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Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems

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Comments

  • grammy1grammy1 Member Posts: 6
    Our 99 Quest DE has a squeak or some sort of noise when turning into a parking space or other places on lower speed. We have complained to the dealership several times but mechanics don't seem to hear the noise or think it shouldn't be a problem. The last mechanic thought "air bag may be rubbing". The noise is very annoying to us and noticed while reading through other people's problems on vans that we are not the only ones hearing the "squeaking". Did anyone get the problem solved?
  • hatemyquest1hatemyquest1 Member Posts: 1
    After only 14,000 miles on my 2000 Quest I noticed a loud scraping noise and when I took it to the dealer I was told that the front brakes were worn out. but out of the kindness of there hearts the dealer agreed to replace them free of charge. I will never buy another Nissan again I will go back to Toyota
  • sam7068sam7068 Member Posts: 28
    Hate, did you had any major problems beside the free brake job you had with your Quest?
  • gasguzzgasguzz Member Posts: 214
    Sorry for the delay (was out on a business trip).
    Picked it up on Nov-2000, Colorado. Nov/Dec 2000 was when there was a sales slump and overproduction in minivans (Chrysler/Dodge offering up to $5k in rebates).
    The Linc-Merc dealer/reps were spying us as we drove across from Nissan (an advantage when shopping in an auto mall). Involved a low-mileage 98 Saturn SW2-Wagon at (12.3K miles), $12.5K retail. The 01-VillSport came with a $1K rebate, and I let my trade go for $9.8K. The equation remains equal... I prefer the new-car lower price with the lower trade-in price (you get the tax benefit) - what you gain in the purchase price you lose in the trade-in.
    Go in with your financing ready. Stakeout the dealer stock (Nissan had 5 Quest SEs). The Nissan across the street had 13-2000 and 1-2001 Quests (while the Linc-Merc had 2-2000 and 8-2001s. Let them know of the Quest and Villager future production plans.
    And, they were eager to push our deal through (it was a busy day with people buying Continentals and Navigators). Would you believe it only took us some 15 minutes at the finance office and when we shook hands I said, "Don't you think I should sign my check before we go?".
    Good luck.
  • bobc12bobc12 Member Posts: 1
    I have 96 villager with 70K. After I changed the oil and filter I went to a trip. In the second day of the trip, the light of check engine' was lighted up and stayed on. I checked the oil level and engine temperature, both were normal. Then I drove about 300 mile back with the check engine' light on. I checked the oil level and the rest again all were OK but the light. Any one can tell me where I should look at? Thank you very much.
  • keithrkeithr Member Posts: 2
    Several problems with 98 Quest:

    Tachometer stuck at 1000 rpm
    Throttle sticking (found solution ideas here, will try)
    Interior dome light comes on intermittently--dealer clueless
    Horrible grinding from front brakes since Day 1--dealer clueless, full of poor excuses
    Rust on top edge of rear door--dealer refuses to repair it
    Every AC vent broke--dealer refuses to make repairs
    Strange metallic smell from AC, especially rear unit--dealer clueless
    Both headlight wires faulty and must be jiggled every time the lights are turned on--dealer clueless
    Driver's window switch failed with the window down

    The van has 60,000 miles and has oil changed every 3000 miles. All maintenance is done as suggested. These problems have occurred since the van was purchased. The dealer has given us the runaround until the car's mileage exceeded that for the warranty. Any suggestions?
  • chillhawkchillhawk Member Posts: 1
    I own a 94 Villager. Has anyone had a problem with random stalling. It re starts fine. Had fuel pump replaced, fuel injectors & throttle assembly cleaned and it stalled two days later. Dealer can find anything wrong!?
  • charles15charles15 Member Posts: 57
    To all those who are experiencing the grinding sound from their front brakes, I had the same problem with my 99 Quest. The dealer knew right away what the problem was - it is spelled F-O-R-D.
    The front calipers are a Ford designed product that are apparently notorious for this scraping problem. The dealership adjusted them, resurface the rotors and smoothed out the pads and I have not had the grinding sound since. That was more than 30K miles ago.

    Those that have a squeeking sound remember that your brakes are equipped with a wear sensor that will give you a shrill squeal when they are about to go. Hope this helps.
  • keithrkeithr Member Posts: 2
    My mistake. My girlfriend's Quest is 99, not 98.

    Charles15 is correct on the brake diagnosis. The dealer and a brake shop just confirmed the brake problem as FORD. New calipers needed at 60,000.

    Cleaning the throttle body was easy and worked wonders. Thanks to all for the tips. The car no longer lurches dangerously.

    Headlight problems: both front headlight wire harnesses MELTED and corroded. The repair is easy--unplug the wire leading to the headlight bulbs. Cut the wires. Repace the harness (plastic piece that plugs into the light bulb ($15 for two). The harness has three metal slots for the bulb pins. The plastic was completely melted from the heat of the halogen bulbs. The dealer service department said, "duh, i dunno." The dealer parts guy said, "That's because it's built with junk." I think he's on to something.
  • garmstrong1garmstrong1 Member Posts: 1
    We've experienced this same problem with our '91 Nissan Stanza. After several attempts to figure out the problem, we found it to be the distributor - and that was just a guess on the dealer's part, but it worked! We haven't had any stalling/hesitation problems since. Good luck!
  • hauppaugehauppauge Member Posts: 1
    I am considering purchasing as a second car for local use a single-owner 1994 Quest with 81,000 miles from a dealer; seems clean, quiet, and has performance. (1) Anyone know any reasons why this vehicle will not make 125,000 miles or better? (2) What particular problem(s) I should have my mechanic look for? (3) I have read about manifold problems are this board, are these detected visually or are diagnostic tools required? (4) Any major replacements required shortly (due to mileage) such as timing belts, etc.? Any input is appreciated, and thanking you in advance. KWJ
  • grichardsongrichardson Member Posts: 7
    If your 94 quest was manufactured after Oct 93 then it will have the 105,000 mi Timing belt... any thing before Oct 93 will be a 60k mile timing belt...Be sure to check the fuel vent hose.. Our 1994 Quest GXE has just triped 100,000 miles and is still going...
  • robfilmsrobfilms Member Posts: 5
    looking at used 94 quest gxe w/60k miles. need it as 2nd vehicle so not frightened by miles. could use some thoughts on "sore" points w/this model.

    engine reliaabilty? transmission? brakes? electrical? a/c?

    at 60k there should be a major service, right? what would that involve?

    all sharing is appreciated

    tia

    rob
  • lmeskerlmesker Member Posts: 2
    97 Villager, AC not working. Looks like compressor clutch isn't kicking in. Thanks for any help.
  • imohammedimohammed Member Posts: 6
    I am considering to buy a used 1995 Mercury Villager GS. It is a nice clean Van and drives pretty good. Is there any suggestions on anything special I should look on this Villager model before buying?

    Thanks
  • lmeskerlmesker Member Posts: 2
    The Low pressure switch was bad
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The big issue with these vans are the manifold bolts. Here's an archived discussion you may want to look through:

    Mercury Villager Manifold Exhaust Bolts

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • thegrymethegryme Member Posts: 1
    Hi All.
    We just purchased a used 95 quest.....nice van but it has a coulple of monor problems. The drivers side rear brake light is out....I changed the bulb.....twice...and it is still out. All the other lights are working fine.....Am I missing something? A fuse or? The other problem is the alarm code. We didn't get it...is there a way to reset it to a default set of numbers or figure out the combo that is in it now?

    Thanks!

    Any help will be appreciated.

    Ray
  • rutger56rutger56 Member Posts: 12
    The light for the HVAC controls went out a while ago. The dealer says that the only way to change it is to put in a new control unit,not just a bulb. This sounds strange to me. Any ideas? Is there just a bulb behind the controls? Is it easy to change?
  • rutger56rutger56 Member Posts: 12
    Yes, I have had the local Mercury dealer pick up my previous cost for replacing the filler hose,only about $70. A refund check was received about 2 weeks after my request.
  • dhoffdhoff Member Posts: 282
    The dealer will tell you they have to replace the whole panel, but there is a bulb in there you can replace yourself. It's not a bulb you will be able to go to Wal-Mart and pick up though.


    Check out this link for a discussion of how to get the bulb:


    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/villagerquest/message/3138


    I would suggest that anyone with a maintenance or repair question on the Villager or Quest check out the Villagerquest archives at yahoogroups.com. (Not that I have anything against Edmunds!) There is a wealth of information to be found there.


    Dave

  • toolsellertoolseller Member Posts: 1
    First time user... am considering purchasing a Quest minivan...40k...8000.$.... what should I be wary of... what typical problems... gas mileage... give me your opinions please.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Well, check out the True Market Value guide for pricing while you're waiting for other advice.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • jazzerjazzer Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1995 Quest GXE with 114,000+ miles on it. The van is going strong and the only problems that I have had are related to bulbs. I have replaced the famous brake light bulbs but also the dashboard illumination bulbs (2 times). I am still having an issue with the front A/C little green light that tells you if the A/C is on or not. Seems like I have to replace the entire circuit board to get the light to work.

    I want to thank y'all for the information on repairing the rear heater blower. While I was not able to solder the bad connection, I followed the instruction on bypassing the relay and jumpering the car side of the plug. Rear blower works fine now. Hope the fix lasts.

    Thanks,

    Raj
  • mandipmandip Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 Mercury Villager, 41, 500 miles. It runs okay so far with no problems but lately check Engine Light came on. Anybody had this problem. Do I really have to go to Dealer or a routine mechanic shop can find the code. Help
  • wojnawojna Member Posts: 1
    Our 96 Quest has 50K miles on it. About 2 months ago, we started having difficulty starting the van. We'd have to crank the engine 2 to 3 times before it would start. After 3 weeks of this problem, we took it to the dealer and it wouldn't act up for 2 days. Dealer's diagnostic tests found nothing wrong. Apparently this Quest has a sense of humor. After 2 months of starting right up, the problem is back again. The van requires several 2 to 4 cranks to start, hot or cold engine. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • erikandbrenoherikandbrenoh Member Posts: 1
    Sulfur smell in a 95 Villager GS. Seems I saw a service bulletin refer to this, but don't know where to see a copy of the actual details. What to do? How do I make the smell go AWAY!

    erikandbrenoh
  • rsmith757rsmith757 Member Posts: 1
    The rear a/c and heater fan motor stopped working over a period of a couple of months. At first you could get it to work by cycling and tapping on the forward panel rear seat fan control switch, Then it just quit working altogether. I have checked all fuses,replaced the rear seat fan control switch on the front panel and bench checked the fan motor and it is fine. I checked the power leads to the rear control panel and it's not getting any electrical power. Any ideas, thanks.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    So many questions, so few answers. Guess interest in Quests and Villagers has waned since they are going to be orphaned soon.

    mandip, wojna, erikandbrenoh, and rsmith757 please check out this link for some notes on check engine lights, hard starting (in hot weather anyway) gas (not really sulfur?) smells and the rear A/C blower.

    Also follow the link there to Steve Cutchen's page for more info on most of these questions. Steve sold his '93 minivan, but he collected some good stuff there and it's still on his page. Maybe one of you will hit a home run and find an easy fix.

    Please let us know how it works out.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • pvinhpvinh Member Posts: 2
    Our 99 Villager has been acting up lately. The brakelights would not turn off by themselves until the brake pedal is pumped a few times. The problem tends to get worse when the road is wet. Would appreciate any insight. Thanks.
  • peteapetea Member Posts: 8
    My '96 Villager with 87,000 miles had a head bolt break. The head of the bolt or the washer lodged itself under the camshaft causing the timing belt to break. According to the dealer, the only thing they can(will) do is replace the engine at a cost of $4000! I have gone to Ford customer care and the district manager, and they refuse to make any adjustment on the price, despite the fact that the bolt was obviously defective and should not have broken and ruined the engine.

    Two questions: Has anyone out there had or heard of a similar problem? Did Ford/Mercury take some accountability and help/pay for the repairs?
  • gmckenziegmckenzie Member Posts: 1
    I have a 93 Nissan Quest for 4 years, I have had a few electrical problems also now I am having problems opening my side door. It is a smooth running vehicle other than these minor problems.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I just bought a '94 Villager with 100k miles on it for $4,500. The van is in excellent shape. The previous owner has performed regular oil changes, but that is about it.

    The van has never had a timing belt change, nor can the previous owner remember the last time it had a major service. What items, beyond the timing belt, should I take care of right away?
    I assume this is an interference engine like most Japanese engines?

    Also, there is a smell of coolant in the engine compartment. The PO said that he had his mechanic pressure test the system and they couldn't find a leak. He also said he only tops off the coolant tank about every 6 months, so the leak is small. I'm wondering, are head gaskets a problem with Villagers/Quests of this vintage?

    Any other suggestions more experience members of this list can provide would be much appreciated.

    - Chad
  • dhoffdhoff Member Posts: 282
    Sounds like you got a good buy on your Quest.

    Your timing belt is due for a change. It would be a good idea to change the water pump and accessory drive belts at the same time. Change the coolant and spark plugs too. The engine was changed around 94 or 95 to be a non-interference engine, I don't know exactly when.

    Head gaskets don't go bad very often on Villagers. More likely it's a coolant hose connection, or possibly a leaking radiator. If you take a light and carefully follow all the coolant hoses, you will find there are a lot of connections and joints. It's likely one of these is leaking.

    Dave
  • tiffbowertiffbower Member Posts: 1
    My van feels like it has no "cushion" or shocks when I'm driving. I feel every little bump in the road. The middle seats vibrate uncontrollably! I am so upset because I waited 3 years to buy this van! My 94 Escort wagon offers a much better ride. I bought it at Christmas, and I have 10,000 mi. on it. I just found out that all 4 of my tires were bad. They were replaced by Goodyear, no thanks to the dealer!! They told me the tires would pass inspection when two different independent Goodyear dealers told me they were bad!Anyway, it still rides rough even with the new tires. Am I alone here?
  • gasguzzgasguzz Member Posts: 214
    One of the main reasons I picked the 01-VillSport (equiv of the Quest SE) was that it had a "sport" suspension. The plus is that it gives you better handling, while the minus is that usually involves a stiffer setup. I suspect you are experiencing "road feel/feedback" from the suspension in contrast to the cushy/luxury ride you prefer. Did you road test the GXE/GLE (which might be the ride you want)?
    Are those GY Eagle LSs? What was wrong with them (on all 4)?
  • corsicachevycorsicachevy Member Posts: 316
    I just bought a 2001 Quest SE as well and, you are correct, it does ride rather harshly. However, I chose to accept this minimal level of harshness in order to achieve better handling. My van actually handles and drives like a car - something that can't be said for many of the other wallowing boxes.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I think the '94 Villager I just bought does indeed have a leaking head gasket. The previous owner gave me all of the records and I read through them last night. There are mentions of a coolant smell in the engine compartment going all the way back to 1996 when the van was still under warranty. Each time the dealer said they couldn't find a leak, until August of 2000 when there is a note by the dealter stating that they found a "right front engine weep." This leads me to believe it is a leaking head gasket even though I can't see a visable leak myself.

    Everything else on this van is in great shape so I would like to get the timing belt, head gasket, and all of the belts replaced. I have a good independent mechanic I could take the van to, but I'm concerned about the issue of overtightening of the belts causing the crank to break.

    This may be a case where I had better get the job done at the dealer even though it may cost me more. I'm also concerned that if the crank did break after the job that the dealer would still try and weasel out of it because the van has 100k miles on it. I suspect I'll just have to trust that they do the job right.

    As far as the manifold bolt problem goes, the previous owner said he never had any exhaust work done at all. The manifold seems to work fine. The van was manufacturered in March of 1994. Was the bolt problem resolved by then?

    I'm also curious, will Nissan dealerships work on Villagers and Mercury dealerships work on Quests?
  • gasguzzgasguzz Member Posts: 214
    After the 3rd test drive (from our 3 choices) the wife had the one comment on the VillSport - "it drives like a car", and that got the vote.
  • dhoffdhoff Member Posts: 282
    You might want ot have your dealer also check the "blind plugs". This is an area that sometimes leaks coolant.

    If I were you, I don't think I'd be too worried about a head gasket leak just yet. A head gasket leak would cause more damage if it was leaking coolant or oil into the combustion chamber. You can get the oil analyzed to check for traces of antifreeze.

    As far as Mercury/Nissan dealers working on other brands, that's probably a dealer-by-dealer decision. What I've generally found is most dealers will work on other brands.

    Dave
  • aleachaleach Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone else had problems with Mercury Service depts? We have had some severe problems with extreme incompetence and general rudeness! We have a 93 Villager which just turned 90,000 miles. We're wondering if it is time for it to go. Any input would be appreciated!
  • gwr1gwr1 Member Posts: 1
    I am on the verge of purchasing a '96 Villager with 126K on it. It's only problems are:
    -noisy , rattly ride
    -left power mirror inoperative
    -a front end shudder that comes in small waves at 100k/hr (60 miles/hr)
    -check engine light stays on.

    Any thoughts on these problems?

    Also, what do you make of Phil Edmunston's Lemon Aid Used Car Guide 2002 downgrading of the Villager's ratings? He lists problems that sound like GM and Chrysler vehicles; air bags malfunctions, brake failures etc. He is very grumpy this year about mini vans.

    Thanks
  • janegjaneg Member Posts: 2
    I recently purchased a 95 Quest with 66,000 miles. After driving around on a day with temperatures in the mid 80's,
    I noticed a very strong gas odor after parking in the garage. I loosened the gas cap and a stream of pressurized air came out for a very long 8-10 seconds. This seemed like excessive build up of pressurized air in the gas tank. Has anyone had similar problems?
  • aleachaleach Member Posts: 4
    Janeg - I have the same problem with a 93 Villager. It recently was recalled with the fuel filler hose to be replaced. I had it done but I still smell the gas smell when the windows are down. The dealership told me it would go away after the recall, but it has not. good luck.
  • _bothan__bothan_ Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2000 Quest SE and I've had to replace the tv/vcr entertainment system twice. The system sits on the floor between the driver and passenger seat. The first one would eat tapes, the second one had no sound and would also eat tapes. Does anyone else have the same issues?
  • bwamplerbwampler Member Posts: 2
    in referece to "saabturboid," My wifes van just lost its coolant last week. It was the upper coolant hose. The leak was not a large one, but enough that it lost the coolant over the course of a couple of days. Luckily, we did not damage the engine, however, my wife was 50 miles from home when it gave out. Thank goodness for AAA! The bad side is that it ruined all of the belts and racked me a $350 bill. Change out your hoses would be one of the first things I would do.
  • bwamplerbwampler Member Posts: 2
    I just recently had my wife van in last week for coolant hoses (and ruined belts)... and one of the other issues I had repaired was the rear fan. It seams that there is a bad circuit board that has to have the connections re-heated. Needless to say, $150 later it works... but it is the same board still??? Kind of irritating to pay for a Nissan issue!! The fuel smell is the vent hose, I had it replaced last year (per-recall) and the service advisor also said to turn the fuel cap at least a quarter turn AFTER it starts clicking... We do also still smell it if we try to over fill the fuel tank. So the answer is simple, dot over fill the tank and replace the filler vent tube that has been recalled.
  • 123wor123wor Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1993 Villager with 187,000 miles. This vehicle has been trouble free except for the DEALER!! Early on, first few months, had a problem with automatic seat belts and rear window wiper. After multiple trips to the dealer, who claimed to have solved the problems..did not, one day the Service manager got up in my face and actually told me..."What do you expect, this is a new car, we don't know anything about them." Well, I wrote the company etc. to no avail. After all these years, I do not have working seat belts (they are now manual) nor do I have a working rear wiper....I gave up... which, I suspect, is exactly what they wanted me to do. The dealer is horrible....I would never buy from them again or recommend them to anyone. The Villager, on the other hand, is really a very good vehicle. I've had three timing belts, changed before problems occurred, regular oil changes, and maybe three tune ups. My miles are highway, that helps. The recalls are another issue. After having several episodes of a very strong odor of burning electrical something in the van, the dealer said....can't find anything. Saw in Consumer Reports that they were looking into a possible recall because of this problem. I wrote Mercury and went back to the dealer, who, once again told me...can't find anything wrong. About a month later I got a recall notice for this same thing. Before I could get back to the dealer, one morning the van filled with thick white smoke. I had it towed to another Mercury dealer who did the recall and corrected the problem. But this dealer refused to go back and fix the old problems with the seat belts and wiper because it was now out of warranty. What did I expect! The body looks good, some of the rubber parts are starting to show wear, and little things are starting to break, like the ignition (where the key goes). But with 187,000 miles, I can't complain. Good luck !
  • mercurymanmercuryman Member Posts: 1
    Just got a 2000 Villager and am having a hard time finding a locking gas cap. Mercury does not carry one and the auto parts stores in my area do not have the correct one (causes my check engine light to come on) Also when I first start the engine in the morning it starts out at 2000rpm for about 5 seconds then drops to 1500. When I put it in drive and it goes to about 1200 until the engine warms up and then is about 750rpm in drive and vehicle stopped. It seems a little high, but maybe I am used to my old 4 cylinder.
  • sschnathsschnath Member Posts: 5
    I have a '99 Villager with 42K mostly highway miles. It has been serviced by the same dealer until today. We've had very good service there and the van has been virtually trouble free except for the various recalls.

    However, when braking I've noticed over time that the rotors have become warped and have been getting increasingly worse. I've always operated under the notion that aluminum wheels can be prone to this if the lug nuts haven't been torqued properly.

    I questioned my dealer about this when the van first started to exhibit the shake 20K+ miles ago and he told me that they do torque the nuts when they rotate the tires. Of course that doesn't mean the mechanic actually takes the time to do it or do it right.

    I know this is something I'll never be able to prove so I've take the van to my car mechanic and I expect they'll turn the rotors and everything will be fine. I KNOW they torque the nuts there.

    I'm really irritated that I have to spend the money to have this done (never mind reducing the life of the rotors) especially when the van has been OK otherwise. Has anyone else experienced a warping problem?

    I'm just wondering whether it really was bad service or whether the rotors are of suspect quality. Since I won't be letting the dealer rotate the tires any more, I may eventually get my answer but I'm curious about other experiences out there.
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