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1998 Ford MountaineerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 1998 Ford Mountaineer, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints51 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Electrical system

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 15, 2013. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Ford Mountaineer has problems

5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system21
Tires20
Structure10
Suspension10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1998 Ford Mountaineer recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1998 vs. every other Mountaineer year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Mountaineer median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1998 Ford Mountaineer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA05005 · closed Aug 2, 2006
    Led to recall 05V-388
In owners' words

What Mountaineer owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR DOES NOT RELEASE: NOW THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE'VE BOOSTED IT AND IT WOULD RUN BUT ONCE TURNED OFF IT WOULD NOT TURN ON AGAIN. *TR
Complaint 10552420 · Nov 15, 2013
MY 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WAS HAVING A SLOW START FOR THE PAST MONTH. A FEW TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, SOUNDING AS IF THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. IT WAS HAPPENING DURING THE COLD WEATHER SO WE ATTRIBUTED THESE SYMPTOMS TO THE COLD. WE HAD BATTERY CHECKED AND IT WAS FINE. ON MARCH 9,2006 WHILE…
Complaint 10152447 · Mar 10, 2006

Own a 1998 Mountaineer?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.