Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Mercury Mountaineer problems

Owners filed 210 complaints about the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Jun 2021. The most-cited component is structure (79).

Complaints
210
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure79
  2. Power train64
  3. Vehicle speed control21
  4. Electrical system16
  5. Air bags12
  6. Engine and engine cooling11
  7. Engine8
  8. Suspension6
  9. Visibility6
  10. Steering5
  11. Equipment5
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  13. Wheels4
  14. Latches/locks/linkages4

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
200412
200511
20066
200716
200827
200920
201024
201123
201210
201318
201423
20155
20168
20172
20182
20192
20200
20211

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

79 reports1 crash
“1. PAINT COMING OFF OF ROOF AND DRIVER'S DOOR. 2. REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING. 3. CRACKS IN PLASTIC AREA OF REAR LIFT GATE AROUND WIPER ARM. 4. ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND POTENTIAL ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE WHEN RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAME LOOSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2017Electrical system, Structure, WheelsODI 11053938

Power train

64 reports4 crashes1 fire
“This vehicle is has a power train problem from day one with the 5R55S/W transmission and AWD transfer case. I purchased this vehicle where it stranded my family over 200 miles from home and it's a non running car. This vehicle should have been removed from being sold with this defect and crushed! I will never buy a FoundOnRoad Dead ford pos ever. The transmission went into neutral with out any notice. To repair the faulty drive train I will cost me aprox $2400.00 mileage 152,000 third time the drive train has been worked on.. There tranmissions were failing in a little as 50,000 miles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2021Power trainODI 11421672

Vehicle speed control

21 reports3 crashes
“I HAD PICKED UP MY KIDS FROM DAYCARE AND I PUT MY VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND BACKED UP. WHILE BACKING UP I HEARD A LOUD POP AND I GOT OUT TO SEE BUT THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE. SO I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND AS I WAS GOING DOWN THE STREET MY VEHICLE AXLE BROKE AND MY TRUCK HIT THE STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY AXLE AND MY DIFFERENTIAL HAD BROKEN ALSO, AM I AM LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A BAD ACCIDENT WITH THE EXTEND OF THE DAMAGE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. AFTER I FIXED THAT AND IT COST $2900. THAT STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSFER CASE. THEN ALL THREE OF MY CADILLAC CONVERTERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE HAD PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM AND OH YEAH THE BACK REAR GATE HAS BEEN CRACKED LIKE THE MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2014Steering, Power train, Vehicle speed control, WheelsODI 10640980

Electrical system

16 reports1 crash
“WHILE MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON IN A 30 -40 MPH ZONE, SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. SHE WAS ON A SMALL 2 LANE ROAD, AND THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE. SHE WAS VERY SCARED, SHE TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND CALLED ME IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE THEN RESTARTED AND SHE DROVE HOME. TODAY (JAN. 5, 2016) THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, FORTUNATELY IN A SLOW SPEED ZONE AGAIN. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER, OR THEY NEED TO OFFER A BUY BACK AT FULL VALUE FOR PLACING PEOPLE AT RISK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2016Electrical systemODI 10818272

Air bags

12 reports2 crashes
“TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON... ALL THE TIME GRINDING NOISES WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT SOUNDS LIKE GEARS ARE FREELY SPINNING WHILE ENGAGED AND DRIVING. NO ISSUES WITH CHANGING GEARS AS FAR AS MECHANIC SAYS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2019Steering, Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11165492

Engine and engine cooling

11 reports1 crash1 fire
“04 MOUNTAINEER CLUSTER GAUGE BLACKS OUT THEN METER GAUGE FLICKERS. WAITED FOR 10 MIN I'M PARKING LOT THEN IT COMES ON. STARTED TO DRIVE THEN ABOUT A MILE INTO DRIVING IT SHUTS DOWN. MIND YOU MY SUV WAS STILL GOING BUT GAUGES SHUT DOWN THEN MY LIGHTS GO OFF, THEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO. BY THE GRACE OF GOT I GOT HOME. WHILE ON ROAD MY ENGINE WAS STRUGGLING. HELP BEFORE THAT INCIDENT I HAD JUST REPLACE THERMOSTAT HOUSING BECAUSE IT CRACKED AND I WAS LOOSING COOLANT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 22, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10561082
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.