IllustrationFRONT WHEELS ARE HARD TO MOVE WITH THE STEERING IN VERY COLD CLIMETE. THIS MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT. MY CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED.
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 reportsWHILE DRIVING, THROTTLE STICKS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED MANY TIMES, BUT THEY CAN NOT FIND A FIX AND THEY DON'T SEEM WORRIED ABOUT DOING SO, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A NEW VEHICLE UNTIL THIS PROBLEMS IS CORRECTED. *SLC
VEHICLE VIBRATES UNCONTROLLABLY AT SPEEDS OF 70MPH AND HIGHER. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CAUSE FOR THE VEHICLE'S VIBRATION WAS FOUND TO BE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SCREEN WAS REPLACED. *YH
IN THE PAST YEAR MY VAN HAS HAD 3 ALIGNMENTS ALL ON THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ROADS IN OKLA. ARE THE REASON . MY HUSBAND DRIVES 50 MILES EVERY DAY FOR WORK AND HIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. MY THOUGHT IS IF THE ROADS ARE SO BAD HERE WHY AREN'T THERE MORE CARS GETTING ALIGNMENTS CHECKED EVERY …
Read full complaint
IN THE PAST YEAR MY VAN HAS HAD 3 ALIGNMENTS ALL ON THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ROADS IN OKLA. ARE THE REASON . MY HUSBAND DRIVES 50 MILES EVERY DAY FOR WORK AND HIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. MY THOUGHT IS IF THE ROADS ARE SO BAD HERE WHY AREN'T THERE MORE CARS GETTING ALIGNMENTS CHECKED EVERY DAY? I WONDERED IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM?*AK
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE AND VIBRATIONS. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED . FIRESTONE, #WILDERNESS #AT, P23575R15. SHE HAS CONTACTED FIRESTONE, AN DIS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM REAR PASSENGER TIRE. GENERAL ANERI G4S, SIZE P205/75R15. *AK
DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION GEAR SWITCH THAT MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. SPEED REDUCED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A REAR END CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
MY ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY UPON DEPARTURE OR ENTRY INTO VEHICLE. I CAN ACTIVATE OPENING THE DOORS WITH THE CLICKER AS I APPROACH THE VEHICLE AND THEY WILL LOCK THEMSELVES BEFORE I CAN GET TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOCKS ACTIVATE UPON MY DEPARTURE FROM THE VHICLE AT TIMES. IF I FORGET TO REMOVE THE KEYS FROM…
Read full complaint
MY ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY UPON DEPARTURE OR ENTRY INTO VEHICLE. I CAN ACTIVATE OPENING THE DOORS WITH THE CLICKER AS I APPROACH THE VEHICLE AND THEY WILL LOCK THEMSELVES BEFORE I CAN GET TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOCKS ACTIVATE UPON MY DEPARTURE FROM THE VHICLE AT TIMES. IF I FORGET TO REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION , I"M LOCKED OUT. I ALSO NOTICE A SLOSHING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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.