MercuryVillager2002Overview/mercury/villager/2002/base/

2002 Mercury Villager

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Villager.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Mercury Villager is a VAN built on a platform that carries a 4.0‑qt oil capacity with 5W‑30 API lubrication and is paired with an Automatic 4‑spd transmission, delivering EPA‑rated 15/21/17 mpg. Its reliability record for the 2002 model shows only 35 total owner complaints, all centered on the Suspension, and it bears no recalls, placing it at the low‑end of a complaint curve that peaked in 1993 with 472 reports and bottomed out in 1992 with just one. Consequently, the 2002 Villager represents a comparatively stable point in its production span from 1992 to 2002, offering researchers a relatively dependable example of a VAN.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951994

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 450 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 450 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 24.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts148 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts65 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug24.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub203 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub178 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing15 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeYN-12-D
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance450 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F
Optional BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30.0-38.0
Engine Oil Pressure57-40 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3200 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket29 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.060 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.975 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.945 in
Drum Nominal Diameter9.842 in
Drum Discard at-or-over9.902

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., Step 2: 3011 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miPCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2002 Mercury Villager sits at the tail end of a downward trend in federal complaints and recalls, dropping from 20 complaints in 2001 to 35 in 2002, with no recalls recorded that year. Across the decade, the generation’s complaint volume peaked in 1993 (472 complaints) and fell steadily, peaking again briefly in 1995 (402 complaints) before tapering to the low single‑digit complaints of 2001. The 2002 model’s top complaint areas—suspension and power‑train each with four complaints, and engine cooling and structure with three—mirror the broader pattern of mechanical rather than safety issues seen in earlier years. With only 27 TSBS incidents and no fire or crash complaints, 2002 represents the most reliable year in this series, suggesting it is a sensible choice for a used purchase.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
27
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
35
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 35 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Suspension4
Power Train4
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Structure3
Air Bags3
Electrical System2
Visibility2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 27 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
041892004-12-13VisibilityREAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR…
0421072004-12-13Power TrainGENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
042172004-11-01Power TrainGENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
0415142004-08-09VisibilityREAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR…
0315012004-07-12VisibilityINOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Villager. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Villager take?

4.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Villager have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Villager get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.