Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems

daddyizzle · August 2005

We have had the same problem with the brakes on our Quest. This has happened several times and then one or both drums are warped and the van shakes whenever you put the brakes on. We have had to replace the front brakes 4-5 times in the last 4 years about(25k to 30k). It is almost like the back brakes stop working so the fronts are doing all of the work. This is probably normal anyways. I have found the left caliper frozen twice. Check to make sure that the pad closest to the caliper piston is not warn excessively more than the outside pad. It should be worn a little bit more but not extremely. The force of the piston will naturally wear the inside pad more. We (I) replaced the left front caliper twice(65k and 130k) Appearantly we have a hard right off ramp that comes at the bottom of a steep hill. I think it makes the left caliper hot and causes the piston to freeze or take in excess dust. Caliper replacement is easy, don't let a shop rip you on such an easy job. Have someone help you if you are unsure the first time. After you have done it the first time, it should take less than an hour including bleeding brakes. Now as far as the back brakes go on yours, They may need to be turned. Keep in mind though that each time you turn them, there is a little less drum to dissipate the heat. It only takes a cold puddle on hot drums to cause them to warp. What probably is happening on yours is that they are slightly warped and when they get hot, they get a little bit more warped until they cool down. There is only a small amount of space between the brake shoes and the drums. If there is any warp to your drums, you will feel it in your back end. To make a short story long, make sure your rear bearings have good clean grease in them, and try a new set of drums. I also wonder if they may be putting a pair of shoes with a composition causes so much heat that it warps your drums. Hopefully the new drums aren't out of true to begin with. As far as my van, I was told to try disconnecting the battery and see if the computer will reset and recognize the new part. If it doesn't, then I will have to take it to a dealer that can reprogram the computer to recognize it. Still, I don't know if that is the fix, but I will try it and see.......... Incidentally, I normally replace my rear brakes about every 3rd or 4th time that I do the front brakes. I don't trust too many shops anyways.

daddyizzle · August 2005

Sure, I think I will pick one up. I think they were better years ago, and now only give some basic information. It's like they took the old Haynes, and the vehicle owners manual, and printed up something inbetween. Hopefully they have gotten comprehensive again like they use to be. I thought I would actually save money by letting the dealer diagnose it, and maybe once the computer is reset, the problem actually will be solved. I just thought that they should have been able to diagnose it in less than an hour. I think they intentionally dragged it out to work up a bill. They should have checked the simple things first, not tearing into the timing belt. I could have lived with a $70.00 bill, and a $130.00 part. Instead I had a $254.00 bill and a $130.00 part, not to mention the $150.00 in parts and non Nissan diagnoses I payed for prior to taking it into Nissan. It just seems that there are so many special computer parts anymore, that it would be hard to test them all, and expensive as well to replace on a guess. Besides, I don't know how you could test them all without a factory shop manual containing all the specifications, test procedures, and necessary tools. Thats why we rely on someone posting the same problem and already having gone through all the trial and error of getting it fixed.

dlhenry · August 2005

So says the Ford dealer, according to the computer printout. Carbon build-up will really cause problems someday. $1400 is the quote--$730 of this is parts. The van runs and looks great. I sure hate to fork out $1400 without some feedback or a second opinion. Is this price somewhat reasonable,--or should I try and see if something else is the problem? Thanks!

daddyizzle · August 2005

The drivers side headlight probably has a problem with the connector. I think it is seperate from the turnsignal issue, although a suspicious coincidence Ours actually needs to be replaced on our 99(when I get tired of defective headlight warnings) The sticking gas pedal- you can fix yourself with a can of carb cleaner and a rag. Compressed air is optional. Just spray the inside of the throttle body, and wipe out. The throttle body is essentially the carburator equivelance. I refuse to pay the dealer 100.00(or whatever) for something I can do in 5 minutes. You'll see how easy it is when you pull the aircleaner apparatus off. As far as the belts, make sure your power-steering is full. If it isn't, throw in some stop leak. If it still squeeks, make sure the tensioner pully is not frozen. On ours, at about 105k, we had the timing belt changed and I let the shop replace the other belts since I was busy, and they had to pull them to do the timing belt anyways. Low and behold, the belts started squeeking. I told them to check the tensioner pulley when they did the belts due to the squeek. They figured out the power steering leak, but put the tensioner pulley on wrong. After careful investigation and reasoning, I put it back together right, and it hasn't squeeked since. Good luck!

daddyizzle · August 2005

Kind of late, but on ours, I have replaced the caliper twice. Once at 65k and again at 130k. The piston froze for some reason. I did the work myself for cheap, so it doesn't bother me too much. I just thought it was caused by a hard right off-ramp we take a few times aday.

purrkty · August 2005

I have a series of strange problems with my 96 Nissan Quest GXE, it has started with the back blower that stopped working, then the fan for the radiator burned up and was bout melted so we replaced the fan and it worked half way, whenever i would be stopped in traffic the fan would be running but the van would start to overheat and when it did this the van just did not want to go. So now the new fan is burning up. What is goin on with this silly vehicle????

outlander1 · August 2005

Thanks for the info and web site. Figures they put it in a spot more difficult to do yourself. Thanks again the the help.

marku1 · August 2005

I had a similar problem earlier this year in May. I posted all the details in this forum if you want to read the whole story. The short version is that my 95 was getting hot and running bad. Replaced the thermostat and it worked. The dealer explained that even a slight increase in temp. causes the computer to do several things to prevent major damage. All of these adjustments cause the engine to perform poorly. The confusing aspect for me was the water was flowing, the thermostat was just not opening all the way. Good luck.
Mark

superxray · August 2005

Well, my temps never go over the M (norMal) on the gauge, and head temps read in regular ranges. I'll keep an eye on it, but I can't see how that accounts for the enormous gas mileage decrease.

daddyizzle · August 2005

Well, after a couple of misdiagnosis' I finally figured out what the problem was (with a little help from an auto forum, may have been this one.) First a recap: 1. engine lost power on any kind of hill, as well overheated after a steep one.2.transmission jerked from first to second. 3. An egg smell.
This is on a 1999 Nissan Quest SE 3.3 V-6
One diagnosis said it was an egr fault, but egr was fine, so the catalytic convertor needed to be checked. It checked ok. Belts and wires replaced. Dealer then checked egr system and timing belt, as well as catalytic convertor. They concluded that the air control meter was bad. they wantee 500. for the part, and 110. to put it in. I got the part and put it in. Still broke. Then someone said that it may have a clog in front of the catalytic convertor. I took off mid exhaust. It was still quiet with out the muffler, and still guttless. I took off the catalytic convertor(which bolts directly to the exaust manifold). Easy to do, but try to do it when the engine has cooled off. Drove it down the road and it sounded like a harley, but it ran like a bat out of hell. priced a new catalytic convertor and will have to order. I took the old one and tried to blow compressed air through it. It had some flow, but evidentally not enough.
For now, i fixed it. It has a screen on both ends, and ceramic porcelain on the inside that looks like a fine honeycomb. You can only get to one side because the otherside is purposely welded with a bend. Heres what I did. I beat the holy living hell out of the guts of it. I dug the far screen out with a small stick with a finish nail through it. I then blew it out thoroughly. I put it back on, and it runs like new. (It was well maintained and cared for to begin with.) I'm sure its not street legal at this point, but it runs good, and quiet. I'll put a new one on here in a few days.
Oh, by the way, the transmission now shifts properly again. It is smooth as it should be. Now we only need to fix the left headlight and the radio display.
Here is what was wrong: You know how the throttle body builds up with carbon? Well now I find that the catalytic convertor does as well.I'm sure it is by design. Add some rust scale and you won't get anywhere. I even tried blowing it out from the outlet side, and it didn't come out. The engine was having to rev so hard that it would jerk when it finally got around to shifting. I'll also note that the only reason for the catalytic convertor to be here, is so that it can clog easier then if it were further from engine(my opinion)
So this van has really been good. The dealer made this situation far more unpleasant and expensive then it had to be. I think they knew what the problem was all along, and saw an opportunity to pump alot of money out of me. I don't have that much money, and they knew that, but wanted to screw me anyways. I will not go to that dealer again, and may end up getting rid of the van so I don't have to worry about where to go for dealer parts or repairs. I think they just lost Nissan Motor Corporation and any Nissan dealer, a very loyal customer. I hope it was worth it for them. It was not for me.

superxray · August 2005

Thanks for the post. The first clue would have been the rotten egg smell, which is almost always associated with catalytic converter leakage or clogging (from my experience). Secondly, the dealer will always try to screw you, it's just their way. In the future, make sure to get a temp gun and temp the exhaust headers on a regular basis when it is at running temps. You will find they are considerably warmer when the converter becomes clogged. Usually, the problem is worse at higher RPM's, which doesn't coincide with my issue. However, it's nice to see people actually posting! The converter is there for a good reason and are required by the feds to last 100k, or they get replaced free.

daddyizzle · August 2005

I am seriously considering getting an aftermarket catalytic convertor. I get so use to smelling that smell from other vehicles that I either hadn't noticed, or assumed it was someone else's. Heck, a muffler shop and a Nissan dealer said it tested fine. I may even be on the wrong page for this post at this point, don't know. I thought I may just leave the old empty hull where it is and add it somewhere down the line. I don't understand the engineering behind one. It looks like it is designed to slowly filter out the carbon etc. In doing so, It would probably get clogged eventually anyways . I've heard of the ceramics inside of them exploding from condensation. Maybe by putting it right by the engine, it only gets rust flake clogging, I'm not sure. Does anyone know if you can do this? I am not afraid to cut out a piece of pipe, say maybe the mid pipe. I just hate to be the guinea pig. Then again, I had no Idea what would happen if I hallowed out the convertor. I just figured that it couldn't hurt it much more since it didn't run worth a crap the way it was. I wasn't even sure it was bad. All I know is that it runs like a champ now. I just think that they designed the original convertor in such a way that you would almost have to go to a dealer to replace it. I just want a plain jane that does the job and makes the Californians and EPA happy. Hopefully not ruining my new found performance and lasting another 100k.

steine13 · August 2005

" It looks like it is designed to slowly filter out the carbon etc"

No, the cat conv is there to convert most of the harmful gases in the exhaust into something harmless. In the process, "nothing" is left behind, at least in theory, so a cc can last a very long time.

In reality, soot from the engine can clog it, as you have found out. It also becomes less effective over time, though I believe at 100k it should still be fine, if everything else is OK.

BTW, it needs to be very hot to do it's job properly, which is why it is where it is and not farther down the line. Many newer cars have a small cc right in the exhaust manifold, where it warms up and begins cleaning a lot faster.

The main components of exhaust one wants to get rid of are CO, NOx (various oxides of nitrogen), SO2 (sulfur oxide, dunno what happens to the sulfur, but there's your smell) and various hydrocarbons -- in large part, unburned fuel. They are sent past a large area of platinum and -- through a process of magic, I suppose -- transformed in to CO2 and water.

-Mathias

bzzz · August 2005

Hello,

I have the same problem with my '94 Quest! Did you ever get an answer about this problem?

DON'T fall for a pricey "gotta replace the rack & pinion"... If the fluid is not leaking that is not the problem.....

I had a mechanic tell me that it just needed to have a Power Steering Flush......that usually when something like this happens, trash in the system is usually the problem.

I did have that same mechanic do this type of flush (GREAT shade-tree mechanic)..... It did work......for a while. Now, I need to do that flush again (if that is indeed the solution), however, no one knows how to contact him.....

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to do this flush myself? :confuse:

Sincerely
BZZZ

raymur · August 2005

I am having this problem with a 94 Quest. I am unclear where the control unit, that is referred to, is located. Are you referring to the control panel with the rear fan controls, located above the radio on the dash?

daddyizzle · August 2005

So you are saying that the catalytic convertor was still good, and I beat the crap out of it for nothing other than the satisfaction or getting my vengence out? Are you also saying that I should go ahead and throw a new one back on? I would have cleaned out the intake side except I couldn't get into it. I thought about spraying a bunch of carb cleaner but figured it wouldn't do much if I couldn't get into it to wipe it out. My other option was to soak it in laquer thinner but I was afraid it would damage the inside anyways. I figured if I gutted it, then I knew it would be clean. I suppose a shop could have cut the intake off and cleaned it and rewelded it. Anyways, Nissan wanted to jerk me for 500.00+ for a factory replacement. O'Reilly's quoted me around 130.00 for a new one. Can I trust an O"Reilly catalytic convertor? I am all for saving a buck but I want something thats going to last for another 100k.

steine13 · August 2005

"So you are saying that the catalytic convertor was still good, and I beat the crap out of it for nothing other than the satisfaction or getting my vengence out?"

No, I was saying a cat conv does not "filter out soot" and tried to explain what it does and how it does it.

Yours is most certainly shot, and I doubt it fulfils its function. However, if the check-engine light is not on, then maybe it still does work, as there is a second O2 sensor on the far side of the cat that is supposed to supervise the function.

As far as what you should do; since I'm spending your money,and since a '99 has a lot of life left, I'd suggest buying the O'Reilly replacement and sticking it in there. That shows good faith and it should be effective for awhile.

Good luck,
-Mathias

yorktran · August 2005

I have nissan quest XE 96 ,check engine light is on,I go to dealer service deparment and they say knock sensor fail,I want to replace it by myself,can you show me where knock sensor located?thanks all

desertheat2 · August 2005

I am having the same problem! I just had a complete brake job and now the rear brakes intermittently seen to grab and the van starts shaking. They get very hot. I bring it back to the shop and everything works just fine. Hove you been able to solve the problem?

brianford · August 2005

I need to fix my drivers side power window master switch. The local Nissan dealer wants $116.00 for this part. Does anyone know of a less expensive source for the part?

paramedic · September 2005

Several things may be at fault but lets start with the obvious.
Brake shoes- are they clean and how are they wearing. Any grease will cause a lock up so check the rear axle bearing grease seal [you must remove the seal to remove the drums]. Also the drums must be checked for true , not out of round or egg shapped.
The system is easy there are the wheel cylinders , look at the rubber boot for leakage if none your probably good. The shoes, as I mentioned look for discoloration from grease which will cause lock up. The Hardware, AHA. The hardware is rarely changed but it consists of springs that pull the shoes off of the drum when released. I had done a brake job on a 1995 Olds with old hardware ,my own car and I was doing the cheap job, and found the return spring had broken in the past, unsure of how long ago but it was abraded from rubbing. Most shops do not change hardware. Then ther are the obsecure things like a hose that has a "bubble" in it letting the fluid go to the wheel and not return, or a proportuning valve sticking or even a valve in the master cylinder locking up but these are the rarities.

Most likely it is the hardware and if not then the shoes innundated with grease [rear axle bearing seal leaking] the other things are the oddities that could be present but not too likely to check.
As for the heat. The cars brake system translates speed to heat from friction to slow the car. Under off braking condition the shoe should not rubb hard on the drum and should develop no heat. I have seen cars that had the druym actually glowing cherry red from a dragging brake or have seen drums that showed signs of being overheated. An overheated drum should be replaced as it has the basic metalurgy of the drum changed by the heating.
Some food for thought. GOOD LUCK and hope all works out. The cheapest fix is another brake job with new shoes and new hardware and to truely check the "true of the drum" for out of round. Out of round may not be seen but in the 1/1000 inch it is significant

paramedic · September 2005

For a Cat [Catylitic Converter ] to be sold it must meet Federal Standards. Look on the box for anything mentioning that it meets or exceeds federal std. For any emmission part to be sold it must meet the federal standard and this will be on the box or available from the company.
When I worked for a GM/Toyota dealer basck in the mid 1980s no one made Cats besides the original manufacturer but now there are a lot of manufacturers out there. Around 1985-1990 more companies started making replacement emmission parts [like the Oxygen sensor]. The Original part was probably made here as the Ford tie in for production . By the way any thing that states meets or exceeds manufaturers specs is fine. Around 1980 Toyota had engine problems [design flaw] that led to failure, Toyota balmed aftermarket oil filters but they were tested and meeet Toyota Std. The courts made Toyota pay for the engines saying they meet or exceed the origianl specs. The Oil Filter mentioned was made by an aftermarket company who after research also made the original replacement filters sold by Toyota.

paramedic · September 2005

My Quest has the same thing with the headlights. While driving the headlights wink out for around 10 seconds or so then come on and are fine. The battery cablers get a lot of corrosion on them. A drop from 14.5 to 13.5 should not cause the lights to wink out. As a former mechanic I know voltage drops are normal as the regulator kicks in and out but even with 12 volts the headlights should work. I had it happen just a week ago and have not had a chance to look it over. I did find thet the headlight on the drivers side did blow. After 2-3 years [approximately 30,000 miles or less a vacation vehicle] I had to replace the pass side bulb now at 48,000 miles and just over 6 years the drivers went. I neverr had this frequent failure of light bulbs. By the way the dash lights wink out too. I am thinking light switch or probably timer. I have an SE with the option for the lights.

paramedic · September 2005

I did a cheap brake job but didn't resurface the rotor and got a chatter from the fronts, definitely a warped rotor so I waited and did another job but replaced the rotor with the cheapest ones from AutoZone [$30 each or so cheap].
To replace the rotors.
Remove wheel
Loosen caliper bolts [2 per caliper]
Take Caliper off and while off replace the pads
Slip the rotor off
Replace the Rotor, caliper and pads, tighten the caliper
Put 2 wheel lug bolts and tighten
Hit the brakes 2 or 3 times when both sides are done
Either hold the pedal down or release and remove the 2 lug bolts holding the rotor in place.
Put wheels on and RE TORQUE THE WHEELS look in manual for specs

I like to hit the brakes 2 or 3 times with tight wheel lugs in place to set the rotor. GM used to have a aluminium star type washer from the factory to hold drums on in the back when built so I feel the initial setting of the postion of the Rotor To Pads is important.

GOOD LUCK the brakes are easy to do almost too easy

kjwee3t · September 2005

I have a mercury villager estate 2000 model! My radiator fan is doing the same thing on off on off at an idle, at first I thought it might have been the mass air flow sensor adjusting to the new climate! (we had moved; then it stated to do it) I have a little over 62K miles on the van every thing else works well! I am a certified A/C technician and I've checked the pressures on my head and suction side of the compressor! I found no problems there! I also checked for any restriction in the refrigerant lines as well as the blower box! No problems there either. The radiator relays (there are three of them) I have checked resistance and ohm they seem to be working properly! I spoke to a technician at the mercury place and he said that it is perfectly normal! I just do not believe that! (you can't make me believe that) Someone please help me! please

newyorkquest · September 2005

I have a Nissan Quest 2000 SE. The stop lights (All three) remain on all the time, even after I shut off the engine. I pull the fuse (20ma), then the lights go off. I replaced the fuse, but problem remains. Please help.

toomanyfumes · September 2005

It sounds like the switch that activates the brake lights is stuck or defective. On older cars it was on the pedal itself,under the dash. I'm not sure on this one, though.

stever · September 2005

Hopefully this isn't not too late - I just ran across Jerry Rome Nissan online and they sell the switch for around $70. Click on the Order the Parts You Need box. Free shipping right now too.

Usual disclaimers - I haven't done business with them before.

Steve, Host

onaquest · September 2005

Please folks...
i'm also victim to a non-functioning speedo-odom-cruise control on my '99 Quest. Is this clearly a Variable Speed Sensor problem as well? If so, where does this thing reside so that i can identify and replace it? Also, are the parts any cheaper as Nissan or Villager? Seems like a great disparity in price for the VSS ... Postings indicate dealer price of $35 vs. $165.
Thanks...

onaquest · September 2005

Greetings ...
i was thinking that 73K miles and $3.50/gal. gas might make this a good time for a tune-up on my "99 Quest SE (best mileage now is highway at 20mpg). Is it time for the distrib cap, rotor and wires to be replaced in addition to the plugs?
(i thought all these newer vehicles have electronic ignition?) Also, my local R&S Strauss tells me that double platinum plugs are the way to go... Is that OEM and is it really better? They are pricey at about $10 each.. Also, any thoughts on new rotors and ceramic pads as an overhaul?

ninetyfive · September 2005

I notice the smell of gas when it is cold outside/until the engine warms up. On a recent summer trip to Colorado, I drove to the top of a mountain and smelled the fresh gas smell as temps dropped outside the van. I think there may be a bad seal on one or more fuel injectors. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I have a bad back and little cash, so I am looking for answers before I actually work on the van. Thank you in advance for your help.

vennamr · September 2005

I have recently fixed my radio display problem. But when I took out the radio, I lost my 4 screws that are used to fix the radio. Now I am not sure, what size of screws to buy to fix my radio.

Any help is really appreciated.

brianford · September 2005

Steve,

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Brian

tester1 · September 2005

Just returned from service in a local garage for my 99 Mercury villager with 63000 miles on it. Performed following service:
1. changing oil, oil filter
2. changing fuel filter
3. change spark plugs
4. changing ignition cap and rotor
5. flush radiator
6. replace rear brakes (drum)
7. flush transmission fluid
8. injection cleaning
9. replace batter connector
10. replaces alternator belts (two) and ac belt (one)

I think the technician did a great job, he explained to me about the service and the bill totaled 950 which kind above my expectation.
Does this 950 sounds right with all these services? Comment anyone?

jimh3 · September 2005

My Villager (144,000 miles) began to lose power after it warmed up. Cleaned throttle body, new plugs/cap and rotor, but problem persisted. It turned out to be the cam sensor on the distributor. The sharp mechanic noticed that after the engine heated up, two plugs lost their spark. The new distributor remedied the problem Hope this helps someone else.

sia1 · September 2005

Hi,
I have a Nissan Quest SE 99. Recently I experienced that driver's side window goes down but then has a hard time to come up and now it does not come up.
Could you tell me what the problem is? is it the motor, switch or regulator?
Where could I get the part and how difficult is it to change it?
Thanks very much,
Sia

sia1 · September 2005

Hi,
I have the same problem, please tell me where to buy the part and how to change it?
Thanks a lot
Sia

tester1 · September 2005

It is easy to change. I got my part from Nissan dealer, same part but ten or twenty dollars cheaper. Just remove the screw cover then unscrew the whole control unit will come off. It cose me around 90.

stever · September 2005

I agree that it's mostly likely the switch and not the motor or regulator. A new one costs $70 to $100 depending on where you find it. A couple of us have managed to dismantle it and clean the carbon out - mine's still working several months after I did this.

Use the Search This Discussion box at the bottom right for "power window" and you'll find other posts about how to remove the switch. It is easy to replace yourself.

Steve, Host

ebuss · September 2005

I don't think you will find a leak in the injectors. So one posted a problem with the tube in the fillup area, getting older and cracking. There was a recall on this problem I think. Do a search on gas smell, you will be enlightened to this and other situations. This is a very interesting forum. Just my two cents Earl

gsurekha2001 · September 2005

Hi,

The Driver side window of my 99 villager just stopped rolling up a couple of days ago. I took it to a local mechanic who charged me $50 to diagnose the problem and told me I would need to replace the power window motor. He claimed that part was about $140 and total charges including labor and diagnostics will be $270/-

Are these reasonable costs? I am reluctant to take it to the dealer as my experience with my dealer in past tells me they will prbably come up with a higher estimate. Anyone faced the same problem and got it fixed cheaper?

Any help/refrence to a good mecahnic in San Jose will be appreciated.

fruitcup · September 2005

Hello Paramedic
I have a '95 Villager that I have now started calling "Christine". She has the most amazing personality that seems to be electrically controlled. She locks herself all the time and I lose and regain headlights, seat controls, blower motors etc. I was told the voltage regulator on the alternator could possibly be throwing too much voltage at times. Although I have seen answers to some of my problems on this site, I think you might want to look at the voltage regulation to see if this is what is happening with your lights. I am not a mechanic I am just going with what I have been told and it seems that if this is possible, it is a good explanation to the mystery of blown and winking lights. Along with my lost relays

fruitcup · September 2005

I recently tried to fix my sporadic headlight activity with a new light.(Pass side headlight. The day light works on occasion, my bright light indicator on the dash comes on if the daytime running light is out!!?? and the night light and bright on that side do not work at all. So my bright indicator is on all the time at night) Changing the bulb, of course, did not work. It was only a $9 part. The next thing I can find in the line is the relay switch, box fuse, found on the pass. side under the hood. I dont want to run out and buy the part again only to find the issue is somewhere else. I am going to try the wiggle trick but I have no real hope there. Can someone tell me what to do to check this relay. I have a meter so I can check voltage and OHMs but I don't know what I am looking for ..how much voltage or resistance should I see if this is functioning well
Also does anyone have any other ideas as to this issue. The sporadic electrical activity in my car. The locking doors and the loss of blower motors and seat movement can be tolerated but if it all connected I would like to know the fix

surjn98 · September 2005

I have a 99 Quest SE with around 136,000 miles and well maintained. Enjoyed the van, has been reliable and has not given any problems. Engine has been very smooth.
The sad thing is that we had a bad storm 2 says ago and a tree fell on the engine compartment. Insurance will cover it & got towed to the body shop today. They haven't opened the engine compartment & should tomorrow. My concern is that with the damage already and the liquid coming out of the radiator, there is internal damage. What options do I have with the amount of miles on it? Is it worth going through the trouble of fixing? Thanks!

kymike · September 2005

Liquid coming out of the radiator does not mean internal engine damage - only damage to the radiator or hose connections. Generally, this is not an expensive fix ($200-$300) and is a common repair. If there is significant damage to the engine, then I would expect your insurance company to total the car versus replace the engine given the age and mileage of the vehicle. Hopefully, the overall engine damage is minor.

ebuss · September 2005

Is there a late model junk yard in your area? The parts are really not that hard to get at and replace. Earl

bferejohn · September 2005

I have a 99 Mercury Village 147,000 miles. I have had an issue with the ABS light coming on when I hit 60 MPH. Never goes on when traveling at lesser speed. Light goes off after car is shut off and does not reappear until you drive 60 MPH again. ABS works fine when light is off. Am thinking about selling car but would like to fix before I try and sell. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing problem. Car is well maintained and even passed NJ inspection even though that problem existed when inspected. Thanks for any help. I would hate to take it to the dealer, they have "conveniently" made some of the diagnostic codes only readable by them. Thanks again. Beth

laumonte · September 2005

Very suddenly, my automatic seatbelt isn't working. I have a 1995 Nissan Quest. The manual says that such a problem may occur after an accident, but I haven't been in one. The manual is confusing anyway. Can anyone help?

scottmsimpson · September 2005

We just got our 2002 Villager Estate back after the dealer replaced the front door lock solenoids (or motors?). Now the radio will not play correctly. If we turn it way up, we get a very faint sound out of the rear speakers, nothing out of the fronts.
We have played with all the controls, including the mute feature.
Almost seems like the speakers are not connected, or perhaps the amp blew out.
Any other ideas? We'll take it to the dealer this week.

lightnin4 · September 2005

Found it! (I posted the earlier reply). The problem was the ignition key -- what was happening was either when the car was started or when the keys jiggled from going over a bump etc., the keys were slipping slightly out of the normal position. Try (while not moving of course) twisting the keys slightly back into position. When it pops back into place everything will work again. Unfortunately this is not cheap to fix, as my dealer fix price was nearly $500 as they had to order a new lockset for the steering column (and got a new key set too which didn't match the doors!).

Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems

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