2002 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Owners have filed 504 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. Transmission is the most reported problem area, at 19% of complaints. After that come body & structure (14%) and drivetrain & axles (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 504 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Transmission 19% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 19 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 48 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 75,000 miles 348 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 25 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 36 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 66 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 66 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 55 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 42 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 25 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 19 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 10 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Among the 348 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 75,000 miles. For transmission specifically, the median reported mileage is about 72,000 miles (84 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 19 complaints mention a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 48 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2002 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Mercury Mountaineer with enough data (269 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mercury mountaineer. While driving 35MPH and losing control, the vehicle was in a ditch on a dirt road. The tie rod broke and two front tires had to be replaced and the truck is damaged. The contact has paid over $6000.00 in repairs since purchasing the vehicle. The contact had to repair the front differential, lower ball joints, sealing for both shafts, four brake pads, bearings on all four tires, and the rear transfer case was flushed twice.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was in two accidents and the airbags did not deploy. In the first accident which occurred in july 2005, the vehicle was stolen when the accident occurred and the airbags did not deploy. The second accident in october 2006, the vehicle was hit at an intersection and the airbags did not deploy. The other vehicle ran a red light at 50 MPH when it impact the vehicle which was immobile. The other vehicle flipped over and there were three injuries.
I purchased a 2002 mercury mountaineer on 4/11/2011. As I was driving it home from the dealership, the same day, I noticed some black smoke coming out the back of the car. There were no messages that came up in the message center window so I had no clue what was happening. As I looked back up from the rear view mirror, I noticed a first responders truck next to the drivers window who was yelling " get out of the vehicle, its on fire!" immediately I pulled over and my mother and I had to jump from the vehicle…
1.) would feel vibrations during shifts, car would not not shift 2.) truck rendered undrivable on first incident 8/02, second incident 8/03 caught early. 3.) tork converter replaced both times.
Mercury moutaineer 2003, the hatch of the car just came down and hit her, she jumped back and the door continued to close and the window shattered. Contact learned that the car door has a safety recall and took it to the dealership for repair. Contact was told that the safety recall had already been repaired on her car and that she would have to pay to have it repaired again. Contact wants to know what she can do now. Doesn't feel she is responsible because it is a safety recall.