1994 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

GENERAL TIRE P205/75R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR AND LEFT SIDE PANELS AND GAS OPENING LID, 2 OTHER TIRES THAT WERE REPLACED HAD IDENTICAL DAMAGE AS THE ONE THAT EXPERIENCED THE BLOWOUT. *SLC

PULLEY SIDE OF CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF. STOPING ALL POWER EQUIPMENT. NEARLY KILLING ALL OCCUPANTS. OCCURED AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM STOP SIGN INTO TRAFFIC

ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON 11/21/00 WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. AUTO TOWED TO MERCURY DEALERSHIP. WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT OUR OWN EXPENSE ($4000). ONCE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, WE STARTED HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS. WE STARTED TO NOTICE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE SMELL WAS ESPECIALLY BAD ON THE INSIDE WHEN WE TURNED THE HEAT ON. THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY TIGHTENING THE FUEL LINE CLAMPS, BUT THE ODOR RETURNED. THE GAS SMELL IS STILL PRESENT. THE NEW ENGINE WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALERSHIP DID A "FIX" ON THIS BY ADJUSTING THE THROTTLE LINKAGE. THE VEHICLE STILL DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS IT DID ORIGINALLY.

I HEARD A DIFFERENT NOISE AS I WAS DRIVING MY MINI VAN. I HAD THE TIRES CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WAS A KNOT OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES AT GERALDS. THEY SAID THE TIRE WAS FINE. I CONTINUED TO HEAR THE NOISE,BUT NOTHING WAS WRONG. I WAS IN ROUTE TO GEORGETOWN SC ON HWY 17STH. I WAS TRAVELING APROX. 80 MPH. I HEARD THE NOISE GETTING LOUDER. I TURNED THE VOLUME DOWN ON MY RADIO BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR BESIDE ME. IT WAS NOT. I DECREASED MY SPEED AND I NOTICED THAT IT WAS MY VAN. I PULLED OVER TO SEE THAT IT WAS MY TIRE. IT CAME APART. NO WIRES OR STEEL WAS SHOWING. THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED BUT IT WAS SEPERATING. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE ON IT BECAUSE I WAS ON MY WAY TO A FURNERAL. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT INFORMING ANYONE BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD THESE TIRES UNTIL SOMEONE REMINDED ME ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TIRE IN JULY. I CAN'T SEE THE DOT # AT THIS TIME, BUT I WILL GET THE INFORMATION AND FORWARD THIS DATA TO YOU. THE OTHER 3 TIRES ARE FIRESTONE EXCEPT THE ONE THAT WAS EXCHANGED OUT.( DOT NUMBER: )

LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT WORK, TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH LIGHT BULB, BUT ITWAS THE SOCKETT, CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL 96V253 003, BUT HIS CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED.*AK

OWNER HAS BEEN WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER FOR ALMOST A MONTH. SPEED SENSOR WAS TOTALLY UNAVAILABLE. OWNER WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WERE 324 SPEED SENSORS ON BACK ORDER, AND THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. *AK

WHEN DRIVING ON BELTWAY AT 60-65 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING OR INDICATION VEHICLE CUT OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER DUE TO CRANKSHAFT BREAKING WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CRANKSHAFT BROKE DURING HWY DRIVING. FORD SERVICE DOCUMENTATION INDICATES IT IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT: "ENGINEERING DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS THE INITIAL TENSILE FORCE SET ON THE ENGINE ACCESSORY BELTS DURING ASSEMBLY." COST TO REPAIR WAS $4000.

CRANKSHAFT BROKE AT FRONT OF ENGINE. FORD OASIS REPORT, SSM 04925, ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM AND STATES IT'S DUE TO INITIAL OVER TENSION OF ENGINE ACCESSORY BELTS AT ASSEMBLY.

REAR LAMP SOCKET DOES NOT ILLUMINATE BECAUSE METAL CAN IN LAMP SOCKET MOVES OR SEPARATES FROM THE PLASTIC SOCKET HOUSING. MFR STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 96V253003. NHTSA CAMPAIGN STATES THAT THIS CAMPAIGN INCLUDES VEHICLES MFG STARTING IN APR 1994. ACTUAL VEHILCLE MFR DATE WAS APR 6, 1994. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT ACTUAL FAILURE MODE MATCHED RECALL DESCRIPTION; REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED AT OWNER EXPENSE. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN RECALL BASED ON FAILURE MODE AND MFR DATE.