IllustrationPOWER SEATS IN VEHICLE ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN TRYING TO RECLINE SEAT, CAN AUTOMATICALLY FALL BACK EVEN IF CONSUMER TRIES TO STOP IT. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AKL
1998 Mercury Villager
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Mercury Villager do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 125.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Villager years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 18 of 83 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
83 reportsSLIDING DOOR OPENS WHILE DRIVING/DOES NOT LOCK AND UNLOCK PROPERLY. *AK
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS PEDAL HARD TO GET IT TO UNSTUCK, PROBLEM GETTING WORSE. DEALER SAID THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE. ALSO, HEIGHT OF BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE THE SAME WHICH CAUSED PEDAL MISAPPLICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHEN DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED PEDAL BECOMES STUCK AND WILL NOT DEPRESS TO FLOORBOARD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 15MPH AND ENTERING INTO A SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND SHE RAN OVER A SPEED BUMP. REAR RIGHT WHEEL FELL OFF DUE TO MATERIAL THAT WAS ATTACHED TO WHEEL WAS DEFECTIVE. DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING MY CAR TO LURCH FORWARD INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE. VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL EXTERIOR/INTERIOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY CAR WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY HAVE EITHER CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, OR GONE OFF UNNECESSARILY AT TOO LOW A SPEED. ON THE VERY SAME DAY, A…
Read full complaint
WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING MY CAR TO LURCH FORWARD INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE. VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL EXTERIOR/INTERIOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY CAR WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY HAVE EITHER CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, OR GONE OFF UNNECESSARILY AT TOO LOW A SPEED. ON THE VERY SAME DAY, A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD MOTOR CO. ARRIVED IN THE MAIL INDICATING THAT THERE IS ALSO A DEFECT IN THE FILLER PIPE VENT HOSE OF MY VEHICLE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. DID THIS SOMEHOW CAUSE A MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS? OR IS THERE A FUEL LINE IRREGULARITY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE SUDDEN LURCHING FORWARD OF MY CAR? I HAD NOTICED IN THE WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, SOMEWHAT JERKY ACCELERATION OF MY CAR, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. ALSO, THERE IS EVIDENCE OF GASOLINE OR OIL HAVING LEAKED FROM CAR ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. MY HUSBAND AND I ONLY NOTICED THIS WHEN WE RETURNED HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND OUR CAR WAS NOT PARKED IN ITS USUAL SPOT. I HOPE YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT IF AIRBAGS WERE TO GO OFF SPONTANEOUSLY AT A HIGHER SPEED, THEY WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES. ADDITIONALLY, IF ONE'S FOOT IS ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT NOT PLACED ON THE ACCELERATOR, SHOULD THE CAR LURCH OR SURGE FORWARD? I FEEL THAT THE TRAUMA AND SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG MAY HAVE CAUSED ME TO RECOIL AND RELEASE THE BRAKE, THEREBY CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AND MY CHILDREN AND I ONLY SUSTAINED MINOR PHYSICAL INJURIES.*AK
AFTER MAKING A STOP TIED TO RETURN TO NORMAL SPEED. CONSUMER HAD TO DEPRESS GAS PEDAL VERY HARD TO GAIN SPEED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
GENERAL AMER-G3GO TIRES (NO SIZE) WERE REPLACED AFTER 30,360 MILES, THE FRONT TIRES WORE DOWN ONLY AFTER 9600 MILES. *SLC
Official recalls
200V419002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jan 2, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE ALLOWS AIR TO VENT FROM THE FUEL TANK DURING REFUELING. CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE VENT HOSE. IF (1) THE FUEL TANK IS OVERFILLED, NOT ALLOWING EXCESS FUEL IN THE VENT HOSE TO FLOW BACK INTO THE TANK, (2) THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE AFTER REFUELING AND, (3) THERE IS SUBSEQUENTLY SIGNIFICANT HEATING OF THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL IN THE TANK CAN EXPAND INTO THE VENT HOSE AND LEAK FUEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VENT HOSE.
97V184001 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
Oct 29, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES SUPPLIED BY GNB TECHNOLOGIES. THESE BATTERIES HAVE A DEFECTIVE NEGATIVE POST THAT CAN CAUSE ACID LEAKAGE AND RELATED CORROSION DAMAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE BATTERY WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ENGINE FIRE OR BATTERY EXPLOSION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE BATTERIES. UNTIL A NEW BATTERY IS OBTAINED, OWNERS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO "JUMP START" THESE BATTERIES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA00014 · Fuel Tank Vent Hose Leakage
Opened May 22, 2000 · Closed Jan 4, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
PERIODIC EXPOSURE TO LIQUID GASOLINE MAY RESULT IN EXTRACTION OF ANTIDEGRADANTS FROM THE SUBJECT FUEL TANK VENT HOSE.HOSES WHICH HAVE SUFFERED LOSS OF ANTIDEGRADANTS CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN AREAS OF HIGH STRAIN.FUEL MAY SPRAY OR DRIP FROM CRACKED VENT HOSES FOLLOWING TANK FILL.STARTING AT JOB#1 1998 MY (CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS VEHICLES) AND JOB#1 1999 MY (FEDERAL EMISSIONS VEHICLES), THE SUBJECT VENT HOSE COMPOSITION CHANGED FROM NITRILE RUBBER HOSES WITH CHLOROPRENE RUBBER COVERS (NBR/CR) TO FLUOROCARBON RUBBER HOSES WITH AN OUTER LAYER BLEND OF NBR/PVC.THE CHANGES WERE MADE TO IMPROVE HYDRACARBON RESISTANCE FOR COMPLAINCE WITH NEW EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS REGULATIONS.THE MODIFIED HOSES ARE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY MORE RESISTANT TO DEGRADATION AND CRACKING.IN A LETTER DATED JANUARY 2, 2001, FORD NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE SUBJECT VENT HOSE IN AFFACTED VEHICLES.FORD WILL BEGIN NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ON OR ABOUT THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2001 TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO DEALERS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE WITH THE LATEST DESIGN LEVER PART.