Fuel System complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
When stopped at light, upon accelerating when the light turns green, the accelerator is hard to press. It does not depress. You have to either press too hard or pump a few times for it to get going. This is very dangerous when you are taking a left turn on a solid green light without a green arrow. You May stall and then lunge forward into an oncoming car
My 1999 Mercury Villager with approx 39K miles started showing this problem in April 2006. When I press the gas pedal after the light turns green, the pedal does not depress. I press harder, it finally depresses, but the van lunges forward. One time I got honked from behind. This happened about 5 times. I was planning on taking it to the shop. Then a few days later the van started trembling during idle and the "service" indicator came on. I took it to the shop on April 29th. They charged me approx $550 to replace one fuel injector and clean the throttle body and other fuel injectors. Yesterday, May 3rd the van did the same thing with a stuck gas pedal. I searched on the internet and found several complaints of this nature. Please let me know what options I have.
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 certified mechanic concluded that the failure of the vehicle directly related to NHTSA campaign number: 00V419002 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 202,000.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Mercury Villager. The contact smells a strong odor of fuel, which can be noticed both inside and outside of the vehicle. Through research, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign id number 00V419002 and NHTSA action number ea00015 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly). He took the vehicle to the dealer and provided them with the information he found online. The contact left the vehicle at the dealer for the day. He retrieved the vehicle the following day and noticed that the repair was not performed. The dealer stated that the VIN was excluded from the 19 year recall range. The manufacturer agreed with the dealer. The vehicle has not yet been repaired, but the contact believes that his VIN should be included. The failure mileage was 80,000 and current mileage was 130,000.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Mercury Villager. The contact smells gasoline after the vehicle has been driven or while it is idling. No fuel has been found on the ground after the vehicle was moved. NHTSA campaign id numbers 96V203000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly: mounting) and 00V419002 (fuel system, gasoline:storage: tank assembly) were referenced; however, the contact was informed that there was no longer a safety recall. The current mileage was 69,000 and failure mileage was 68,000.
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 hoses were faulty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised that there were no recalls for the problem. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000.
A day after taking vehicle for manufacturer's recall awf40c-f 00 s 59 repairs filler hose had to be changed because it could cause a fire. When consumer was driving about 40 MPH engine started jumping. Then, caught on fire just like it said in recall. The vehicle had exhaust leak at the manifold. The consumer says he does not know the cause of the fire.
The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer to have recall 00v-419 performed, but the dealer did not have the parts available for repair and was put on a waiting list, the consumer was told that the vehcile was still safe to operate until the parts came in, but prior to the parts coming in the vehicle caught on fire while parked (franklin insurance company). Nlm
Related recalls (3)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
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)…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the vent hose.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
Vehicle description: Mini vans. The fuel tank retention strap (two straps per vehicle) can break at the spot welds causing an underbody rattle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank retention straps.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank assembly for the suspect date codes and replace the four rubber fuel connector hoses if necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Villager years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (76), 1997 (27), 1996 (25), 1999 (14) and 1998 (8) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 21% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Mercury Villager fuel system problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 00V419002 (tank assembly, Jan 2, 2001); 99V205001 (mounting, Aug 3, 1999); 96V-203 (mounting, Oct 17, 1996). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mercury Villager fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 128,000 miles; 10% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the storage › tank assembly (48 mentions), followed by the delivery (16).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.