1998 Ford Explorer vs 1998 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 | 1998 Ford Explorer | 1998 Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,959 | 83 |
| Recall campaigns | 5 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 349 | 73 |
| Investigations | 8 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 181 | 11 |
| Fire reports | 102 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–17 | 18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 696 | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 281 | 14 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 189 | 2 |
| Suspension | 111 | 9 |
| Electrical System | 114 | 0 |
| Visibility | 108 | 6 |
| Power Train | 103 | 8 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 86 | 9 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 133 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 71 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 55 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 21 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 14 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 13 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 12 | 0 |
1998 Ford Explorer
1998 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.