1997 Mercury Mountaineer Problems

What owners report

Complaints for this model year center on two long-running themes: original-equipment Firestone tires that separated at the tread or sidewall, and unintended or stuck-throttle acceleration events that owners often link to Ford's speed-control recalls. Beyond those, owners report recurring front stabilizer bar link breakage, driver seat belt buckles that will not latch, and rear door latches that will not release from inside. Many reports come at high mileage, though the buckle and tire complaints appear across a wide range of ages.

1. 1
   Tires

   Tire tread and sidewall separation (original equipment)

   • 137 complaints (42%)
   • typically at 3.9 yrs old
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $692 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 1998–2006

   Owners describe original Firestone Wilderness tires losing tread or separating at the sidewall, sometimes while driving and sometimes noticed while parked. Some report blowouts, vibration beforehand, and in a few accounts a rollover; others describe cracks along the treadline or dry-rotted rubber on tires the dealer said were not on any recall list. Several say a tire dealer replaced tires but declined reimbursement or would only credit toward the same brand. Reported across a wide mileage range, often on original tires several years old, with some accounts noting failures in hot-climate travel.

   What to check: Check the tire brand, model and DOT date codes on any surviving original tires and replace aged rubber regardless of tread depth. Ask whether the vehicle still has its factory wheels and tires.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There were 4 of these tires on my vehicle. I took the vehicle to a firestone dealer who told me since they didn't have the letters vd , which indicated the factory name, on them they were fine. About l week later my son was en route from charlotte to atlanta when one of these tires separated. He had to go to the expense of staying in a motel that night. The next morning he bought a goodyear tire and proceeded to atlanta. Luckily his life was spared. …”

   NHTSA complaint #731147, filed 2000-09

   “Upon hearing about the tire recall, I went to mertz ford where I purchased my vehicle for inspection. I was told my tires weren't on the recall list. As additional news reports continued, we inspected the tires ourselves to find a crack at the treadline that ran around the outside perimeter of all four tires. I returned to the dealer and was told by their sales manager that something needed to be done as the tires were not safe. We returned when the service dept. Was open and were again told they would work something out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #733539, filed 2000-10
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration or throttle sticking

   • 51 complaints (16%)
   • median 110,000 mi at 13.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2019

   Owners describe the engine surging and the vehicle lunging forward from a stop or while idling in traffic, and some report the throttle sticking or cruise control failing to disengage. Several say the dealer could not reproduce or diagnose the condition, and others note their vehicle was excluded from the throttle body and speed control deactivation switch campaigns, sometimes because of engine size. Some accounts involve collisions after the vehicle accelerated on its own. Reported from roughly 46,000 to over 160,000 miles, in stop-and-go traffic, at idle, and occasionally with cruise control engaged; a few note the behavior when the engine is cold.

   Recall 00V422000Recall 09V399000Recall 97V074000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 00V422000 (throttle body) and 09V399000 (speed control deactivation switch) were completed for this VIN, and have a mechanic inspect the throttle body, cable and cruise control servo for binding or deposits.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 1997 Mercury Mountaineer (that I purchased feb 2010) is experiencing the same acceleration problems as described in the 4.0 sohc campaign # 00v422000 and action # ea99001. I have to apply extra acceleration to make the car drive when engine is cold . After it warms up, or if I start the engine and allow it to warm up before driving, I do not have that problem. Has there been any other v8 complaints?”

   NHTSA complaint #10334330, filed 2010-06, 149,000 miles

   “Dt: 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. I the consumer bought the car used, and when using the cruise control for the first time it would not disengage. It was at 70 MPH and it accelerated to 85 MPH. To stop vehicle had to put it into neutral and turn the key off. Then vehicle coasted until it would stop. Also had to pump the brakes many times to stop. There was no crash. Had the car looked at by a mechanic.”

   NHTSA complaint #10134358, filed 2005-08, 94,343 miles
3. 3
   Seat belts

   Driver seat belt buckle will not latch or releases

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the driver-side buckle failing to latch or releasing on its own after it appears to engage, leaving the belt unusable. Some describe a stuck release mechanism or internal parts missing, and several note the dealer was not consulted or quoted a parts-and-labor price for a replacement buckle assembly. Reported from roughly 120,000 to nearly 200,000 miles, in some cases appearing gradually over a week or more.

   What to check: Buckle and unbuckle each front belt several times and tug firmly to confirm the latch holds; ask whether any buckle assembly has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver's seat belt will not secure and hold, which is dangerous if vehicle is in an accident because the driver can hit the windshield. Dealer was notified by consumer.”

   NHTSA complaint #10109539, filed 2005-02

   “The contact owns a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. He attempted to put the drivers side seat belt on and the buckle would not snap into place. The failure had been on going for one week. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The approximate failure and current mileage was 150,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10390198, filed 2011-03, 150,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Rear door latches will not open from inside

   • 12 complaints (4%)
   • median 120,000 mi at 7.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2007

   Owners describe rear door latches that stop releasing from the inside, first on one side and later the other, so rear passengers depend on someone opening the door from outside. Several say the child lock was verified to be in the normal position, and some report being told there was no campaign covering it. Hood latches failing to fully engage also appear in a few reports. Reported on vehicles from a few years old to high mileage, with several noting one side failing and the other following months later.

   What to check: From inside the vehicle, try opening both rear doors with the child lock off, and check that the hood latches securely and the secondary catch holds.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have owned my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer since 1998. Within a year after purchase one of the rear door mechanisms broke. Since it is rare for anyone to ride in the back seat, I didn't bother fixing it. This past weekend the other side broke. It is impossible for a rear passenger to exit the vehicle in an emergency without someone opening the doors from outside. I noticed this same complaint has been filed in your database by numerous customers. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10073055, filed 2004-05, 10,000 miles

   “I currently own a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. My wife purchased this Mountaineer in early 1998, and up until now we have been very happy with its performance. Recently, I was charging the battery overnight. I left for work and instructed my wife on disconnecting the charger before she used the car. My wife disconnected the charger and closed the hood on the vehicle and took it out to run errands. Unfortunately, when she closed the hood, it did not latch completely. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10088203, filed 2004-08, 124,000 miles
5. 5
   Suspension

   Front stabilizer bar link breakage

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report front sway bar links fracturing, producing difficult or wandering steering and a bouncy, harder-to-control ride until replaced. Some describe repeat replacements within weeks to months, and several say their vehicle was excluded from the stabilizer bar link campaign despite the same symptom. Mostly reported between roughly 100,000 and 160,000 miles, though some owners describe repeated failures over many years of use.

   Recall 00V402000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 00V402000 was performed for this VIN and have a mechanic inspect both front sway bar links for cracks or separation during a test drive over uneven road.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Having problems with the front stabilizer bars on my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. I have replace them 4 times and within 6 to 8 weeks they break again. Ford had a recall and fixed them the first time and ever since then I have had trouble keeping them from breaking. Without them the truck bounces alot and hard to hold on the road.”

   NHTSA complaint #10011009, filed 2003-03, 133,000 miles

   “Recall oo v 402 000/stabilizer bar link stub: right side stabilizer bar link stub broke. Dealer notified, and did repairs under warranty. Because of one month difference in age, this vehicle was not included in the recall eventhough the problem was the same.”

   NHTSA complaint #878975, filed 2001-01

Buying note. Treat tire age and the front belt buckles as the first things to verify on a used example, since both are simple to check and relate to the most common reports. Confirming which of the speed control and sway bar link recalls were completed for the specific vehicle is worth doing before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.