Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Owners filed 22 complaints about the 2001 Mercury Mountaineer with NHTSA between Oct 2001 and Jun 2018. The most-cited component is suspension (4).
Complaints
22
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension4
- Structure3
- Tires3
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Seats2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Visibility2
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Visibility/wiper1
- Engine1
- Air bags1
- Interior lighting1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Power train1
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 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
8
2
1
0
2
3
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
4 reports
“LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE SUV WAS SQUEAKING. JUST WITHIN A WEEK, IT BECAME EXTREMELY LOUD AND EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT'S THE BALL JOINTS WHICH IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. *TR”
Structure
3 reports1 crash
“THE FRAME IN BACK IS RUSTING THROUGH. THE BACK CROSS MEMBER AT THE REAR BUMPER IS RUSTED BAD. IT RATTLES ALL THE TIME.BACK SWAY BARS ARE RUSTED BAD.”
Tires
3 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER DISCOVERER H/T, SIZE P235/75/R15 TIRES. THE CORRECT TIRE SIZE WAS UNAVAILABLE IN THE DROP DOWN MENU AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE DIMPLES ON THE SIDEWALLS AT ONLY 33,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD EXPLODED OFF THE TIRE AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE PLACE WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED STATED THAT THEY HAVE SOLD HUNDREDS OF THESE TIRES AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY FAILURES. THEY OFFERED TO GIVE HIM NEW TIRES AT $20.00 OFF SINCE HE HAD A RANDOM SET OF DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE CONTACT DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AS SCHEDULED AND HE JUST HAD THE TIRES ROTATED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 107,000.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
3 reports1 crash
“TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED15 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES THE REAR WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT INTO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE HIT A PHONE BOOTH. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THERE WERE LIGHT FLURRIES FALLING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BRAKE SERVICE WORK DONE IN DECEMBER 2006. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 70000.*AK”
Seats
2 reports1 related recall
“SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER ON MY 2001 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 5.0 SUV. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NO LONGER WORKS. CANNOT MOVE IT, ADJUST IT, ETC. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. *TR”
Vehicle speed control
2 reports2 related recalls
“I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM FORD IN AUGUST 2007 AND THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE A PART AVAILABLE FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.