1993 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH ALL MERCURY VILLAGER VANS ALLOWING EXHAUST GAS LEAKAGE INTO THE ENGINE BAY IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL, THEREFORE POSSIBLY ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ALSO EXHAUST GASES ARE ALLOWED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE UNTREATED BY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WE FINALLY PICKED UP ON THIS WHEN MY WIFE KEEP GETTING SLEEPY DRIVING HOME, AND FOUND THIS INFORMATION ON THE "EDMUNDS" WEBSITE, (EDMUNDS.COM). WE HAVE RETURNED THE VAN RECENTLY TO REPAIR THE FILLER VENT HOSE, PROBABLY A $2.00 REPAIR, WHY HAS THIS PROBLEM NOT BEEN ADDRESSED? IT IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS, MORE EXPENSIVE ($1200), AND DIFFICULT TO DETECT BECAUSE IT ONLY SOUNDS LIKE A "STUCK" VALVE LIFTER. WE HAD THE VAN FOR MANY YEARS WITH THE NOISE PRESENT, (FROM THE LEAKING EXHAUST MANIFOLD), BUT THE ONLY SOURCE OF ANY INFORMATION ON THIS DESIGN PROBLEM WAS THE "TOWNHALL TALK" FORUM ON THE EDMUND'S WEBSITE. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE KILLED AFTER FALLING ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL BEFORE SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION GOES INTO EFFECT? I HAVE A DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPROPER SHEAR STRENGTH MANIFOLD STUD WHICH I IMAGINE WAS USED TO SAVE SOME MONEY ALONG THE WAY FOR NISSAN/MERCURY. SOME KIND OF RESPONSE HERE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS, JOHN. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 35-40 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT AND HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD-ON. PASSENGER'S SEATBACK BROKE, BENT FORWARD. THEN BACK, BREAKING PASSENGERS TOES ON RIGHT FOOT, AND PASSENGER CHIPPED 40-50 PERCENT OF HER HIP BONE. SHE WILL BE IN A WHEEL CHAIR FOR 6 MONTHS, AND MAY NEVER WALK AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK *SLC

BOLT BROKE ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. CAN HEAR A TICKING NOISE. ALSO, FUEL IS LEAKING OUT THOUGH CRACKS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS AT GAS STATION PUTTING GASOLINE INSIDE OF TANK AND GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. FILLER HOSE CRACKED AND WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC AT THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD COMNSUMER THAT GASOLINE TANK WAS LEAKING FROM SEAMS IN ADDITION TO LEAKING FROM FILLER HOSE. *AK FUEL TANK AND VENT HOSE WERE REPLACED. *SLC

THE MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE AT AROUND 46,000 MILES. THEY WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND HAVE SINCE BROKEN AGAIN AROUND 50, 000 MILES LATER (95,000). THE VECHILE MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND THERE IS AN ODOR IN THE PASSENGER COMPONENT. THE FIRST TIME THE BOLTS WERE REPLACED NO ENGINE REPLACMENT WAS REQUIRED. BOTH MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND MIDAS MUFFLER SAID THESE BOLTS SHOULD HAVE NEVER BROKEN THE FIRST TIME LET ALONE THE SECOND. I HAVE SENT A WRITTEN LETTER TO MERCURY AND AFTER WAITING 4 WEEKS CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T BELEIVE THIS TO BE A PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX THE BOLTS THE SECOND TIME. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND THAT THE BREAKING OF THESE BOLTS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM TO PASSENGERS AND REQUEST A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE BOLT FAILURE RATES AND THE DESIGN OF THE MANIFOLDS BEING INSTALLED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WITH THESE BOLTS

THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE ON WHICH THE TREAD HAS SEPARATED ON THIS MINI-VAN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SEATBELTS THAT WILL NOT HOLD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE MANIFOLD STUDS AND BOLTS HAD SNAPPED. WAS DRIVING & AND MANIFOLD WAS MAKING NOISE, EXHAUST SOUND LIKE IT WAS LEAKING. LEAK WAS COMING FROM MANIFOLD WHICH IS ATTACHED TO ENGINE. MANIFOLD HAD SEPARATED AND WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP IN 1999, AND HAD THE STUDS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. *AK LEFT FRONT AXLE BOOTS HAVE VIBRATION DUE TO CV BOOTS FAILURE. EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS ARE BROKEN AGAIN AND REPLACED. *YH

A LIGHT CAME ON, ON THE DASH BOARD. THEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND OPENED THE HOOD. THE COOLING FAN WAS SMOKING BADLY AND ALL MAJOR WIRING IN THE MAIN ELECTRICAL WERE MELTED TO BARE WIRING. IF THE CIRCUIT FUSE HAD NOT BLOWN AND THE LIGHT COME ON, THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE.

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WILL FAIL TO RESPOND AT ANY GIVEN SPEED, RANDOMLY, BUT IS GETTING WORSE EVERYTIME VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. CONSUMER APPLIES FULL FORCE TO BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS RESISTANCE BEHIND THE PEDAL, BUT ABS FAILS TO ENGAGE. CONSUMER STATED THAT PREVIOUS OWNER HAD BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RECALL REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK