Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Mercury Mountaineer problems

Owners filed 125 complaints about the 2000 Mercury Mountaineer with NHTSA between Jan 2000 and Mar 2025. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (28).

Complaints
125
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control28
  2. Tires21
  3. Electrical system19
  4. Power train15
  5. Air bags10
  6. Seats7
  7. Structure6
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  9. Visibility6
  10. Equipment6
  11. Suspension5
  12. Exterior lighting4
  13. Engine4
  14. Engine and engine cooling4

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200028
20013
200215
200315
20049
200513
20063
20075
20084
20094
20104
20115
20123
20132
20145
20151
20162
20170
20181
20191
20200
20210
20220
20231
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

28 reports6 crashes6 fires2 related recalls
“I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK(APPROX 12 MILES) AND DECIDED I'D TRY OUT THE CRUISE CONTROL IN MY NEWLY ACQUIRED 2000 MOUNTAINEER 302 AWD. THE FIRST PART OF THE COMMUTE IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER HARMLESS AND A VERY SAFE STRETCH TO TEST OUT THIS FEATURE SO I PRESS THE CRUISE BUTTON TO SET MY SPEED AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH. ALL WAS WELL UNTIL I APPROACHED A SHARP HAIR PIN CURVE ABOUT 4 MILES INTO THE TRIP. I GENTLY STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE TO CANCEL THE CRUISE BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY ATTEMPT. IN A STATE OF PANIC, I FIRMLY APPLY THE BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO DROP APPROXIMATELY 6-7 MPH. STILL WELL ABOVE THE ADVISED LIMIT FOR THAT PARTICULAR CURVE. AFTER MAKING IT THOUGH THE CURVE, THE MOUNTAINEER TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED AND I WAS OFF TO THE RACES. I PANICKED AND IN DOING SO, FAILED TO PROCESS AND THINK CLEARLY. MY INSTINCT WAS TO KEEP POUNDING ON THE BRAKES IN HOPE THAT THE CRUISE CABLE WITH BREAK OR POP FREE. AT 70MPH MY BRAKES WERE USELESS. IT ACCELERATED JUST PAST 80MPH AND FINALLY RIGHT BEFORE MY TURN OFF ONTO THE ROAD THAT I LIVE, MY HEAD CLEARED AND I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND WAS ABLE TO COAST…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10849904

Tires

21 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS TIRES, SIZE P/235/75/R15. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY LOSE TIRE PRESSURE. HE TOOK THE TIRES TO A TIRE REPAIR SHOP AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE INNER SIDEWALL WAS SEPARATING ON ALL FOUR TIRES. HE CONCLUDED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE OLD ONES. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,140.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2009TiresODI 10261981

Electrical system

19 reports7 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ERUPTED INTO FLAMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS ALSO DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2015Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 10744582

Power train

15 reports
“THE O/D LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AND IT DOESN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC ITS VARY DANGEROUS FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2019Power trainODI 11287826

Air bags

10 reports8 crashes1 related recall
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND STRUCK THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING A ROLLOVER. IN THE ACCIDENT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO ONE WAS INJURED, SEATBELTS WERE WORN AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2006Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10150719

Seats

7 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FRACTURED AND COLLAPSED BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIRS DONE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2011SeatsODI 10430671
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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