SLIDING DOOR PANEL FALLS OFF, THERE IS A SPOT ON THE DOOR, AND IF ONE TOUCHES IT THE DOOR POPS OPEN. ALSO TIRES ARE BALD, AND AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES.

NHTSA ID
780973
AirbagsBody & structureTires & wheels
Filed Oct 7, 1998

SLIDING DOOR PANEL FALLS OFF, THERE IS A SPOT ON THE DOOR IF CONSUMER TOUCHES IT THE DOOR POPS OPEN. TIRES ARE BALD, AND AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES.

NHTSA ID
780793
Airbags
Filed May 7, 1998

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID
535261

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Fuel system27Body & structure21Interior & seats18Engine16Brakes12Driver assistance9

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .