1995 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

IN MID TO LATE 1995 MY MOTHER-IN-LAW PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND LATER GAVE THE AUTO TO MY WIFE AND I. THIS VEHICLE HAS RETRACTABLE SHOULDER BELTS. SEVERAL TIMES, FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE SHOULDER BELT HAS QUIT WORKING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BABB FORD IN MID 2000. (JUNE, I BELIEVE) ON MAY 27,2001 I RETURNED THE AUTO TO BABB FORD AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I SHOWED THEM MY RECEIPT FROM THE YEAR BEFORE AND STATED THAT I WASN'T PAYING FOR ANOTHER INERTIA SWITCH THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED THE SUMMER BEFORE. THE MECHANIC "TINKERED" WITH THE WIRING AND FOUND THAT WHEN HE DISCONNECTED A WIRE AT THE INERTIA SWITCH, THE SYSTEM WORKED AND IT HAS NOT FALTERED SINCE. HE AND/OR THE SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED FORD/MERCURY AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO THEM AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE SITUATION COULD NOT HAPPEN. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU IT DID. MY CONCERN NOW IS WETHER OR NOT THE FUEL SHUT OFF PORTION OF THE INERTIA SWITCH IS FUNTIONAL OR IF IT IS NOT. FORD/MERCURY HAS NOT GOTTEN BACK WITH MY DEALER TO TELL THEM OF ANY NEW INFORMATION. *AK

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILED. THE LEFT EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND ALL STUDS WERE REPLACED 09/16/99, 51,590 MILEAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE LEFT EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS.*AK

INSIDE OF VEHICLE THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. IT OCCURS AT REFUELING, STOPPING, DRIVING, REGARDLESS OF GAS TANK LEVEL. IT WAS REPAIRED ONCE (IN 2000) GAS VENT LINE RECALL, HOWEVER IT CONTINUED AND IS GETTING WORSE.*AK

WNEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED GASOLINE SPILLS FROM GAS TANK. CONSUMER SMELLED GASOLINE EARLY ON, AND NOTIFIED DEALERSHIP. *AK

BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKING. SPOKE WITH FOUR DIFFERENT LINCOLN/NISSAN DEALERSHIPS, ALL SAID THIS WAS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THAT YEAR VILLAGERS. SLIDING RATTLED FROM DAY OF PURCHASE, SEVERAL TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND SOURCE OF NOISE. HAVE IGNORED SINCE. REAR HATCH LOCK MECHANISM OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT LATCH AND MAKES GRINDING NOISE. REQUEST ALL APPLICABLE TECHNICAL BULLETINS.*AK

WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, FUEL PUMP BEGAN TO HOWL LOUDLY AND AT TIMES ACTED LIKE IT WAS SHUTING DOWN BUT WAS OK PER DEALER. MOTOR FAILED CAUSED BY "LACK" OF LUBRICATING HOLES IN BLOCK PER THE DEALER, WAS REPLACED TWO WEEKS LATER THE MOTOR STUMBLED AND SHUTDOWN AGAIN BUT RESTARTED 1 HOUR LATER. REAR BRAKES GRIND LOUDLY AND SQUEKS WHILE DRIVING. TOLD NOTHING WRONG BUT IT CONTINUES.*AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE MAKES A VERY LOUD HUMMING NOISE, AND LETS OFF A STRONG GAS ODOR. ODOR CAUSED CONSUMER TO GET HEADACHES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

RECALL 00V419002 THERE ARE FUEL SMELLS/ TERRIBLE ODORS COMING THROUGH. A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 179, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

PASSENGER'S FRONT SEATBELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING.*AK DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. *SLC

15 AMP BRAKE LIGHT FUSE CONTINOUSLY BLOWSOUT SO WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE NO INDICATION THAT VEHCILE IS BRAKING. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK