Mercury Mountaineer Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,992 owner complaints and 19 safety recalls on file for the Mercury Mountaineer, across 15 model years (1996–2010). The 2002 model year has the most complaints (372). The most reported problem area overall is power train.
Mercury Mountaineer years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Mountaineer year: 1997, 1998, 2002. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2002 Mountaineer: 372 complaints, 2 recalls
- 1997 Mountaineer: 328 complaints, 6 recalls
- 1998 Mountaineer: 236 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1996 Mountaineer: 3 complaints, 1 recall
- 2009 Mountaineer: 6 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2010 Mountaineer: 13 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Mercury Mountaineer problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 385 | 13 | 22 |
| Tires problems | 327 | 13 | 20 |
| Structure problems | 283 | 13 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 215 | 15 | 46 |
| Electrical System problems | 182 | 13 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 161 | 12 | 2 |
| Seats problems | 125 | 13 | 5 |
| Visibility | 97 | 12 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 96 | 12 | 21 |
| Suspension | 95 | 11 | 8 |
| Air Bags | 81 | 12 | 36 |
| Steering | 70 | 13 | 5 |
| Engine | 53 | 11 | 0 |
| Equipment | 49 | 10 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 40 | 8 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 37 | 12 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 29 | 11 | 1 |
| Wheels | 27 | 11 | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 26 | 10 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 9 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 9 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mercury Mountaineer problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
All Mercury Mountaineer model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Mountaineer | 13 | 1 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Mountaineer | 6 | 0 | — | Seats | |
| 2008 Mountaineer | 96 | 1 | — | Seats | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Mountaineer | 81 | 0 | — | Seats | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Mountaineer | 117 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 Mountaineer | 82 | 0 | — | Structure | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Mountaineer | 210 | 0 | — | Structure | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Mountaineer | 152 | 0 | — | Structure | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 Mountaineer | 372 | 2 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Mountaineer | 22 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2000 Mountaineer | 123 | 6 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Mountaineer | 151 | 7 | — | Tires | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 Mountaineer | 236 | 5 | — | Tires | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Mountaineer | 328 | 6 | — | Tires | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Mountaineer | 3 | 1 | — | Tires |
More from Mercury: all Mercury models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Mountaineer years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1997 (328), 1998 (236), 2002 (372) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Mountaineer year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercury Mountaineer?
Power Train, with 385 complaints across 13 model years.
How many recalls does the Mercury Mountaineer have?
19 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.