1995 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING EXHAUST WAS EXTREMELY NOISY, DEALER DETERMINED 2 STUDS USED TO ATTACH EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD BROKEN. REPLACEMENT ENGINE WITH 50000 MILES.*AK

OIL FILTER ON THE 1995 MERCURY VILLAGER WAS DAMAGED TWICE. ON 1/12/2002, MY WIFE WENT INTO THE PARKING LOT AT H.E.B AT THE CORNER OF EL CAMINO REAL AND BAY AREA BLVD. MY WIFE FELT THE BOTTOM OF THE VAN SCRAPE THE GROUND AS SHE WENT OVER A SMALL PAVED HILL AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT. WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF THE VAN, SHE NOTICED THE OIL WAS LEAKING REAL BAD. SHE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE THE VAN TO KAR KING AT 507 EL DORADO. THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT IF MY WIFE HAD DRIVEN THE VAN ANY FURTHER, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE BURNED UP. ON 3/13/2002 MY SON WAS DRIVING TO THE CHRISTIAN RENEWAL CENTER AT 1515 HUGHES RD, IN DICKINSON TX. WHEN HE DROVE OVER SOME SPEED BUMPS AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CENTER. THE OIL FILTER SCRAPED ONE OF THE BUMPS, AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. AGAIN HE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK FROM HIS CELL PHONE. THE FIRST TIME KAR KING CHARGED ME $104 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE, AND THE SECOND TIME THE ONLY CHARGED ME $72.85, BECAUSE THEY FELL SORRY FOR ME. THEIR PHONENUMBER IS 281-280-8174 IF YOU NEED TO VERIFY. *AK

LOST REVERSE GEAR ON TRANSMISSION. TOOK TO THE NEAREST TRANSMISSION SHOP. OWNER SAID A PIECE HAD BROKEN APART IN THE TRANSMISSION, WEARING A GROOVE IN THE REVERSE CYLINDER. THE TRANSMISSION WAS FULL OF METAL PIECES. AFTER A $2000 REPAIR, FORD TELLS ME THAT THEY WON'T HONOR ANY WORK DONE AT A NONE FORD REPAIR SHOP. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN SEEN IN OTHER TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THESE VEHICLES. *AK

THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGE AT ALL SPEEDS AFTER DRIVING FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM DURING 2 PRIOR SERVICE VISITS. AT THE BEGINNING THIS WOULD SIMPLY CREATE A DRAG EFFECT, BUT DURING THE LATEST INSTANCE THAT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE FRICTION CREATED ENOUGH HEAT TO ELICIT A BURNING SMELL, AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED IT STOPPED ABRUBTLY FROM 20 MPH, LOCKING UP THE BRAKES. IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WOULD RELEASE.*AK

GEAR SHIFT WILL INDICATE THAT VEHICLE IS IN PARK, BUT WILL ACTUALLY BE IN REVERSE AND ROLL AWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TWO STAR HEAD SCREWS UNDER THE DASH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN BACKED OFF FROM THEIR PROPER POSITION, ALLOWING THE LINKAGE AND SHIFTING INDICATOR TO MOVE. *SLC

WHEN FIRST STARTING UP VEHICLE THERE IS A STRONG ODOR OF GAS FUMES. GAS SMELLS RAW.*AK *JB

THE FIRST RETAINING NUT FELL OFF IN 1999, NOW THE THREADED STUDS ARE SNAPPING, CAUSING EXHAUST FUME LEAKS.*AK

WHILE IN MOTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW SUDDENLY RELEASED FROM THE MOUNTING CHANNEL, BROKE THE ELECTRONIC LATCH, AND FELL OUT.*JG THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE WINDOW HAS A DESIGN DEFECT. *YH

1) HEATER: ALMOST CAUSED ELEC. FIRE, STOPPED WORKING, NOW NEEDS MOTOR REPLACED; 2) ABS FAILED ON SNOWY ROADS CAUSING SINGLE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT TO FRONT LEFT OF VEHICLE; 3) RECALL ON FUEL VENT HOSE, WILL REPLACE; 4) FRONT RT. LAP BELT WILL NOT PULL OUT (STUCK) NEEDS REPAIR/REPLACED; 5) OIL FILTER'S VERY VERY LOW LOCATION ON UNDERCARRIAGE FRONT, CAUSED DAMAGE TO FILTER, ALL OIL SPILLED OUT WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, RAN OVER SNOW LEFT BY ROAD COMMISSION PLOW, CAUSED DAMAGE TO ROD BEARINGS, AND ENGINE, VEHICLE CURRENTLY OUT OF COMMISSION AWAITING REPAIRS, $500 COLLISSION DEDUCTIBLE.

WHY DON'T THE MANUFACTURES REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS IF THEY ARE DANGEROUS ? IHAVE TO KEEP REMINDING KIDDS AND MYSELF TO SNAP THE LAP BELT, AND AFTER YOU GET USE TO THEM YOU SEEM TO FORGET TO USE REGULAR SEAT BELTS IN OTHER VEHICLES. *AK