11 of the 253 complaints about the 1996 Mercury Villager are about the steering — 4% of everything reported for this model year.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING:COLUMN
THE TILT WHEEL ASSEMBLY MOVES SIDEWAYS AS YOU ARE MAKING TURNS TO THE LEFT. ON COLD DAYS THE RACK AND PINION WORKS FINE ON THE LEFT SIDE BUT TAKES A WHILE TO WORK ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IT'S AS IF IT NEEDS TO WARM UP, FIRST.
NHTSA complaint #744269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE TILT WHEEL ASSEMBLY MOVES SIDEWAYS AS YOU ARE MAKING TURNS TO THE LEFT. ON COLD DAYS THE RACK AND PINION WORKS FINE ON THE LEFT SIDE BUT TAKES A WHILE TO WORK ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IT'S AS IF IT NEEDS TO WARM UP, FIRST.
NHTSA complaint #744269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
HEAD CONTROL MODULE WIRE HARNESS IN BACK OF THE DASH PANEL BURNED UP. WIRES WERE COMPLETELY MELTED. *AK SEVERAL ELECTRICAL RELATED PROBLEMS: BATTERY FAILURE, OPEN CIRCUIT IN MAIN ENGINE HARNESS TO EGR SOLENOID, OVERHEAD LIGHT FAILED, POWER DOOR LOCKS WERE OPERATING BY THEMSELVES, POWER LOCKS WOULD NOT LOCK WITH THE SWITCH, REAR WINDSHILED WIPER SWITCH FAILED AND REAR WIPERS WOULD NOT STOP EVEN AFTER FUSE WAS REMOVED, SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WITH REMOTE OR SWITCH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. POWER STEERING PUMP NOISY AND WAS REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER MOTOR FAILED. WHEN LOCKING VEHICLE WITH KEY, HORN WOULD OPERATE, KEYLESS ENTRY HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #882682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
LEFT FRONT TIE ROD HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT PROBABLY HAD BEEN BAD FOR SOME TIME, BUT WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARANTY WHEN VEHICLE ONLY HAD MILEAGE IN THE UPPER 20,000S. THIS IS VERY LOW MILAGE FOR SUCH FRONT END COMPONENTS TO GO BAD. CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAID VILLAGERS ARE NOT KNOWN FOR WEARING OUT OF FRONT END PARTS AT LOW MIELAGE, SO THESE MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE PARTS FROM THE FACTORY. THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME THOUGH ON THE TIE ROD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. HAD TO REPLACE AT MY OWN EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #715755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
STEERING FEELS BUMPY AND MAKES NOISE INTERMITTANTLY.
NHTSA complaint #534039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
WHILE MAKING A TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED, THE DRIVER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO TURN THE KEY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START, THEN THE DRIVER TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT STARTED.
NHTSA complaint #781534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
ALARM SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK WITHOUTH ACTIVATION OF SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #539373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SHIFT INTERLOCK MACH. ON VEHICLE DID NOT WORK PROPERLY . THE CAR WOULD BE OFF AND THE CAR COULD SHIFT TO PARK. MANF. CONTACTED . VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVEN BACK TO THE DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #814370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #807941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED INTO PLACE, UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #980415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED INTO PLACE, UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #980415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.