# 1995 MERCURY VILLAGER — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
> NHTSA complaint `391495` · 2003-01-29 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCURY
- **Model:** VILLAGER
- **Year:** 1995
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- **Miles at failure:** 90,625
- **Speed:** 60 mph
## Narrative
THE VAN STARTED TO SPUTTER AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH.  I MANAGED TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICE SMOKE ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.  THE SMOKE DIDN'T SMELL LIKE STEAM FROM OVERHEATING BUT A THICK BLACK SMOKE.  I MOVED A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE VAN AND CONTACTED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.  THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED.  THE VAN WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE WAS $13000.  THE INSURANCE COMPANY WROTE OFF THE VEHICLE AND ONLY PAID $9000.  I SUSPECT THE PROBLEM OF FUEL VAPOURS (APPEARS TO BE COMMON IN THE MERCURY VILLAGER) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE IGNITED BY A SPARK FROM THE PLUG WIRES FROM RAIN ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT HIGHWAY SPEED.  THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE FUEL FILLER GASKET UNDER A RECALL A MONTH EARLIER.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*