2000 Mercury MOUNTAINEER: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THEY DIDN'T HOLD. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE BRAKE CALIPERS FREEZING UP AND GETTING HOT WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEALS FAILING. *NLM ROTORS, PADS AND SHOES WERE REPLACED. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 37,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002443 at NHTSA ↗

2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER DIAGNOSED WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE - SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEARS. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 50000 MILES.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010232 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STOP ON A DRY DAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH MY BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THEY GRABBED AND THEN RELEASED WITH A FORWARD MOTION. I CONTINUED TO APPLY PRESSURE WITH BOTH FEET AND THE BRAKES STILL REACTED IN THE SAME FASHION. SUBSEQUENTLY I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MERCURY DEALER AND THEY STATED THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I AM CONCERNED AND ACTUALLY WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING MY CAR. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 32,780 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016935 at NHTSA ↗

THE TREADS ARE COMING APART. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 37,879 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018505 at NHTSA ↗

ENGAGING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL CAUSES SMOKE TO BE EMITTED FROM THE EMERGENCY FLASHER SWITCH HOUSING ON TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020598 at NHTSA ↗

REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE FOR MORE ROOM CAUSING DISCOMFORT FOR THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10021821 at NHTSA ↗

OWN A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE & 4.0 V8 ENGINE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND LIGHT MALFUNCTION AT TIMES ("LOCK UP") WHERE THEY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 00V072000. LOCAL DEALER & MERCURY REFUSE TO ADMIT AND/OR FIX THE PROBLEM. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023160 at NHTSA ↗

THE DAY AFTER TAKING VEHICLE FROM DEALER RADIO LCD SCREEN FLASHED BRIGHT LIKE A PHOTO BULB AND HAS BEEN OUT EVER SINCE, THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 65,315 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025242 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-03-07 (March 7, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L ENGINES AND ALL-TIME 4-WHEEL DRIVE (A4WD) POWERTRAINS. THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE (GEM) COULD EXPERIENCE A CONDITION REFERRED TO AS "LOCK-UP" IN WHICH THE GEM CONTROLLED ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS (E.G., FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, 4X4 SYSTEM, ETC.) COULD NOT BE TURNED ON OR, IN SOME CASES IF THE FUNCTION IS ON, COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF.

Consequence: AN INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RESISTOR IN THE GEM CIRCUIT.

Reported: 2000-07-05 (July 5, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4-DOOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SIDE AIR BAGS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE A REVISED LEVEL SIDE CRASH SENSOR THAT COULD DEPLOY THE SIDE AIR BAG IF THE IGNITION KEY IS IN THE "RUN" POSITION AND THE SEATBELT WEBBING IS FORCIBLY EXTRACTED FROM A LOCKED RETRACTOR WITH A JERKING MOTION.

Consequence: INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDE CRASH SENSORS WITH A REVISED DESIGN THAT WILL REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN UNEXPECTED SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.

Reported: 2000-08-18 (August 18, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE ON CERTAIN SEAT BELT BUCKLES OF YOUR VEHICLE AND REPLACE ALL SEAT BELT BUCKLES THAT FALL WITHIN THE SUSPECT DATE CODE RANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 26, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL AND 4.0L SOHC ENGINES, IF THE STRAND COVER ON THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE BECOMES FLARED AT THE END, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE MAY BIND WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED.

Consequence: THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED. BRAKING FUNCTION WOULD BE MAINTAINED THOUGH STOPPING DISTANCES MAY BE INCREASED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

Consequence: THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 2007-08-03 (August 3, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.