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1996 Mercury VillagerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 188 owner complaints about the 1996 Mercury Villager, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Villager median · #4 of 10 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints18823 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 6, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1996 Mercury Villager has problems

188 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling362
Latches/locks/linkages282
Structure252
Fuel system, gasoline243
Visibility211
Air bags143
Service brakes, hydraulic121
Seat belts100
Vehicle speed control94
11 other systems444

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1996 Mercury Villager recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Visibility: power window devices and controls

Recall 98V-012 · Mar 23, 1998 · 57,400 vehicles

Risk. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN TO OPERATE THE POWER WINDOWS, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE CHILD.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercury.

Best & worst years

1996 vs. every other Villager year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Villager median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1996 Mercury Villager safety ratings

1996 Mercury Villager Van in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1996 Mercury Villager, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL TANK VENT HOSE LEAKAGEEA00014 · closed Jan 4, 2001
    No recall
  2. BATTERY EXPLOSIONSEA96005 · closed May 29, 1997
    No recall
  3. FUEL RAIL HOSE FITTING LEAKAGEEA99015 · closed Apr 18, 2001
    No recall
  4. UNEXPECTED OPENING ON SLIDING DOORSQ00008 · closed Apr 1, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What Villager owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Complaint 10101740 · Nov 29, 2004 · 82,177 miles
I NOTICED THERE WAS AN EXHAUST SMELL SEEPING INTO THE VAN, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH QUEST'S AND VILLAGER'S SNAPPED EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WERE 2 STUDS BROKEN AND MISSING. I CALLED SEVERAL DEALERS…
Complaint 10069180 · Jan 15, 2004 · 81,600 miles
THE STUD BOLTS ARE (IS) BROKEN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. EXHAUST FUMES ARE LEAKING AND COLD AIR MAY ENTER HEAD. REPAIR IS EXTREMELY HIGH BECAUSE OF POSITION OF BOLTS. WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BUT CANNOT STOP USING IT. ALSO WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT. *NLM
Complaint 10049200 · Dec 4, 2003 · 90,000 miles

Own a 1996 Villager?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.