1995 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

FIRESTONE TIRE MODEL FR575 215/70R15 DOT NO. HYM3R5A427 TREAD SEPARATION. TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE WHILE ON I-10 IN HOUSTON, TX. TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR PRESSURE BUT TREAD DAMAGED REAR AREA OF VEHICLE. FIRESTONE CLAIM LACK OF MAINTENANCE WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. *JB

STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITH THE HEATER RUNNING IN COLD OR COOL WEATHER

WE BOUGHT BRAND NEW SIGMA TEMPEST TIRES JUST A WEEK OR TWO AGO. ON OUR FIRST TRIP OUT OF TOWN, ONE OF THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES SIMPLY DISINTEGRATED...NO ROAD HAZARD, NOTHING...THE TIRE JUST FELL APART. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS A REAR TIRE AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. NOW, I AM AFRAID OF THAT THESE TIRES ARE TOTALLY UNSAFE, AND WISH THE MANUFACTURER WOULD REFUND OUR MONEY, SO WE COULD GET A BETTER BRAND. WE BOUGHT THEM AT OK TIRE, FARGO, ND. *NLM

AFTER STARTING THE CAR, PARTICULARITY IN COLDER WEATHER, THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. UPON ENGINE INSPECTION, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE GASOLINE "WETNESS" UNDER THE FUEL INJECTOR. A NUMBER OF VISITS TO A LOCAL DEALER IN WHITE PLAINS PRODUCED "WE SMELL IT BUT CANNOT FIND IT" RESPONSE. NEW CLAMPS ON THE RUBBER HOUSE UNDER THE FUEL INJECTOR WHERE "WETNESS" WAS OBSERVED DID NOT PREVENT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS PROGRESSIVE. CURRENTLY (ONE YEAR LATER), THE SMELL OF FUEL IS CONSTANT. *NLM

I OWN A 1995 MERCURY VILLAGER. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UN-OPERATIONAL IN MARCH 2001. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND MERCURY AT THE TIME, NEITHER WAS OF ANY HELP AND SHOWED NO CONCERN. I PAID $121 OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THE PART. NOW, IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 THE SAME LOCATIONS SEAT BELT IS UN-OPERATIONAL AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY DEALER WHO TOLD ME TO CALL MERCURY. THEY WILL NOT HELP COVER A PART THAT IS MORE THAN 12 MONTHS OLD. WE WERE TOLD OVER AND OVER THAT IT'S THEIR POLICY. I HAVE OWNED ABOUT 6 VEHICLES IN MY YEARS OF DRIVING, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT SHOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY LIST OF CONCERNS REGARDING MY AUTOMOBILES. THE SEAT BELT ON THIS PASSENGER SEAT IS USED THE LEAST IN THE VAN BECAUSE I REQUIRE MY CHILD TO SIT IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF MY VAN AND 90% OF THE TIME MY WIFE OR I ARE TRANSPORTING OURSELVES ALONE OR ONE OF US WITH OUR CHILD. THE SEAT IS HARDLY EVER-USED OR BEING PUT THROUGH UNNECESSARY WEAR AND TEAR.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE THE SIZE AND DOT#. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH SPEED, THE ENGINE WENT DEAD WITHOUT WARNING. TOWED THE CAR TO A SERVICE GARAGE, SOUTH RIVER AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR LLC, 178 HILLSIDE AVE., SOTH RIVER, NJ 08882. THE MECHANIC FOUND CRANKCASE SNAPPED OFF AT THE HARMONIC BALANCER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY THIS COULD HAPPEN IS DUE TO FAULTY AND DEFECTIVE MATERIALS.

THE VAN STARTED TO SPUTTER AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. I MANAGED TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICE SMOKE ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE SMOKE DIDN'T SMELL LIKE STEAM FROM OVERHEATING BUT A THICK BLACK SMOKE. I MOVED A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE VAN AND CONTACTED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THE VAN WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE WAS $13000. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WROTE OFF THE VEHICLE AND ONLY PAID $9000. I SUSPECT THE PROBLEM OF FUEL VAPOURS (APPEARS TO BE COMMON IN THE MERCURY VILLAGER) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE IGNITED BY A SPARK FROM THE PLUG WIRES FROM RAIN ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE FUEL FILLER GASKET UNDER A RECALL A MONTH EARLIER.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL FILTER BOX REPLACED TWICE, BUT VEHICLE STILL HAS ODOR . TS

HAVE HAD SEVERAL WATER PUMPS REPLACED IN OUR 1995 MERCURY VILLAGER. BEGINS LEAKING AFTER TWO TO FOUR WEEKS DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. 4 REPLACED LAST WINTER, DROVE FINE DURING SUMMER, RECENTLY REPLACED AGAIN BY SAME REPAIR SHOP. EACH TIME THE WATER PUMP LEAKS BY THE SEALS IN THE PUMP. DEFECTIVE DESIGN?