Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Mercury Mountaineer problems

Owners filed 152 complaints about the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer with NHTSA between May 2003 and Apr 2022. The most-cited component is structure (59).

Complaints
152
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure59
  2. Power train42
  3. Electrical system11
  4. Suspension10
  5. Engine and engine cooling10
  6. Air bags9
  7. Vehicle speed control9
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  9. Steering6
  10. Visibility6
  11. Latches/locks/linkages6
  12. Seats4
  13. Wheels3
  14. Fuel/propulsion system3

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
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
20039
20047
200515
200614
20076
200812
200920
201016
201112
201212
20134
20146
20158
20165
20173
20180
20191
20201
20210
20221

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

Structure

59 reports
“I HAVE A MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2003 AND IT WAS STATIONED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE BACK MIDDLE OF THE HATCH NOW THERE A HUGE CRACK AND MY WINDOW OF THE TRUNK CAME UNHINGED AND FELL OFF I SEE THIS PROBLEM IN ALL MOUNTAINEERS THEY ALL HAVE THE CRACK IN THE HATCH HOPE THEIRS DON'T FALL OFF I SEE IT IN ALMOST EVERYONE'S. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING AND IT FELL OFF THIS IS NOT SAFE. PLEASE HAVE THIS INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2017StructureODI 11030250

Power train

42 reports5 crashes3 fires
“BIG O TECHS CONNED WIFE INTO BUYING 2 TIRES AND WE OWN AWD SUV THAT REQUIRES 4 AT THE SAME INTERVALS .I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THEM THAT THIS IS NOT SAFE AND WILL DAMAGE MY CAR THEY CONTINUED FOR OVER 2 MONTHS TO LIE TO ME ABOUT HAVING SOMEMONE COMTACT ME . I HAVE ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS I'VE HAD WITH THEM THROUGH MESSAGES. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THEY PUT THE TIRES ON AND REFUSED TO TAKE THEM OFF AND PUT MY OLD O ES BACK ON AND ISSUE A REFUND WELL MY TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE FAILED I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY LIED TO ME ABOUT SOMEONE CONTACTING ME . I TOOK MY SUV TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP WE MEASURED OVER 2 INCH CIRCUMFERENCE DIFFERENCE. I INFORMED BIG O THAT I HAVE A TSB ISSUED BY FORD MY EMPLOYER THAT DATES BACK TO 2011 ON TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE PROCEDURES FOR TIRE DEALERS TO FOLLOW . THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS THAT BIG O REFUSES TO REVIEW OR ACKNOWLEDGE TSBS . THAT'S ALARMING AS TSBS ARE ISSUED MY THE MANUFACTURERS FOR SAFETY . I HAD MY SUV FIXED FOR 3000+ $ OUT OF POCKET AND CONTACTED BIG O THE DAY I PICKED IT UP ABOUT THE TIRES STILL BEING ON THERE . I WARNED THEM THIS IS DANGEROUS AND CAN HURT MY NEW DRIVETRAIN THE VERY NEXT DAY FROM GETTING MY SUV OUT OF…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2020Power train, Wheels, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 11349674

Electrical system

11 reports1 fire
“I'VE BEEN REVIEW THIS SITE AND SEE WHERE SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES THAT I AM HAVING WITH MY 2003 MOUNTAINEER. THE REAR GATE IS CRACKING AROUND THE EMBLEM. I'VE HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD AND THEY TELL ME I CAN PAY TO FIX IT AND IF THERE IS RECALL THEY WILL REIMBURSE ME. IN ADDITION I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMING ON WHEN ALL ARE SHUT AND SECURE. I HAVE CONTACT FORD AND SEVERAL LOCAL DEALERSHIPS. THE DEALERSHIP ALL TELL ME THEIR HANDS ARE TIED UNTIL FORD MAKES A DECISION AND THAT I AM NOT ALONE. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY DON'T CARE. WITH ALL THESE COMPLAINTS WHY ISN'T THIS AGENCY DOING SOMETHING? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2013Electrical system, StructureODI 10534061

Suspension

10 reports
“1) FRONT WHEEL BEARING HUB ASSEMBLY FAILURE RESULTING IN UNSAFE​ UNDRIVEABLE (THIS HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY​ REPORTED BY VEHICLE OWNERS REGARDLESS OF VEHICLES MILAGE) FAILURE ACCURED WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOPLIGHT AFTER EXITING A PARKING LOT OF A RESTAURANT 2) LIFT HATCH CRACKED CENTER OF HATCH ABOVE THE EMBLEM POTENTIALLY ALLOWING WATER INTO THE INTERIOR WORKING OF HATCH AND CAUSING UNTOLD AND UNSEEN WATER RELATED DAMAGES​(THIS IS AN ADMITTED FORD MANUFACTURING DEFECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE​ LINE SPENDING MULTIPLE YEARS PRODUCTION)”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2017Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 10969975

Engine and engine cooling

10 reports
“I PURCHASED A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER ON 2/15/14 AND I TOOK IT ON A ROAD TRIP ON 2/16/4 WITH MY GRANDKIDS. AFTER ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AND GAINING SPEED I STARTED TO SMELL A STRONG BURNT RUBBER AND EXHAUST SMELL. THE SMELL WAS VERY TOXIC AND STUCK TO OUR CLOTHING. ON 2/18/14, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR HIS MECHANIC TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS SOME DEGREASER THAT OVERFLOWED FROM A CUPLER AND LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A LEAK AND THE MECHANIC RESPONDED BY SAYING NOT REALLY, WHICH MEANT THERE WAS A LEAK. THE MECHANIC ASSURED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF, BUT IF IT STILL OCCURS, THEY WOULD SEND IT IN FOR TWO DAYS. I CONTINUED TO SMELL THE TOXIC SMELL AND ON 2/19/14 THE HATCH ON LIFT GATE JUST CRACKED. ALSO WHEN I TURN AT A LOW SPEED, I HEAR A STRANGE SOUND AND VIBRATION, COMING FROM THE TIRE AREA. I'VE HEARD OF NUMEROUS ISSUES AND COMPLICATIONS WITH THE MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS. I DON'T WANT MY GRANDCHILDREN NOR MY LIFE PUT IN DANGER. A DRIVER SHOULD BE ENSURED WITH SAFETY WHEN DRIVING A VEHICLE. FORD DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CONSUMERS TO SELL DEFECTIVE AND NONSAFE VEHICLES. PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE AS IT HAS TOO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10565042

Air bags

9 reports
“MY 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAS A SOLID AIR BAG LIGHT ON. IT HAS A CODE OF 33, WHEN YOU TURN THE CAR ON, THE LIGHT GOES ON AND BLINKS 3 TIMES THEN 3 MORE TIMES. THIS INDICATES A CODE 33. FORD HAS A TECHNICAL LETTER ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE LETTER STATES THERE IS A KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. 1L2Z-78610E22-AAA IS THE KIT FOR A MEDIUM DARK PARCHMENT KIT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM AS IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. FORD WANTS TO CHARGE $281.00 FOR THE PART. OUTRAGEOUS. I WOULD BE FORCED TO PAY OR NOT GET MY STATE VEHICLE TEST PASSED. DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SAFETY RECALL ! SEE INFORMATION : 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER BUILD DATE 09/02 VIN===[XXX] BELOW IS A COPY OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING YOUR CONCERN. YOU CAN BUY THE KITS THROUGH ANY FORD DEALER, THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY PLACE TO GET THEM. YOU'LL FIND THE BUILD DATE ON THE VIN TAG ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR. FORD:2002-2003 EXPLORER MERCURY:2002-2003 MOUNTAINEER ISSUE: SOME 2002-2003 4DR EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) B2292 AND LIGHT FLASHING CODE (LFC) 33 (DRIVER SEAT PRETENSIONER FAULT), OR LFC 34 (PASSENGER SEAT PRETENSIONER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2016Air bagsODI 10925937
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.