1997 Ford Explorer vs 1997 Mercury Villager
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Explorer | 1997 Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,731 | 125 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 369 | 128 |
| Investigations | 6 | 3 |
| Crash reports | 156 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 53 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 669 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 198 | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 202 | 9 |
| Power Train | 104 | 5 |
| Suspension | 105 | 0 |
| Visibility | 90 | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 83 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 80 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 71 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 69 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 19 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 15 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
1997 Ford Explorer
1997 Mercury Villager
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Mercury Villager years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.