1998 Mercury Villager Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Villager years
- Fewer complaints than other years 5th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Mercury Villager. That ranks 5th out of 8 Villager model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (14 complaints, 17%), typically at around 82,473 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 83owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 17% | 82,473 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 14% | 189,732 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 11% | 15,765 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 11% | 83,650 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 10% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 8% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 7% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 6% | 144,946 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 202,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Mercury Villager recalls (2)
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Fuel leak under the hood
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 mercury villager. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a strong fuel odor in the cabin. The odor was primarily observed near the front end of the vehicle at all times. When the heat in the vehicle was activated, the odor intensified. The contact stated that a…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 mercury villager. The contact stated that the rear brake lights illuminated and failed to turn off although the brake pedal was not depressed. After inspecting the vehicle and cruise control switch the contact discovered that the plastic bushings located on the brake…
I parked my van, 1998 mercury villager on the street in front of my home. Two days later, i noticed the front right tire was flat. I had four new tires since jan 2011. When i lifted up the front right and tried to remove the fr tire, it would not come off. After a while, i noticed the strut coil…
1998 villager-4 rapid acceleration situations-starting to brake the engine starts revving up to the point you cannot hold the car with the brake, only by shifting to neutral. Sept.2005,10/2006, 8/2010 & 12/09/10. Caused accident on 12/09 and totaled vehicle. Fortunate no injuries but a very shook…
Other Mercury Villager years
← 1997 Villager · 1999 Villager →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Villager | 18 | 0 |
| 2001 Villager | 20 | 1 |
| 2000 Villager | 71 | 2 |
| 1999 Villager | 185 | 4 |
| 1998 | 83 | 2 |
| 1997 Villager | 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 1998 Mercury Villager?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, structure, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Mercury Villager?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.