1993 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

FOUR BOLTS ON ENGINE MANIFOLD HAVE PREMATURELY BROKEN OFF, THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLES FRAME. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT ALL 8 BOLTS ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD WERE REPLACED AT DEALER, MECHANICS AND SERVICE PERSONNEL TOLD HIM THAT ITS COMMON, PARTICULAR TO 93 VILLAGERS. CONSUMER SAID THE PROBLEM IS LAPPING AGAIN AT 95000 MILES, SINCE THIS IS A DEFECT CONSUMER IS ASKING FOR COMPENSATION. *YD

LEAVES AND DEBRIS BUILD IN DASHBOARD CAUSED A FIRE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER.*AK

DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN DRIVERS DOOR IS OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. MY GRANDSON, AT AGE 2 WAS IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT WHILE I WAS LOCKED OUT. THIS OCCURRED WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING. BECAUSE IT LOCKS EVERY TIME I OPEN THE DOOR, I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT MYSELF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, MY CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING ALSO. I FEEL THESE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS MAY BE RELATED. ALSO, THE LOCK ON THE REAR HATCH DOES NOT SWITCH TO THE LOCKED POSITON MAKING IT NECESSARY TO SLAM THE HATCH SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT CATCHES. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO MANUALLY FLIP THE LOCK SWITCH TO GET IT TO CATCH. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FORD MOTOR CO. AND THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAVE MY MAINTENANCE WORK DONE, TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALERSHIP WILL REPAIR AT MY COST BUT NEEDS A RECALL TO DO OTHERWISE. I E-MAILED CBS NEWS A FEW MONTHS AGO, AFTER THE NEWS COVERAGE AIRED ON 9/7/01 AND JUST DISCOVERED YOUR LINK FROM CBS WEBSITE TONIGHT. *AK

DRIVING THROUGH MY JOB'S PARKING LOT AT 15MPH, SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD POP, LIKE SOMETHING BROKE. AT THIS TIME, I PROCEEDED TO INVESTIGATE PROBLEM, UPON ENTRYING THE VAN AND ABOUT TO PRECEED DRIVING, THE VAN IN QUESTION REFUSES TO ENGAGE IN GEAR. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR "LEAF INGESTION". LEAVES ARE MAKING THEIR WAY ONTO THE HEATING COIL AND POSE A FIRE HAZARD. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TWICE FOR THE REPAIR AND I STILL SMELL BURNING LEAVES WHEN I USE THE HEATER. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THE ON-GOING PROBLEM AND BOTH HAVE OFFERED ONLY THE ORIGINAL SOLUTION. HOWEVER I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL SOLUTION DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT "LEAF INGESTION" STILL IS A FIRE HAZARD IN MY VEHICLE.*AK

BROKEN STUDS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD LED TO FAILURE OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND REQUIRED HIRING A SUBCONTRACTOR TO DRILL OUT BROKEN STUDS FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. TOTAL COST FOR REPAIR WAS $1731. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A FAILURE THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED FOR ANY CAR AFTER 76,000 MILES. HOWEVER, SEARCHING INTERNET RESOURCES INDICATES THAT THIS IS A SPECIFIC DEFECT OF MERCURY VILLAGER AND NISSAN QUEST. OVER 100 COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH NHTSA FOR 1993 AND 1994 VILLAGERS. THE SAME SEARCH OF 1993 DODGE CARAVAN, AS A SIMILAR VEHICLE WITH HIGHER SALES, YIELDED NO COMPLAINTS FOR EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE. ACCORDING TO INTERNET RESOURCES, FORD LOST A LEGAL SUIT IN CANADA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IS PAYING FOR REPAIRS OF VILLAGERS IN CANADA. FORD HOWEVER, REFUSED TO CONSIDER THIS IN MY CASE. NISSAN HAS APPARENTLY CHANGED STUD SPECIFICATIONS 4 TIMES TO ACHIEVE A SUITABLE STUD THAT DOES NOT BREAK. THE CRITERIA LISTED FOR A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS TO INITIATE A RECALL IS VAGUE, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT MERITS A RECALL.

BOLTS BROKE OFF CAUSING THE MANIFOLD TO LEAK EXHAUST FUMES AND ENGINE BECAME NOISY.

THE BRACKET THAT IS WELDED TO THE CHASSIS OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION SECURE BROKE OFF CAUSING THE STEERING TO BE UNSTABLE. *YH

GAS TANK WAS FALLING OFF/ LEAKING AND CAUSING SOME SPARKS. BOLT TO SUPPORT BRACKET THAT HOLDS TANK DISCONNECTED AND ALMOST FELL OFF. TANK IS LEAN, AND 8 INCHES AWAY FROM VEHICLE. DEALER IS LOOKING AT PROBLEM. BOLT HOLDING THE OTHER SIDE SHOWS NO STRESS OR RUST SIGNS AT THIS TIME.*AK

POWER DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT WARNING PRESENTING RISK OF LOCKING SMALL CHILDREN IN HOT VAN. *AK