Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Driver assistance 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.
9
Latest Jan 6, 2011
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.
7%
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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. 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. 9 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 driver-assistance
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 6, 2011
Crash reported1 death reported
DRIVER REPORTS HE MUST HAVE HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME (SEMI-PANIC BRAKE APPLICATION). POLICE REPORT STATES "TIRE MARKS" ON THE (DRY) PAVEMENT. ONE DOES NOT PRODUCE "TIRE MARKS" ON DRY PAVEMENT (NO TURNING INVOLVED) WITHOUT BRAKE APPLICATION. DRIVER HAD EPISODE OF MICROSLEEP: WHEN ALERTED BY THE EVENT TAKING PLACE, HE COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN TIME TO PREVENT HITTING AND FATALLY INJURING A PEDESTRIAN. UPON EXAMINATION OF ACCIDENT VEHICLE, INSPECTOR DISCOVERED UNUSUAL ARCHED ACCELERATOR PEDAL DESIGN WHEREIN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOCATED ONLY 1 5/8 INCH FROM THE ARCHED ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALLOWING BRAKE APPLICATION AND ACCELERATION CONCURRENTLY IF CERTAIN CONDITIONS PREVAIL. EXAMINATION DEMONSTRATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL WENT SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE 4 5/8 INCH WIDE BOOT THE DRIVER (AND INSPECTOR) WORE, IT WAS EASY TO ACCIDENTALLY CATCH THE EDGE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CONSEQUENTLY ENABLING THE USER TO ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL (UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS) AT THE SAME TIME. *TR
NHTSA ID
10374963
Incident
May 9, 2009
Mileage
188,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 15, 2003
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THEN, WHEN IT IS FREED, THE VAN ACCELERATES RAPIDLY CAUSING THE VAN TO LURCH FORWARD. THIS IS DANGEROUS FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, WHEN MANEUVERING IN TIGHT PARKING LIKE SITUATIONS, THE VAN WILL LURCH FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, AND TWO, WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE IS A HESITATION THAT COULD CAUSE AND ACCIDENT IF THE RESPONSE TIME BETWEEN PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE TIME THE VAN ACTUALLY STARTS MOVING.*AK
NHTSA ID
10026111
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
50,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 9, 2001
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED. REQUIRES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO DEPRESS PEDAL, RESULTING IN VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHING FORWARD. DEALER SAYS THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH VILLAGERS. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.*AK
NHTSA ID
750151
Incident
Mar 1, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 6, 2001
THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE PERIODICALLY STICKS WHEN YOU ACCELERATE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS MUST BE A PROBLEM SINCE THE PARTS WERE BACKORDERED AND WE HAD TO WAIT A MONTH TO GET IT FIXED THE FIRST TIME. IT IS STICKING AGAIN AND WE ARE TAKING IT BACK TO THOUROUGHBRED FORD IN KANSAS CITY, MO WHERE WE HAD IT REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME. IT COST OVER $200 FOR THE REPAIR. IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP TO CROSS TRAFFIC IT STICKS AND DELAYS YOUR TIME CROSSING THE INTERSECTION.*AK
NHTSA ID
746531
Incident
Mar 1, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed May 10, 2001
INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK. DEALER HAS REPLACED THROTTLE BODY.*AK
NHTSA ID
887941
Incident
Apr 16, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 13, 2001
AFTER TAKING VEHICLE FOR A TUNE UP FOUND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STICKING. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE BACK FOR SAME PROBLEM, BUT DEALER COULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, AND SAID WHAT EAS CAUSING PROBLEM WAS THROTTLE BOX PEDAL STICKING.*AK
NHTSA ID
882921
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Heating & air conditioningDriver assistance
Filed Aug 28, 2000
THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR FAILED. MY MECHANIC INDICATES THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH MERCURY VILLAGER VANS. THE ACCELERATOR STICKS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STAND STILL, CAUSING A NEED TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR HARDER WHICH CAUSES A JERKING OF THE VAN.
NHTSA ID
729344
Incident
Aug 27, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 20, 1999
THE THROTTLE PLATE IS RUBBING ON THE THROTTLE BODY, CAUSING THE GAS PEDAL TO STICK DURING ACCELERATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
705827
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 21, 1997
PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE; HAD FOOT ON BRAKES; READY TO SHIFT INTO PARK; SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED & WENT ACROSS THE STREET; DEALER CAN NOT CHECK UNTIL THURSDAY. *AK
NHTSA ID
814745
Incident
Jul 17, 1997
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