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1998 Mercury VillagerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 83 owner complaints about the 1998 Mercury Villager, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

67
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years52% below the Villager median · #7 of 10 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints8314 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 14, 2018. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Mercury Villager has problems

83 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
Vehicle speed control143
Structure121
Suspension90
Service brakes, hydraulic92
Power train82
Latches/locks/linkages70
Visibility60
Fuel system, gasoline50
Tires40
12 other systems215

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

2 recalls

1998 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

Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery

Recall 97V-184 · Oct 29, 1997 · 6,000 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE BATTERY WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ENGINE FIRE OR BATTERY EXPLOSION.

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

1998 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
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1998 Mercury Villager, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL TANK VENT HOSE LEAKAGEEA00014 · closed Jan 4, 2001
    No recall
In owners' words

What Villager owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

1998 MERCURY VILLAGER PURCHASED USED IN 2003. IDLE THROTTLE BODY FAILED IN 2006, MERCURY DEALER TOOK TWO WEEKS TO FIND THE PART AND REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. IDLE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AGAIN IN EARLY 2007. DEALER TOOK TWO WEEKS AGAIN TO FIND PART AND DID NOT CHARGE ME BUT I HAD TO RENT A CAR AT MY…
Complaint 10204465 · Sep 29, 2007 · 144,946 miles
THE VEHICLE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK THE DOORS THIS HAS HAPPENED INNUMERABLE OCCASIONS. THIS BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN 1998, AND CONTINUES TODAY. THE DOORS AR NOT TO LOCK IF THE KEYS ARE IN THE IGNITION, AND THEY DO. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE,…
Complaint 10139592 · Oct 13, 2005 · 20,000 miles
BOUGHT USED 1998 MERCURY VILLAGER IN JUNE, 2004. FROM JUNE THROUGH PRESENT DATE, WE HAVE HAD ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING IN UPRIGHT POSITION CAUSING LURCHING FROM A STOPPED POSITION DUE TO HAVING TO PRESS DOWN UNUSUALLY HARD TO ACCELERATE. DUE TO THIS "FAILURE", I DO NOT WANT TO CRASH INTO SOMEONE…
Complaint 10088603 · Aug 26, 2004

Own a 1998 Villager?

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