1997 Mercury Villager Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Villager years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mercury Villager. That ranks 4th out of 8 Villager model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (26 complaints, 21%), typically at around 125,304 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 125owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mercury Villager problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 21% | 125,304 | — | — |
| Structure | 21 | 17% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 17 | 14% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 13% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 10% | 97,956 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 9% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 7% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 4% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 3% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 3% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 2% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mercury Villager recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: 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.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the vent hose.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Problem: 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.
Risk: This condition can cause a catastrophic failure of the battery which could lead to an engine fire or battery explosion.
Fix: Dealers will replace these batteries. Until a new battery is obtained, owners should not attempt to "jump start" these batteries.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting
Problem: The four rubber fuel line connector hoses that are supplied to ford with the fuel tank assembly were improperly manufactured. These hoses can develop cracks or splits resulting in fuel leakage.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank assembly for the suspect date codes and replace the four rubber fuel connector hoses if necessary.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank vent hose leakage (EA00014) — opened May 22, 2000, closed Jan 4, 2001.
- Unexpected opening on sliding door (SQ00008) — opened May 12, 2000, closed Apr 1, 2002.
- Fuel rail hose fitting leakage (EA99015) — opened Jun 29, 1999, closed Apr 18, 2001.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving along after shopping and i started to hear this dragging or bottoming out sound so i pulled over to see what was happening and to my surprise the front frame on the passenger side that holds up the engine was broken i then opened the hood and saw that the engine was sitting sideways…
My 7 year old daughter thought it would be fun to see how many times she could wrap the shoulder belt around her neck. I was unaware as i was getting my other children buckled in. Before we were about to leave, i turned to see if she too was buckled in and found her using her fingers between her…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 mercury villager. The contact stated that the engine was started in cold weather, the vehicle would exhibit an abnormally strong gasoline odor. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who advised that there were no visible fuel leakages but the canister and the connected…
Driver reports he must have had his foot on the brake and accelerator at the same time (semi-panic brake application). Police report states "tire marks" on the (dry) pavement. One does not produce "tire marks" on dry pavement (no turning involved) without brake application. Driver had episode of…
Headrest guides are no longer available from manufacturer (ford or nissan). The guide itself is a cheaply built plastic sleeve which breaks easily (i've been through several in my nine years of ownership). Unfortunately, the headrest cannot be secured to the seat without them!! *tr
Other Mercury Villager years
← 1996 Villager · 1998 Villager →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Villager | 18 | 0 |
| 2001 Villager | 20 | 1 |
| 2000 Villager | 71 | 2 |
| 1999 Villager | 185 | 4 |
| 1998 Villager | 83 | 2 |
| 1997 | 125 | 3 |
| 1996 Villager | 188 | 2 |
| 1995 Villager | 367 | 3 |
See all Mercury Villager problems by year, every Mercury model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Mercury models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mercury Villager?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, structure, latches/locks/linkages problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 26 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mercury Villager?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Mercury Villager a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Villager model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.