1997 Mercury Villager Vehicle speed control Problems

“Driver reports he must have had his foot on the brake and accelerator at the same time (semi-panic brake application). Police report states tire marks on the (dry) pavement. One does not produce tire marks on dry pavement (no turning involved) without brake application. Driver had episode of microsleep: when alerted by the event taking place, he could not get the vehicle stopped in time to prevent hitting and fatally injuring a pedestrian. …”

“Accelerator pedal sticks when accelerating from a stop, then, when it is freed, the van accelerates rapidly causing the van to lurch forward. This is dangerous for two reasons. One, when maneuvering in tight parking like situations, the van will lurch forward unexpectedly, and two, when pulling out into traffic there is a hesitation that could cause and accident if the response time between pushing the accelerator pedal and the time the van actually starts moving.”

“The accelerator linkage periodically sticks when you accelerate. We were told that this must be a problem since the parts were backordered and we had to wait a month to get it fixed the first time. It is sticking again and we are taking it back to thouroughbred ford in kansas city, mo where we had it repaired the first time. It cost over $200 for the repair. It is dangerous because when you try to accelerate from a stop to cross traffic it sticks and delays your time crossing the intersection.”

“The air conditioning compressor failed. My mechanic indicates that this is a chronic problem with Mercury Villager vans. The accelerator sticks intermittently when trying to accelerate from a stand still, causing a need to press the accelerator harder which causes a jerking of the van.”

“Accelerator pedal sticks when vehicle is stopped. Requires excessive force to depress pedal, resulting in vehicle suddenly lurching forward. Dealer says this is common problem with villagers. I feel this is a serious safety issue.”