1998 Ford Windstar 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 Windstar | 1998 Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,433 | 83 |
| Recall campaigns | 7 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 236 | 73 |
| Investigations | 8 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 54 | 11 |
| Fire reports | 65 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18–19 | 18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 95,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Windstar | Mercury Villager |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 332 | 8 |
| Suspension | 229 | 9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 196 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 177 | 9 |
| Steering | 143 | 2 |
| Electrical System | 111 | 0 |
| Structure | 81 | 12 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 73 | 14 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 132 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 80 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 49 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 24 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 23 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 19 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 19 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 13 | 0 |
1998 Ford Windstar
1998 Mercury Villager
Compare all Ford Windstar 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.