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Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems

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  • phil16phil16 Member Posts: 2
    I've had a 95' Mercury Villager for more than 3 years. The same type of noise was noticed a year or so ago. It has gotten louder with time. I've gone underneath to check every conceivable connection that could make the noise but have had no luck.

    Did you ever find the problem?
  • vonbill3vonbill3 Member Posts: 20
    I replaced the lockset in my 93 Villager about a year ago. Lockset cost ws $65 from the dealer. I installed it myself in a few minutes. Wondering what else your dealer did to cost $500.
  • ren7000ren7000 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 99 Quest Se with 145,000 miles on the odometer. When driving under 20mph the ABS system vibrates through the pedal only when turning the steering wheel left.Sometimes if I push moderately when the Abs is vibrating it feel like I am in snow. I also have a slight vibration problem. The steering wheel is slightly to the right to go straight but when it is let go it'll go straight. Mechanic said it did not need a wheel alignment according to the tires. I hear a slight thump while cruising coming from the front. Just slight like somethimg is not right. Seems Like it goes throgh phases. 70mph=most vibration 90=smooth 100=vibration
  • mwilhite864mwilhite864 Member Posts: 2
    I want to thank Everyone on this Message board for all the information that they've shared. In turn I'm going to provide everyone with my recent experience with my 98 Mercury Villager. As stated by everyone, we've enjoyed the van and have had no major issues until just recent. The Van began to act very jerky and hesitating. some rough shifting and of course the check engine light came on. I went through and changed all the plugs, cap and router to no major success. the OBDII came up with a Knock sensor and a TPS Sensor issue. Took it to the Dealer (BIG MISTAKE) wasted an entire day having them replace the TPS Sensor, flush the trans, etc. Only to have a day later the check engine light come back on and the whole thing started all over again.

    So, after some time and reading on this board and finally getting to talk to my dad's Mechanic and allowing me to take a look at all the manuals in dealing with this van. My dad's Mechanic said the only thing that really comes to mind, due to all the crazy sensor codes that would come up, is that it has to be a ground issue. OK, I copied off the wiring diagram and in looking at it with the mechanic discovered that the ECT and TPS Sensor shared the same spliced ground wire. These were the 2 most common sensor errors that the OBDII was kicking out all the time. With this information a friend of mine and I went to work first making sure that all main hard grounds were intact and have no issues. Then we made a quick jumper from the ECT Sensor Ground wire to the TPS Sensor Ground Wire and then grounded the wire to the Main Ground. (You can ground this anywhere on the engine if you like). Guess What all my problems went away.

    What I suspect is that the ground wires for the ECT and TPS Sensor that run all the way back to the PCM through the firewall must have cut through or disrupted the connection in some way. So, if anyone else runs into this issue with some crazy sensor readings it will more in likely be a ground issue and then the fun begins. I feel I was lucky, but I hope my information will help someone else.
  • meshhomelifemeshhomelife Member Posts: 3
    I had a problem with the gas cap on my quest. You have to turn it tight and sometimes it gets loose for no reason. There is a lot of pressure in the tank and it stinks to high hell like gas if you dont really turn that gas cap tight. There was a recall on some faulty hose. If a new gas cap (3 dollars) wont fix it, have nissan fix that hose for free.
  • meshhomelifemeshhomelife Member Posts: 3
    The radiator fan blew a fuse and melted through the lead wires. When I stopped the car because it was getting hot, I couldnt roll up the windows. I replaced the fuse for the power windows but they still wont roll up. They dont seem to be connected in any way to the radiator fan motor. Do they possibly share a ground wire? The fan motor is shot. It costs 116 dollars from autozone. The dealer wants 340$. Does anyone think that these two problems are connected? The fuse for the windows did not blow, so i doubt that it has anything to do with the motor. The passenger side and driver side wont roll up. Does anyone know anything about this? The radiator fan looks easy, but does anyone know how to fix the windows?
  • tony28tony28 Member Posts: 1
    '97 Quest would not start. Mechanic replaced fuel pump/filter, but now he cannot get power to the fuel pump. Relays/fuses all good at the front. Inertia switch good. What should I look for in the harness going back to the fuel pump? Or is there another option?
  • pjs6pjs6 Member Posts: 1
    help...am looking at buying a 1997 mercury villager ls with 105000 miles on it and a 2000 windstar lx with 108000 miles on it....both run and look excellent bodywise but i am leary of the windstar because of all the tranny problems ive heard about...help
  • jdowneyjdowney Member Posts: 2
    I think that the knock sensor just comes on when you have any type of vibration to your engine.I got the same reading for my 96 villager and come to find out it was the fuel sensor. the knock sensor is on your engine it is very hard to replace and from my understanding, rare to need replacing
  • jdowneyjdowney Member Posts: 2
    try the fuel sensor. mine did the same thing.
  • tchasetchase Member Posts: 3
    I had this same problem. I went here http://home.earthlink.net/~vqfaq/ and found detailed info on how to fix. worked perfect for me and it was free!!
  • tchasetchase Member Posts: 3
    Take a look here, you may find the fix to your rear AC not working, I did. http://home.earthlink.net/~vqfaq/
  • tchasetchase Member Posts: 3
    Take a look here, you'll find your answers. http://home.earthlink.net/~vqfaq/
  • scottmsimpsonscottmsimpson Member Posts: 66
    I would recommend the villager. The LS model is the top of the line for that year. Villager has the folding seats, where Windstar has to be removed. We had a 95 LS that we bought in 96 with 33,000 on it. Kept it till a year ago when it hit 101,000. It still ran great. I just didn't want to spend the money on the timing belt if we weren't going to keep it for several more years. The belt is to be replaced at 105,000, just where that one is. Make sure it has been replaced, or work that into the price, and get it done soon. I have not heard of them breaking, and I'm sure you can get much more than 105k, but that is the recommended interval. We traded in the 95 for a 2002 Estate model.
  • rick33rick33 Member Posts: 1
    I have a P0402 code (excessive egr flow) on my 96 villager; does anyone have experiece with this? How is the excessive flow detected?
  • ladyramaladyrama Member Posts: 2
    Hi everyone,

    I feel weird posting to a forum where everyone seems to know what they are talking about. I know nothing about engines but here goes. I have a 1996 villager with about 66,000 miles on it. Recently my ex replaced several belts and the water pump. About a month ago the check engine light came on. The van does not seem to drive any differently to me but I want to make sure I am not hurting it by driving. I am disabled and do not drive that much and I can't afford expensive repairs. Especially when I have no clue if the mechanic is telling me the truth or not . One other thing. The batter has come up dead several times over the past month. Once jumped it ran ok. The battery was replaced but it is still happening. I make sure everything is off..doors closed etc when leaving. Any ideas?
    Thanks so much.
  • kymikekymike Member Posts: 115
    If you have an Autozone nearby, they will read the system codes for you to help determine why the check engine light is on. The most common causes that I hear about are a loose gas cap or an oxygen sensor that needs to be replaced. It is generally cheaper to buy the oxygen sensor at an auto parts store than through a dealer if that is the problem. Any mechanic can install it.

    You generally will not harm the engine by driving with the light on, but I would get it checked out and fix the problem versus ignoring it.

    Autozone can also check out the battery for you - usually at no cost.

    Keep us informed and we can let you know if proposed repair costs appear to be reasonably priced.
  • robbybrobbyb Member Posts: 1
    On a weekend trip we had a front brake job at a tune-up chain. In theory the work included cleaning and inspecting the rear brakes.

    But the next time we reached 65 on the highway we had the horrible rattle you described, and when we pulled off the highway we could smell the brakes.

    After reading your post and the other follow up entries, I began to suspect a problem with the ABS computer, so we nursed our Quest home at 55 MPH so I could have my mechanic look at it.

    He confirmed that the computer may need resetting after a brake job, although he said I could probably have done that myself by disconnecting the battery (although he says this doesn't work on newer VWs, which have to be reset manually with computer equipment).

    When he hooked up the computer scanner he couldn't find anything needing resetting in the ABS system. So he opened the rear brakes and found that they hadn't been cleaned after all, and that the ABS system was covered with an accumulation of metal filings, which was throwing off the sensor.

    It looks like our problem is solved by now. I think ours is.
  • swingparswingpar Member Posts: 2
    Just yesterday I did all except your numbers 4,5,6,and seven on my 97 villager and paid 158.00...and I'm in L.A. area...notably a more expensive area..I think they took you for a cleaning
  • swingparswingpar Member Posts: 2
    One thing i forgot to mention is that the price of 158.00 was including new wipers and a tire rotation....
  • corsicachevycorsicachevy Member Posts: 316
    Yesterday my wife ran over something huge with our 2001 Quest and blew out both front tires. She doesn't know what it was as she drives a car as if she is driving a boat and usually doesn't look at the road immediately in front of her. It's terrible, but true. It's amazing she's still alive.

    The tires were fantastic Firestone Supreme Si 225/60/16 with about 40,000 miles and a lot of tread dept remaining. I replaced the fronts with a pair of Goodyear Assurance 80,000 mile tires. They weren't my first choice, but the blow out happened just blocks from a Goodyear dealer - so, when in Rome....

    I dropped off the van and picked it up after work. On my way to the car I noticed that the dealer had not reinstalled the driver's side hub cap. Foolishly, I assumed that they left it in the back of the van. Thinking I would just install it at home, I drove off. When I arrived home, my wife immediately noticed the missing hub cap and asked what happened. I said it was in the back and that I would install it immediately. She went to open the rear liftgate only to discover that it would only open half way. I went back so see what was wrong and discovered that one my tailgate struts was bent like a hockey stick.

    I confronted the service station this morning about the issue. They denied everything, going so far as to state that they have no idea how that could have happened given the strength of most tailgate struts. After a short lesson on the multiplying power of a lever the guy agreed to get a new strut.

    Has anybody else had their tailgate struts fail or bend? Just curious.
  • hend0005hend0005 Member Posts: 3
    An old post here described using Maxima bushing sets for the front suspension control arm. Does anyone happen to know the actual Nisan part numbers by any chance? IF not, at least the year range of Maxima that applies? I'm guessing
    the 91-94' set should be right for a 93-98 Quest?Villager.
  • hend0005hend0005 Member Posts: 3
    Faced with the same problem, aparently they all suffer this fate sooner or later. Would you happen to have the Nissan part number(s) for these bushings?
    If not, then perhaps what year of Maxima they used for parts lookup?
  • ladyramaladyrama Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the reply. I found out the light in the engine was not going out when the hood was closed..so maybe this was a problem. My ex said the little switch that turned the light off was not working. He also put in a new battery..he said the battery he put in before was not a good one. Gee thanks LOL. The check engine light is ok for now.
    However the battery is still being drained somehow even with the new battery installed. Which is really a bummer expecially when living alone. Plus I do not want to be out late somewhere and not be able to get the van started. So maybe the battery is getting drained by something?
    What is the best way to get this checked? Basically I want to find out what and how much the repair is going to cost..because I need to make sure I have the cash to get it fixed. Can I take it to a garage and ask them to see what is wrong and let me know before putting in new stuff? I only have about 300 dollars put back and I am sure engine repairs are more than this. My ex works at a ac delco supply store and could probably get parts for me..will a mechanic let me bring parts to him or do I have to buy the parts from the garage? LOL I have no clue ! I appreciate everyone taking the time to read this..thanks so much.

    Nancy :confuse:
  • questdriverquestdriver Member Posts: 8
    My yellow O/D dashboard indicator does not come on when I click the O/D button on the shifter. I tried at idle and at cruising 60 mph on highway without any luck. It does not even down shift after I click the button at highway speed. It simply means that the O/D is not engaging.

    Does anyone of you encounter this problem? Any suggestions? The van rides very nicely at 68k. Had the timing belt, brakes (front, rear), hoses replaced last month at the dealer. Appreciate your comments very much.

    Nissan Quest GXE 1999, bought new in Dec. 1998
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    We have a '94 Villager LS we bought new - we're now at 193,000 miles and it's still going!

    I managed to scrape our two cars together on the driveway last month (ouch!). My 2005 Acrua TL took $1100 to fix. We decided to leave the Villager alone - not worth the cost. It isn't all that noticable because of the two-tone paint....

    The Villager has had relatively few problems over the years. It runs good and burns no oil. We had to have the exhaust manifold bolts fixed at about 150K miles (a common problem). The Nissan engine and transaxle have been flawless. Most problems have come from the Ford side:

    - Ignition switch disintegrated a year or two ago and had to be replaced
    - Rear AC blower used to take about 5 minutes to start, now doesn't work at all
    - O/D light sometimes flickers on/off while driving (with corresponding up/downshifts), wiggling the shifter sometimes stops it. Dirty contact in there somewhere.
    - Paint is a bit chalky, noticably crappy relative to other cars I've owned
    - Interior is still in quite good shape, we use mats on the floor and have had a dash cover on until recently
    - Bad CV joints, we had the full axles and joints replaced at about 175K

    We are close to getting rid of it for an Odyssey (which I wish was a bit smaller), my scrape probably dropped the value from about $1000 to a few hundred. We might donate it instead. However, we might wait 6 months so we can make it to 200K!
  • bishayybishayy Member Posts: 2
    I had my mechanic replace the knock sensor on my mercury villager 96 at a cost of $500 labor and part. After repair I noticed that at acceleration the car hesitates and then goes. My mechanic is still working on the problem. It looks like when he was putting everything back together after replacing the sensor, he made a mistake. Any idea what could be wrong?
  • mpk0mpk0 Member Posts: 1
    Hello:

    My 1995 Villager has developed an odd problem - the front heat/ac fan will work only on the highest setting. When it is set to one of the lower settings, it does not work at all. Is there a fix for this short of buying an entire new control unit? Let me know. Thanks.
  • joe78joe78 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 94 villager 180,000 miles on it. this van will run 6 months with no problems but at anytime it might lose its power after i coast to the curb it will sit and idle. it wont pick up rpms untill it is shut down for 4 to 10 minutes after that it might run afew months or a day. has anyone had this problem and solved it. i replaced the oxegen sensor and it ran good for a year or more . before i replaced the sensor it would not run for more than 10 minutes then it would stall in colorado. this has ben an ongoing problem for 5 years.
  • tropics48tropics48 Member Posts: 3
    We have a 2000 Villager, and we're on our second switch. It just went bad yesterday! Again! Other than that, we've been pretty happy with it.
  • tropics48tropics48 Member Posts: 3
    You have to replace the fan switch. Apparantly a common problem.
  • tom74tom74 Member Posts: 2
    How did your replacement go? I'm anxious to find out because I think I have the same problem--you can't turn the key from the locked position no matter how much torque you put on it. It takes me a half hour of slamming the steer wheel around before it releases. What did the parts cost you?
    Thanks!
  • tom74tom74 Member Posts: 2
    Where is the speed sensor located?
    Thanks.
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    The key cylinder can be purchased at AutoZone for under 20 dollars. Back up in this thread for instructions on how to remove and replace. Earl
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    According to my manual, the speed senser is located on the upper rear portion of the transaxle housing. It has a gear inside the housing driving it, with an electrical plug to the harness. Earl :)
  • suttons5suttons5 Member Posts: 5
    My 1996 Mercury villager has 139 K miles on it. I have taken good care of it, oil changes every 3-5k, transmission flush last year, other various things to keep it reliable. My husband is convinced it is on its last leg and doesn't want me to drive it a thousand miles for the holidays. Does anyone have any advice for me? I really think my car will make it and also for another at least 60K miles.
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    Many people on this forum have posted many,many miles with their Villagers/Quest models. With proper care, and maintenance, any vehicle will last many years/miles. You said this 96 has gotten good care, has the timing belt and water pump been changed at the proper time? If so, I would not worry. Earl ;)
  • suttons5suttons5 Member Posts: 5
    Yes, I did have the water pump and timing belt replaced last year at about 120K. I know I should have done it earlier. I guess I was lucky! Is there anything else, at the mileage I am currently at, that I should replace? :shades:
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    The front struts and rear shocks are due for replacement, if not already done.
    After that, look for the little stuff, switches, rattles and things of that nature.
    Just keep up with the usual oil changes, drive belts, bulbs, and you will have many more miles out of this Villager. We have two Villagers, a 93 and a 98. and find that they have most of the same parts between the two, and are mostly pretty easy to repair. Some of the others on this forum may have a few other suggestions. Good Luck! Let us know how you do. Earl :)
  • poroyoporoyo Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 Mercury Villager with 139,000 miles & among other suddenly occurring problems, a cracked exhaust manifold. My mechanic told me about frquent issues with MV manifold studs, etc. & I've also read some on-line, here & elsewhere. Since the van needs engine/transmission mounts & we just paid $400 to replace steering column bushings, we're looking at a lot of $$ outlay for repair costs.

    We're trying to figure out: Given the possibility of stud replacement costs ($250-1000 just for this, according to my mechanic), is it worth replacing the exhaust manifold? Clearly we need to repair it if we're going to keep the van, but we're wondering if a liquid crack filler might do the job so we can buy time on this & still safely use the vehicle. Any opinions? What experience have other MV owners here had with replacing the exhaust manifold &/or using a liquid crack filler?

    I'm making my way through the message archives, but would appreciate new input too. Thanks!

    Zoe & Dan
  • theshortdawgtheshortdawg Member Posts: 1
    can anyone tell me how to change a knock sensor on a 98 nissan quest. thanks shortdawg
  • soobieguysoobieguy Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    Villagers have a common problem with the fuel rail - rubber hose connections lostening up over time. The fuel rail is located just under the intake manifold on top of the engine. The rubber hose is connected to the steel fuel rail tubing using a small hose clamp. Take a phillips screwdriver, and snug up the screws in teh hose clamps on each end of the fuel rail.

    I did this each winter for about 3 winters when the fuel smell would recurr. Now, it has been about 4 years with no fuel smell. !!

    Found this fix on a Villager/Quest web site about 6 years ago.

    Hope it works!
    SoobieGuy :)
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    Shortdawg.. Please do a search about knock sensors in this forum before going thru all that work, something else could be wrong, triggering the knock sensor code. If this is something you really need to change, I can scan a few pages of my 98 villager workshop manual and e-mail them to you. Earl :confuse:
  • maureen4maureen4 Member Posts: 1
    My '97 Villager has nearly 110,000 miles with very few problems. Now, however, the "Check Engine" light has been on for three months. The last time this happened it was a sensor and we had that fixed to the tune of $300. This time, we call it the "Spend Money" light and have ignored it since no problems have presented themselves. Anyone else experience this problem? Also the heat/air works in the front dashboard area but only itermittently in the back.
  • ebussebuss Member Posts: 12
    The "check engine" light could be as simple as a gasoline cap being loose or worn, but then again something not as easy. Autozone will check the computer codes for free,and tell you what the problem is. The same with advance auto parts, if you have one of these stores in you area. Heat not working in the back could be low coolant in the system, or air that needs to be bled out, blocked heater core. Just my 'two' cents
    Earl :sick:
  • ren7000ren7000 Member Posts: 3
    Hi, my quest has 150,000 miles and when driven at speeds below 20mph the ABS system comes on when turning left. If i am turning left and pushing the brakes. It feels like i am in snow (pulsating and vibrating ABS). Transmission not shifting as smoothly as it should from 2nd to 3rd. I get a jerky feeling like i am bouncing off the redline or when the transmission shifts itself at the redline. Can someone pleas help me. I also get the peddle stick and the lights for the stereo is not working. I use to smell the egg smell but it went away. Check engine light is on. got oxygen sensor and it went off for five minutes. HELP!!
  • spunnnky1spunnnky1 Member Posts: 2
    Would someone tell me how to set the memory seats in my villager Estate. It did not come with the owners manual when purchased used. Thanks for any input!
  • kymikekymike Member Posts: 115
    If I recall correctly, there are two buttons on the drivers door for the settings. You just need to set the driver's seat where you want it and then push and hold one of the two buttons for a couple of seconds (just like setting most electronic radio station buttons). You can test by then using the electronic controls to change the seat settings and then push the button you set to return the seat to your designated setting.

    If this doesn't work or is not clear, post back and I will pull out my manual.
  • spunnnky1spunnnky1 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for your input. I played with the buttons for a while and after ramming my knees into the dash a few times I finally got the positions straight. :)
  • dtu1dtu1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    I have a 2000 Quest SE. It has the following problems:
    1) Radio display off. Due to a poor soldering job on the power supply board. I had it fixed twice at the cost of $100. The repaires were re-soldering the PCB.
    2) Back Windshield wipper motor failed.
    3) Low Windshield cleaner lite always on.
    4) Noise front tires. Sears told me to replace all shocks and related parts for about $1000.

    Any comments or experience to share ?

    Thanks,
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