2002 Mercury Villager Problems
- Complaints
- 18filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 66,500miles, 10 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 17 mpgcombined, 3.3L 6-cyl FWD · 15 city / 21 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Mercury Villager (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercury Villager. The part named most often is steering, with 3 complaints (17% of the total), followed by suspension (3) and air bags (2). 10 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 66,500 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 5 technical service bulletins for this model year.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Steering3 17%
- Suspension3 17%
- Air bags2 11%
- Brakes2 11%
- Electrical system2 11%
- Body and structure2 11%
- Tires2 11%
- Engine1 5.6%
- Engine cooling1 5.6%
- Equipment1 5.6%
Also reported: Other or unknown (1).
Example complaints
Steering: “2002 Mercury Villager has vibration in steering wheel at speeds above 10mph. Dealer has tried 3 times to fix and even replaced 2 of the 4 tires. Still the vibration. Repair shop other than the dealer suggested switching brands of tires because after they aligned the front end they rotated the tires to try to isolate the vibration problem only to find that the rotation nullified the alignment. Hard for me to believe that with all the villagers manufactured I'm the only one with this problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10000294, filed 2002-12Suspension: “Front suspension ball joints are prone to excessive wear and failure. Joints replaced at 28,000 miles are now failing again at 68,000 miles. There is no service required on these joints. Wear causes excessive tire life loss, vibration in the steering and potential loss of steering control.”
NHTSA complaint #10172367, filed 2006-11, 68,000 milesAir bags: “Contacts wife hit a car at about 45 MPH, there were no airbags deployed, and very little braking before impact. Vehicle was hit in the front and the occupant was wearing a seat belt. There were pictures taken, police report made, and there will be repair invoices.”
NHTSA complaint #10119829, filed 2005-06, 37,000 milesBrakes: “During a vacation trip on november 21, 2006, the proportional valve on our 2002 Mercury Villager began to apply the brakes while we were on the interstate. There was no warning light, just a gradual increase in the power necessary to keep going. By the time we realized it, the entire brake system had overheated, resulting in over $1,000 in dealer repairs. Our contention is that this is a manufacturing defect and the vehicle should at least have been considered for some form of reimbursement. We also wanted to make the NHTSA aware of this in case other consumers encounter similar problems. …”
NHTSA complaint #10175815, filed 2006-12, 65,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
20% of the 10 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 54,840 and 78,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Mercury Villager. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villager · sedan | not rated | 5 / 5 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2002 Mercury Villager version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villager FWD Wagon | 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Mercury Villager in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 5 on record; the latest 5 are shown.
- 10014086Dec 13, 2004Transmission and drivetrain. General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Dec 13, 2004Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors). Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013369Nov 1, 2004Transmission and drivetrain. General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10011159Aug 9, 2004Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors). Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013060Oct 14, 2002Equipment. Climate control a/c service tech tips.
Other model years of the Mercury Villager
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 18 | 66,500 | 0 | — | 17 | — | Stable |
| 2001 | 20 | 30,088 | 1 | — | 17 | — | Stable |
| 2000 | 71 | 42,500 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 185 | 51,500 | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 83 | 82,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 125 | 106,108 | 3 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 188 | 86,088 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 367 | 93,500 | 3 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 253 | 94,000 | 3 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 414 | 110,000 | 5 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
All Mercury Villager model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Mercury Villager have?
NHTSA recorded 18 consumer complaints for the 2002 Mercury Villager as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2002 Mercury Villager is reported most often?
Steering is named most often, in 3 complaints (17% of the total), followed by suspension with 3.
Has the 2002 Mercury Villager been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2002 Mercury Villager get?
The EPA rates the 2002 Mercury Villager (Villager FWD Wagon, 3.3L 6-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,950 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Mercury Villager reported?
Among the 10 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 66,500 miles and the middle half falls between 54,840 and 78,000 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.