U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Mercury MOUNTAINEER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

129 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

70,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 129 complaints (22.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	12	9.3%
Steering behavior	7	5.4%
Electrical and battery issues	5	3.9%
Engine operation	2	1.6%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.6%
Transmission and shifting	1	0.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires

Tires:Tread/Belt

Air Bags

Air Bags:Frontal

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Tires	29
Tires:Tread/Belt	17
Air Bags	5
Air Bags:Frontal	5
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	5
Electrical System	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	4
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner	4

Tires: 29; Tires:Tread/Belt: 17; Air Bags: 5; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Electrical System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 4

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 90 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2013

2014

2016

2018

2000: 42; 2001: 13; 2002: 12; 2003: 17; 2004: 17; 2005: 7; 2006: 3; 2007: 3; 2008: 5; 2009: 1; 2011: 4; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2018: 2

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10050127 · 2003-12-05 (December 5, 2003)

BRAKES FAILED SEVEN TIMES WITHIN 70,000 MILES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE GEM CONTROL MODULE WAS THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE GEM CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE DIDN'T OPERATE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050127 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053195 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)

ABS LIGHT IS ON AND HAD TEST DONE AND COMES UP AS REAR SPEED CONTROL SENSOR. HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES AND STILL NO CHANGE. HAVE TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIPS, MERCURY DEALERSHIPS, AND OTHER WELL KNOWN MAINTENANCE SHOPS AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG. SINCE THE LIGHT HAS COME ON THE FRONT BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DRAGGING. ALSO THE DISPLAY ON THE PREMIUM RADIO WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 50,131 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053195 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001972 · 2003-01-03 (January 3, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE STARTED FISH TAILING WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001972 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10073412 · 2004-06-04 (June 4, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073412 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10040607 · 2003-09-24 (September 24, 2003)

1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE.*MR *CB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040607 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10410359 · 2011-07-03 (July 3, 2011)

HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH DOOR LOCKS, DELAY SWITCH ON REARVIEW MIRROR, WINDOW LOCK AND WINDOW FUNCTIONS, ABS ON ALL THE TIME ,DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME. NONFUNCTIONING DOME LIGHT SWITCHES AND INTERMITTENT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ( WHICH WHEN CHECKED WAS DETERMINED TO BE SOME UNKNOWN INSUFFICIENT EXHAUST FLOW ISSUE). CONSTANT CLICKING NOISES COMING FROM THE FAR LEFT DRIVERS SIDE OF DASH. WE NOTICED A FLAME COMING OUT OF MY LEFT FRONT TOP DASH VENT AFTER CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 5+ HOURS. IT'S OBVIOUS THE FIRE STARTED IN THE DASH AND IT BURN…

Owner-reported narrative. 196,828 miles reported. Look up ODI 10410359 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10109204 · 2005-01-28 (January 28, 2005)

DRIVER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE OIL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109204 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 891151 · 2001-06-25 (June 25, 2001)

VEHICLE STALLS IN REVERSE/ SITTTING AT STOP LIGHTS / STOP SIGNS AND GOING UP HILLS. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS A WARNING INDICATING SOMETHING WAS WRONG. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO FIND A REMEDY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 891151 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051109 · 2003-12-26 (December 26, 2003)

ENGINE OIL LEAK OR POSSIBLE FUEL LEAK LEADING TO VEHICLE FIRE, TOTAL LOSS. DRIVER ESCAPED INJURY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051109 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10439981 · 2011-12-14 (December 14, 2011)

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. RAN DIAGNOSTICS TO DETERMINE THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT PULLING A VACUUM. DETERMINED THE FUEL FILLER NECK PIPE WAS CRACKED AT THE TOP OF THE LINE NEAR THE TANK CAP. WENT TO REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER NECK PIPE AND FOUND OUT WHERE THE PIPE MEETS THE TANK, MORE THAN 1/2 OF THE DIAMETER OF THE CONNECTION WAS MISSING (RUSTED THRU) AND BROKE OFF WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE THE HOSE (THE METAL ATTACHMENT FROM THE TANK IS STUCK IN THE FILLER NECK HOSE). THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK WAS WET WITH FUEL. THE REST OF THE TANK IS SOLID WITH NO THIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10439981 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10137734 · 2005-09-09 (September 9, 2005)

1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, TIRES, DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR, LINKAGE ON THE TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT.*MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10137734 at NHTSA ↗