1996 Mercury Villager GS from North America - Comments

We purchased this van at new used car dealer. We noticed that about one year after the purchase there was a knocking in the engine.

We took the van back to the dealership to have it checked out. They said that the fourth piston was hitting the piston wall and need to be replaced. So a used engine was put in because the extended warranty we were sold would only allow this. So then within a day or two, the check engine light came on and would not go out. After many trip to the dealer and other local authorized garages by the dealer, this problem was never fixed.

Then about 5/2003 the lower gear of timing belt assembly completely sheared off, and the engine was gone and not repairable because the engine for Mercury Villagers are interrupted. This means that the pistons drive the upper engine up so that they are wrecked and unrepairable. The first new used engine was out of 1995 Mercury Villager and was useless. We paid to remove this engine and put in a second engine out of another 1995 Villager. This cost over a $1000.00 by lower scale mechanic. Forget Ford at $52.00 per hour! This guy charged $28.00 per hour. The mechanic said most of the cost was because engine had to be stripped to get it out of engine compartment, and the engines parts were not compatible at all.

This car is good average size family van.

The van is very lacking in storage space.

It has interior planes that continue to fall off, and the sun visors have locked up and broke off on the passenger side.

It has great pick up power and passing power.

This van is one of Ford's biggest mistakes and it's good that it will not be made past 2004.

This bad review on the Mercury Villager is a lot of bull. I have one with over 176,000 miles on it and it is stilling running great. My wife and I are from Kansas, but live in Chicago now and we still take trips home in it (over 650 miles).

It is a great, dependable little van.

I owned a 94 mercury villager with 167k miles on it, still run smooth and gets 25-28mpg. I had to repair the ground problem on the rear a/c blower, replace water pump and now I'm trying to figure out the check engine light, it came on when the bpt burned out, but I replaced it then the cel light disappear for while now it's back. If the system is reset the cel will come on at over 40mph and once in while the cel will go away at same speed and back on again. I had it smog and failed on high nox only, everything else pass. Catalytic and O2 sensor been replaced, the egr seems to work when vacuum test. Does anybody else had the same problem?

I have a 1997 mercury villager van with 104,000 miles on it.I've had it for 5 years.I've had trouble with the check engine all 5 years. I had it checked and they did replace a couple of things. But before long the engine light would come on. It would be on awhile and go off awhile then back on.It's on right now. I just ignore it any more after 5 years. As long as it runs OK and gets me where I'm going. My van runs smooth and is decent on gas.I've replaced the brakes twice and put new tires on. Otherwise I like my van that is why I have had it for 5 years.

I own a 1996 Mercury Villager. I've had trouble with the Check Engine light on and off (literally) for three plus years. The only thing that works to turn off the Check Engine light (80% of the time) is to tighten my gas cap (at least 4-5 "clicks")

I have a '96 Villager and am the original owner. There is 112,000 miles plus on it and I just returned from a 4000 mile summer vacation. (summer '04) The maintenance schedule calls for replacing the timing chain at around 110,000 miles which I did. Other than that the only other repair has been to replace the throttle linkage mechanism at around 90,000 miles. Everything is in good working order with no missing pieces of interior or exterior. It has been a great family vehicle. The most worn part is a strip of plastic across the threshold of the sliding door. It has been somewhat abused by my dragging 50 gallon drums of firewood in through the sliding door area and dragging them back out. A few dozen times. The Check Engine Light has never come on during operation except the check procedure when you first turn the key at startup. The maintenance schedule goes well past 100,000 miles so I am looking forward to a bright future. I have the extended length option so it holds quite a bit behind the back seat, including a nice stack of firewood. The interior has held up better than any vehicle we have ever owned. We average a new car every other year and have 3 vehicles, but this one has been a keeper. I can't seem to find a newer model that can beat it for size, safety and convenience.

To those folks with the check engine light problems: my '97 had the same problem, ours turned out to be a small rubber hose (I think from the egr valve) that had basically rotted. Replacing the hose cleared up the problem. You might try a google search and see if that turns up anything.

Hth.

My 96 Mercury Villager is at 179k miles. My sister bought it new, and I bought it from her, so I am the second owner.

I have had more work done to this van than expected, judging from other vehicles I've worked on, and had work done to in the past.

About the check engine light coming off and on; I had the same problem. 1 of 2 things caused my light to go off and on and eventually stayed on. First, the weld where my EGR valve attached to the exhaust manifold was cracked about 80-90% around. I had to get another manifold. Second, the "knock sensor" was bad. The plastic surrounding the sensor was split.

Also, especially if you live in an area that has a lot of hot weather, you can expect to replace many hoses, as there are many water hoses on this van, and most are very difficult to get to and replace. I recently had more of my hoses replaced.

The van appears to be a bit on the flimsy side. I've also had a lot of work done to the front-end, about $1500.00 worth. I would not own another Villager knowing what I do now, but I'm in too deep to pull out now.

I have a 1996 Villager. I have had very good luck. I bought it with 99,000 and it now has 182,000. Motor and trans are the greatest. Have had to put a timing belt in at 175,000, struts and CVs etc.

The only real problem I have had is the racket pinion sp. Had it replaced three times. I think it was the place where I took it. They did it and replaced it twice for free.

Some minor electrical shorts that were and are annoying. I would buy another one in a minute if I did not want something that could tow. In my opinion a great van. 2002 is the last year you can get the Villager with the Nissan drive train. Good luck.