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1997 Mercury MountaineerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 328 owner complaints about the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, most often about the tires. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.

30
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.3× the Mountaineer median · #2 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Free fix at dealersOwner complaints32867 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem138Tires

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 12, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer has problems

328 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
Tires13810
Vehicle speed control5919
Service brakes, hydraulic3711
Electrical system156
Suspension151
Engine and engine cooling142
Seat belts120
Visibility110
Structure91
14 other systems5010

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

6 recalls

1997 Mercury 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.

–no report yet

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 98V-060 · Mar 19, 1998 · 320,000 vehicles

Risk. THE FUEL LINES CAN LEAK, AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
–no report yet

Hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut

Recall 97V-137 · Aug 19, 1997 · 2,200 vehicles

Risk. THE GAS CYLINDER BRACKET MAY NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 97V-074 · Apr 30, 1997 · 23,000 vehicles

Risk. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 Mercury.

Best & worst years

1997 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

'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1997 Mercury Mountaineer safety ratings

1997 Mercury Mountaineer 4-DR. 4x4 in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. STEERING KNUCKLE SEPARATIONSPE99045 · closed Oct 29, 1999
    No recall
  3. WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTIONPE99049 · closed Apr 24, 2000
    Led to recall 00V-072
  4. FUEL LINE DAMAGE FROM JUMP STARTINGRQ98020 · closed Nov 15, 2000
    Led to recall 98V-060
In owners' words

What Mountaineer owners report

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

1997 MOUNTAINEER FIRESTONE TIRE SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE TIRES THAT HE REPLACED. *JB
Complaint 10177484 · Dec 20, 2006
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THE CONSUMER HAD FOUR TIRES INSTALLED ON THE SUV AND WHEN THEY REACHED 1/2 OF TREAD, THE TWO FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL SEPARATION. *PH *JB
Complaint 10037877 · Aug 27, 2003
LR TIRE CAME APART AT ABOUT 65 MPH CAUSING OPERATOR TO LOSE CONTROL OF IV TIRE: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS A/T 235/75R15. OTHER #S: ARE 105S, 027477. (CLAIM# 38-J372-798) *MW
Complaint 6900268 · Sep 12, 2000

Own a 1997 Mountaineer?

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