NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 82 owner complaints for the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer. Most complaints involve structure (26) and power train (19). The EPA rates it 14–16 mpg combined.
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Mountaineer model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 331 |
| 1998 | 241 |
| 1999 | 160 |
| 2000 | 125 |
| 2001 | 22 |
| 2002 | 389 |
| 2003 | 152 |
| 2004 | 210 |
| 2005 | 82 |
| 2006 | 117 |
| 2007 | 81 |
| 2008 | 96 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 13 |
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCHBACK PANEL WAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (FIVE STAR FORD, 6618 NE LOOP 820 AT RUFE SNOW, NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX 76180-7844, 817-500-0097) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
“started losing power ,did not want to go pas 30 miles per hr ,then it ramed up and came to a stop with no acceleration ,i shut it off then start it again and was able to get home at a low rate of speed while continuing to have these problems, another day while far away from home the engine rammed up again minimizing my speed as the transmission was slipping and not go fast then my O/D over drive went on flashing a light ,while the engine kept steady at 20-30 miles per hour while accelerating increasing no speed ,now my SUV will not run wright, it will kick into gear at times constantly and cause problems driving safely ,this is a common problem I'm hearing and reading in the internet with the ford/ mercury mountaineer the manufactory does not want to accept responsibility with this problem ..... this is clear a RECALL ISSUE that needs to be addressed before someone gets killed on the highway by getting rammed by a semi-truck which it almost happened to me !!!! a multi-million dollar law suit is in order if they do not acknowledge and fix this problem”
“I PURCHASED A USED 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER LAST MONTH, WITH 135,400 MILES, WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL AND TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ROAD WENT FROM LEVEL TO A VERY SLIGHT DOWNGRADE. THE CAR THEN JUST SHUT OFF AFTER AUDIBLE WARNING BELL WAS HEARD. NOTICED DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ALL LIT AND BATTERY GAGE WAS NORMAL. I LOST POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND OIL PRESSURE. AFTER PULLING SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I RESTED FOR 30 SECONDS BEFORE RESTARTING THE CAR, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY OPERATED NORMALLY. AFTER TAKING IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND SAFETY CHECK, I WENT ON A 450 MILE WEEKEND TRIP AND HAD NO ISSUES, RESTRICTING CRUISE CONTROL TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE OTHER DAY, I WAS TRAVELING ON A DIFFERENT STRETCH OF LEVEL ROAD IN MY TOWN WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL AT APPROX. 35 MPH. AFTER HEADING INTO A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE, I AGAIN HEARD THE WARNING BELL, FOLLOWED BY ENGINE SHUT OFF. A "CHECK GAGE" LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST POWER STEERING, OIL PRESSURE AND BRAKES. THIS TIME, I GENTLY SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND WHILE COASTING AT 15-20 MPH I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF BEFORE RESTARTING WITHOUT ISSUE. THE CAR HAS SUBSEQUENTLY OPERATED NORMALLY, BUT I HAVE NOT ENGAGED THE…”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountaineer 2WD Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 19 | 16 | $3,900 | 555 |
| Mountaineer 2WD Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 13 | 18 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Mountaineer 2WD Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L, FFS MPFI · 2-Wheel Drive | 13 | 19 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Mountaineer FFV 2WD Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 13 | 19 | 15 | $4,150 | 592 |
| Mountaineer 4WD Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 14 | $4,450 | 635 |
| Mountaineer 4WD Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 14 | $4,450 | 635 |
| Mountaineer FFV 4WD Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 14 | $4,450 | 635 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
1 safety recall as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 82 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are structure (26), power train (19), vehicle speed control (13). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer at 14–16 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (7 versions rated).