Vehicle recall 96V203000 · October 17, 1996
1997 Mercury Villager
The four rubber fuel line connector hoses that are supplied to Ford with the fuel tank assembly were improperly manufactured.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- The four rubber fuel line connector hoses that are supplied to Ford with the fuel tank assembly were improperly manufactured. These hoses can develop cracks or splits resulting in fuel leakage.
- Consequence
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the fuel tank assembly for the suspect date codes and replace the four rubber fuel connector hoses if necessary.
- Notes
- Owner notification:owner notification is expected to begin October 28, 1996.NOTE:owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 96V203000
- Reported to NHTSA
- October 17, 1996
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Owner notification
- October 25, 1996
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 1,300
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Mounting
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Mercury Villager (1997): 1997
Has your Mercury been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Mercury dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.