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2008 Mercury MountaineerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 96 owner complaints about the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer, most often about the seats. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2008 Mercury Mountaineer
66
CarFlaw IndexSolid year48% below the Mountaineer median · #9 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints963 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kSeats, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 3, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer has problems

96 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
Seats541
Electrical system392
Power train91
Engine60
Exterior lighting60
Seat belts40
Interior lighting40
Structure30
Steering30
14 other systems220

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

1 recall

2008 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

Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines

Recall 07V-453 · Sep 26, 2007 · 1,497 vehicles

Risk. IF LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTACTS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IT MAY POSE A RISK OF FIRE.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do seats problems start?

65kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 49 seats complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
9under 30k miles41under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 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

2008 Mercury Mountaineer safety ratings

2008 Mercury Mountaineer 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 3 stars (22.8% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mountaineer owners report

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

DRIVER SEAT ELECTRICAL ADJUSTMENT WILL MOVE ITSELF BACKWARDS WHILE CAR IS MOVING. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO THIS PROBLEM, IT IS RANDOM.
Complaint 11282163 · Nov 25, 2019 · 198,000 miles
WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR THE SEAT WILL MOVE BACK ON IT'S OWN VOLITION INTO EXIT POSITION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN IT GOES OVER A BUMP OR IF THE KEY IS JIGGLED IN THE IGNITION. IT HAPPENED IN MULTIPLE SITUATIONS LAST WEEK. VERY FRIGHTENING AS I HAVE TO SCRAMBLE TO REACH THE BRAKE AND ALSO MOVE THE SEAT…
Complaint 11244504 · Aug 16, 2019 · 107,000 miles
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE INTERIOR LIGHT TURNS ON AND THE SEAT MOVES BACK INTO THE PARK POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO REACH THE PEDAL/BRAKE AND IT HAPPENS WITHOUT NOTICE. THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE POSTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND…
Complaint 11141363 · Oct 18, 2018 · 13,000 miles

Own a 2008 Mountaineer?

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