1995 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ACCIDENT WERE UNUSUAL. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND DRY. NO APPROACHING CARS IN EITHER DIRECTION, NOTHING IN THE ROAD TO CAUSE A PROBLEM. I TURNED THE VAN LEFT FROM THE DRIVEWAY, WHICH HAS A RAISED "HUMP" AT THE END, AND BEGAN HEADING WEST ON EAST SWON. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15-20 MPH, BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD ABOUT HALF A BLOCK TO A STOP SIGN AT THE NEXT CORNER. THE VAN PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL LEFT, WITHOUT RESPONSE. THE VAN GRAZED A UTILITY POLE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND KEPT TRYING TO TURN. IMMEDIATELY PAST THE UTILITY POLE WAS A STORM SEWER, WHICH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE STRUCK, VIRTUALLY SHEARING OFF THE TIREAND DETACHING THE AXLE. THE VAN STOPPED ABOUT 30 FEET FROM WHERE IT FIRST JUMPED THE CURB. AIRBAG DEPLOYED; THERE WAS A DOUBLE "BANG" SOUND DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE STEERING WAS UNRESPONSIVE DURING THE ENTIRE ACCIDENT. IT SEEMS THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE NATURE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT. SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR, THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED BY A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO SAID WE NEEDED A "MOTOR MOUNT"; OURS HAD A STRESS FRACTURE. HE INDICATED THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE, AS THE PART WAS DUE TO ARRIVE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6. I ASKED THE MECHANIC IF HE THOUGHT WE NEEDED THIS PART DUE TO A FAULTY MOUNTING OF A NEW ENGINE DURING A RECALL REPLACEMENT OF OUR MOTOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO. HE SAID THAT SOME CARS WEAR MOTOR MOUNTS OUT QUICKER DUE TO DESIGN, AND THAT CORROSION COULD BE A FACTOR. THE POINT WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THIS: A SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE OF SOME SORT OCCURRED TO CAUSE THIS ACCIDENT. ARE THERE OTHER SIMILAR SITUATIONS TO THIS EVENT WHERE A MASSIVE FAILURE OF SOME SORT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING AT A FAIRLY LOW RATE OF SPEED AND RESULT IN A CRASH ... SOMETHING WHERE THE CAR PULLS TO ONE SIDE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO LOSS OF CONTROL? WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY GOING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. PLEASE USE OUR INFO TO HELP OTHERS. *A

THIS CAUSED GASOLINE TO SPRAY ONTO HOT ENGINE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. *AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD WARPED/SHEERED TWO BOLTS INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING SMOKE TO GO INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ON OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER OFFERED TO FIX THE VEHICLE AT A COST OF 1,700.

BAD FUEL SMELL WHEN STARTING VAN IN COLD WEATHER. PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO CONSUMER COMPLAINT NUMBER 724864. *AK

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCAISIONS WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70MPH IN HIGH HEAT CONDITIONS ABOVE 90 DEGREES, MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT. JUST STOPPED RUNNING AND I HAD TO COAST TO A STOP. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. LATER AFTER COOLING OFF IT STARTED RIGHT UP. IN THE JULY 2000 INCIDENT I DID STOP BY A DEALERSHIP BUT THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM SINCE IT STARTED RIGHT UP. ARE THERE OTHER REPORT OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER MERCURY VILLAGER OWNERS. IS THIS SIMILAR TO THE SITUATION IN CALIF?

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH DUE TO ICY ROAD CONDITIONS AIR BAG ON DRIVER'S DID NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY. AIR BAG DID NOT INNFLATE, AND JUST OOZED OUT OF THIS SIDE OF HOUSING COVER A LITTLE. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL, INJURING FACE/LEG AND HIP. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED IN THE CRASH.*AK THE STEERING WHEEL COVER NEVER CAME OFF. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED MAJOR INJUJRY TO THE DRIVER. *YH

THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V228001 FOR YR.2000. DOES THIS SEAT BELT-BUCKLE RECALL ALSO APPLY TO THE YR.1995? PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE DRIVING POWER WAS DECREASING AND FINALLY VEHICLE STALLED OUT IN AN INTERSECTION DUE TO CRANKSHAFT BREAKING. DEALER REPLACED WHOLE ENGINE. *AK

NOTCH WORN INTO THE SLIDING SURFACE ON STEERING KNUCKLE FOR FRONT BRAKE PADS PREVENTING THE OUTER PAD FROM SLIDING AND SELF ADJUSTING CAUSING OUTER PADS TO REMAIN STATIONERY AND CREATE LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND ANTILOCK BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON, THIS SLIDING SURFACE SHOULD BE A NON WEAR SURFACE AND LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR WITH NO WEAR.

LEFT REAR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT STEEL WHEEL CRACKED. CRACK EXTENDS FROM ONE WHEEL LUG NOT CUTOUT TO THE ADJACENT CUTOUT.