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Problems · by component

1998 Mercury Mountaineer vehicle speed control problems

36 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Mercury Mountaineer cite vehicle speed control, 15% of all 241 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

All 1998 Mountaineer problems
Complaints
36
15% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“UNDER MY HOOD STARTED SMOKING, I POPPED MY HOOD TO FIND FLAMES UNDER IT. I HAD TO GET MY KIDS OUT THE TRUCK AND PUT THE FLAMES OUT WITH AND EXTINGUISHER. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS MELTED AND SO WERE THE WIRES THAT CONNECT TO THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. NOT I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK AND GET MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2017Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherFire reportedODI 11047281
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 90 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE HIS FOOT BEHIND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND PULL IT UP IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND WAS STILL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DURING THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2007Vehicle speed controlODI 10197027
“TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE NOTICED THAT HER VEHICLE HAD FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V422000( VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PICTURES, AS WELL AS, COPY OF THE INCIDENT REPORT. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2007Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10178921
“CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE . *TS THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 8/25/06. THE RECALL REPAIR FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 8/28/06. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THE BLUE BOOK VALUE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2006Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10173257
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH OVER HEATING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SURROUNDING DAMAGED PARTS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V062001, REGARDING THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2006Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10159110
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ERUPTED IN FLAMES, AN HOUR AND A HALF AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE CARPORT. THE CONTACT'S HOUSE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS UNABLE TO COME TO A FINAL DETERMINATION ABOUT THE FIRE, BUT STATED IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE FIRE STARTED IN THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V388000, REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2006Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10155550

Showing 6 of 36 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SOHC ENGINES AND STILL RETAIN THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODY (PART NUMBERS 97JF-9E926AB OR 97JF-9E926-AC). SOME OF THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODIES INSTALLED ALLOWED A GAP BETWEEN THE PLATE AND BORE TO BE BUILT TOO NARROW. THIS REDUCED CLEARANCE ALLOWED THE ENGINE DEPOSITS NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO CONTACT OR BRIDGE THE GAP. IF THE ENGINE DEPOSITS BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN THE THROTTLE PLATE AND BORE AND THEN HARDENED, ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER THE ENGINE HAS COOLED, THE OPERATOR WOULD NEED TO APPLY ADDITIONAL FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO BREAK THE BRIDGE.

Vehicle speed controlReported Dec 27, 2000NHTSA 00V422000

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

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.

Vehicle speed controlReported Mar 30, 1999NHTSA 99V062001
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 1998 Mountaineer problem areas

Tires (96)