1999 Mercury Mountaineer Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Mountaineer years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 151 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer. That ranks 6th out of 15 Mountaineer model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is tires (51 complaints, 34%), typically at around 64,637 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 5 fires, 9 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 151owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires problems | 51 | 34% | 64,637 | “firestone wilderness” (29%) | — |
| Visibility | 21 | 14% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 9% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 8% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 7% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 7% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 5% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 5% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 6 | 4% | 56,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 3% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 3% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | 50,131 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 109,901 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Mercury Mountaineer recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Vehicle speed control:cables
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control and 4.0l sohc engines, if the strand cover on the speed control cable becomes flared at the end, the speed control cable may bind when the speed control is activated.
Risk: The throttle return spring force may not be sufficient to overcome the binding condition when the speed control is disengaged. Braking function would be maintained though stopping distances may be increased.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the speed control cable and, if necessary, replace it. Owner notification began august 29, 2003. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Seats:front assembly:recliner
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat, that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture. If the bolt fractures and does not jam in the seat back frame, the seat back may recline until it makes contact with an object behind the seat, such as the second row seat cushion.
Risk: The driver could potentially lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals during such an event, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt. Owner notification began on august 29, 2003. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles equipped with 4.0l engines and all-time 4-wheel drive (a4wd) powertrains. The generic electronic module (gem) could experience a condition referred to as "lock-up" in which the gem controlled electronic functions (e.g., front windshield wipers, interior lights, 4x4 system, etc.) could not be turned on or, in some cases if the function is on, could not be turned off.
Risk: An inoperative windshield wiper system could affect driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a resistor in the gem circuit.
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The secondary hood latch may corrode at the latch pivot and stick in the open position.
Risk: If this occurs and the primary hood latch is either not engaged or is released, a hood fly-up could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a secondary hood latch with components that are coated prior to assembly for improved latch pivot corrosion protection.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The right front brake line to the hydraulic control unit (hcu) connection could separate causing the line to leak when the brake pedal is applied.
Risk: This could result in a loss of brake pressure to the front wheels, increasing the stopping distance.
Fix: Dealers will replace the flare nut on the brake line.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from may 29, 1996 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from january 5, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 mustangs equipped with 3.8l, 4.6l 2-valve or 4-valve engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1999 f250/f350/f450/f550 (over 8,500 lbs.) trucks equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; and 1999 f-53 stripped chassis equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999. A cruise control cable can interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the cruise control.
Risk: If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
- Front seat back recliner attachment (PE03020) — opened May 21, 2003, closed Sep 5, 2003, led to recall 03V281000.
- Windshield wiper malfunction (PE99049) — opened Jul 28, 1999, closed Apr 24, 2000, led to recall 00V072000.
- Vehicle hesitation/stalling (SQ99017) — opened Jun 9, 1999, closed Feb 22, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Curse control occasionally makes engine accelerate while and after brake applied while moving under 5 mph and even while stopped with brake still applied. More than once a pedestrian was at risk in a crosswalk while vehicle stopped with brake still applied, then engine suddenly became near full…
Exploding airbags filled vehicle with smoke and ash. I received minor burns and abrasions on arms and face, daughter riding in back seat received black eye form flying object and required scan of head to rule out head injury. Was result of accident
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer equipped with cooper discoverer h/t tires, size: p265/75r15. While driving approximately 70 mph, a loud banging noise came from the rear of the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, it was discovered that the rear driver side tire had…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be…
Rear window wiper motor , washer works. *tr
Other Mercury Mountaineer years
← 1998 Mountaineer · 2000 Mountaineer →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Mountaineer | 13 | 1 |
| 2009 Mountaineer | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 Mountaineer | 96 | 1 |
| 2007 Mountaineer | 81 | 0 |
| 2006 Mountaineer | 117 | 1 |
| 2005 Mountaineer | 82 | 0 |
| 2004 Mountaineer | 210 | 0 |
| 2003 Mountaineer | 152 | 0 |
| 2002 Mountaineer | 372 | 2 |
| 2001 Mountaineer | 22 | 3 |
| 2000 Mountaineer | 123 | 6 |
| 1999 | 151 | 7 |
| 1998 Mountaineer | 236 | 5 |
| 1997 Mountaineer | 328 | 6 |
| 1996 Mountaineer | 3 | 1 |
See all Mercury Mountaineer problems by year, every Mercury model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Mercury models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer?
Owners most often report tires, visibility, air bags problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 51 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Mountaineer model years, the 1999 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.