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Mercury MountaineerYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,992 NHTSA owner complaints across 15 model years, no Mercury Mountaineer year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Mountaineer has 19 safety recalls on record.

Mercury Mountaineer
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 1997, 1998, 2002Best years'05 '06 '07 '08Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints1,992Top: Power trainSafety recalls191996–2010 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Best & worst years

Mercury Mountaineer years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Mountaineer median. Tap a year for its full report.

'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2010Not rated–/10013 complaints · 1 recall2009Not rated–/1006 complaints · 0 recalls2008Solid66/10096 complaints · 1 recall2007Best69/10081 complaints · 0 recalls2006Solid58/100117 complaints · 1 recall2005Best67/10082 complaints · 0 recalls2004Solid43/100210 complaints · 0 recalls2003Solid51/100152 complaints · 0 recalls2002Caution30/100372 complaints · 2 recalls2001Not rated–/10022 complaints · 3 recalls2000Solid50/100123 complaints · 6 recalls1999Solid49/100151 complaints · 7 recalls1998Caution35/100236 complaints · 5 recalls1997Caution30/100328 complaints · 6 recalls1996Not rated–/1003 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Mercury Mountaineer problems

All model years combined: 1,992 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
Power train38534
Tires32729
Structure28326
Vehicle speed control21564
Electrical system18232
Engine and engine cooling16116
Seats12512
Visibility976
Service brakes, hydraulic9623
22 other systems58787
19 recalls

Mercury Mountaineer recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Front assembly: recliner10V-161 · 2010 · Apr 20, 2010 · 33,256 vehicles–Vehicle speed control09V-399 · 1997–2002 · Oct 13, 2009 · 4,500,000 vehicles–Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines07V-453 · 2008 · Sep 26, 2007 · 1,497 vehicles–Vehicle speed control07V-336 · 1999–2001 · Aug 3, 2007 · 3,600,000 vehicles–Windshield wiper/washer: motor05V-520 · 2006 · Nov 9, 2005 · 199,942 vehicles–Vehicle speed control: cables03V-280 · 1999–2001 · Aug 5, 2003 · 448,005 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner03V-281 · 1998–2001 · Aug 5, 2003 · 1,552,880 vehicles–Tires: sidewall01V-171 · 2002 · May 24, 2001 · 52,000 vehicles–Vehicle speed control00V-422 · 1997–1998 · Dec 27, 2000 · 220,000 vehicles–Suspension00V-402 · 1997 · Nov 28, 2000 · 810,000 vehicles–Seat belts00V-228 · 2000 · Aug 18, 2000 · 144,435 vehicles–Air bags: side/window00V-179 · 2000 · Jul 5, 2000 · 2,300 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 19 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

14 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Mountaineer

  1. Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditAQ10001 · 2010 · closed Dec 28, 2015
    No recall
  2. Vehicle Rollaway AllegationsEA09013 · 2002–2005 · closed Feb 12, 2013
    No recall
  3. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · 2007–2008 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
  4. REAR LIFTGATE GLASS HATCH FAILURERQ08003 · 2004 · closed Oct 24, 2008
    No recall
  5. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · 1997–2004 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  6. STUCK ENGINE THROTTLEPE05037 · 2002 · closed Nov 2, 2005
    No recall
  7. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA05005 · 1998 · closed Aug 2, 2006
    Led to recall 05V-388
  8. REAR LIFTGATE GLASS ASSEMBLYPE04045 · 2002 · closed Sep 28, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-442
  9. FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENTPE03020 · 1998–2001 · closed Sep 5, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-281
  10. MIS-ASSEMBLED AIRBAG CLOCKSPRINGEA02010 · 2002 · closed Feb 25, 2003
    No recall