1999 Mercury Mountaineer Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe tire problems — tread separation, sidewall cracking and blowouts — many involving the Firestone Wilderness AT tires that came on the vehicle. A second cluster of complaints covers electrical glitches that affect wipers, air-bag warning lights and radio displays, plus speed-control/throttle complaints where the engine revved or the pedal stuck. Reports arrive across a wide mileage range, from near-new vehicles to well past 100,000 miles, so condition on a specific vehicle matters more than age alone.

1. 1
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and sidewall cracking

   • 33 complaints (22%)
   • median 84,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2016

   Owners describe tread peeling away from the tire casing, sidewall cracks and sudden blowouts, sometimes while driving at highway speed with the tire still holding air. Several say the vehicle pulled or swerved as a result, and a few report that replacement tires of a different brand also failed. Complaints frequently mention that the original Firestone Wilderness AT tires were on the vehicle and that warranty or recall coverage was denied because the specific tire was not on the recall list. Reported at all mileages, from tires with only a couple thousand miles to vehicles past 100,000 miles, often at highway speeds.

   What to check: Inspect all four tires for cracked or splitting sidewalls and check the DOT build date, and look up the exact tire size and model's recall status. Ask whether the tires were replaced under any prior recall and keep records of the brand and date.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On friday, october 22, 2004, I was driving on the taconic state parkway by pudding street in new york, my driver's side front tire exploded out of nowhere. There was no absolutely no hazards on the roadway and it was a smooth road surface. All my goodyear wrangler rts tires were not more than one month old. Goodyear and sears will not honor the warranty saying that I went over something on the road which is absolutely false. Sears found a crack in the tread, buts says it is not covered under the goodyear warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10096395, filed 2004-10

   “Total sidewall and belt failure on right rear tire on a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer. The tires were the replacements for the firestone tire recall in 2001. The tires have 28,000 mile on them in the four years”

   NHTSA complaint #10120475, filed 2005-05, 49,273 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Radio display and dash electrical faults

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the radio's clock and station display going blank or working intermittently while the audio still plays, with some replacing the radio more than once. Others report smoke or a small flame from the center of the dashboard, a burned circuit board behind the radio, and door locks, dome lights or window controls that stop working. Dealers and repair shops were reported as familiar with the display failure but not covering it under warranty. Reported from around 55,000 to nearly 200,000 miles, with dash smoke noticed while driving or shortly after the vehicle had been parked.

   Recall 00V072000

   What to check: Turn on the radio and check whether every segment of the display lights up, and test all door locks, dome lights and window switches. Ask whether any dash wiring or radio repairs have been done and whether the vehicle has ever had a burning smell.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My graphich display (clock/radio stations, mode) stopped working on my radio. The auto shop has replaced the radio twice with the same results. All cabling and fuses were checked and certified okay. All other components are working except for the display. Help!!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #10063952, filed 2004-03, 86,500 miles

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10410359, filed 2011-07, 196,828 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers run on their own or stop working

   • 18 complaints (12%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2009

   Owners report wipers that sweep intermittently with the switch off, come on when the turn signal is used, or quit mid-stroke while driving. Some have replaced the wiper motor and the switch and still see the behavior return. Several complaints tie the wipers to a module that also governs interior lights and four-wheel drive, and dealers were sometimes reported as waiting on back-ordered parts or saying they could not duplicate the problem. Spread from the first year of use up to roughly 200,000 miles, with no clear weather or mileage pattern.

   Recall 00V072000

   What to check: Cycle the wipers through every setting, including off and intermittent, with the turn signal on, and check whether the interior lights and four-wheel drive work; a recall addressed a module that controls these functions, so ask whether it was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10050127, filed 2003-12, 70,000 miles

   “Front wipers stop working. This occurs abruptly without regard to weather conditions, time the car is running, etc. I have replaced both the motor and the switch. The wipers still fail. This is very dangerous.”

   NHTSA complaint #10286967, filed 2009-10, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light on or air bags not deploying

   • 14 complaints (9%)
   • median 68,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2018

   Owners describe the air bag warning light coming on and staying on, sometimes tied to a broken wire under the driver's seat or a side air bag control switch. Others report front air bags that did not deploy in a collision even though the light came on afterwards. In some cases dealers diagnosed the wiring or switch and quoted a replacement. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 130,000 miles, often noticed after the light appears in normal driving.

   What to check: Check that the air bag light comes on briefly at startup and then goes out, and ask for any records of air bag wiring or seat sensor repairs. Have a shop scan for stored air bag codes before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that a wire under the driver's seat was broken. The consumer was told that as long as the light remained illuminated the air bags might not inflate in the event of a crash (part # 3l2z-14b455-aa).”

   NHTSA complaint #10020099, filed 2003-09, 20,000 miles

   “The side air bag indicator light come on while driving. The dealership indicated this occurred because of a high voltage issue with the side air bag control switch. The switch has to be replaced. The cause of the high voltage issue was undetermined.”

   NHTSA complaint #10064799, filed 2004-03, 68,000 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Engine speed surges or throttle sticks

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2018

   Owners report the engine revving on its own at a stop, the throttle sticking open after leaving a light, or cruise control that will not disengage with the brake or the off button. Some describe having to shut off the ignition to stop the vehicle, and one dealer replaced the throttle plate assembly at the owner's cost, while another performed an engine control update without resolving the complaint. Reported from about 60,000 to 130,000 miles, sometimes in cold weather and often at low speed or at a stop.

   Recall 07V336000Recall 03V280000Recall 99V062001

   What to check: With the engine warm, press the accelerator and release it slowly to check for binding, and test that cruise control cancels with the brake. Ask whether the speed control deactivation switch and cable recalls were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Accelerated 1999 Mercury Mountaineer v8 from stop light. Throttle got stuck in accelerate position. Tried to free throttle by repeated pulsing with foot but acccelerator stuck in full throttle position and could not stop car! Had to turn off ignition resulting in no power steering or braking. Was able to free throttle by removcing throttle cover (on engine) and manually moving throttle by hand. Would have hit car in front of me if there was traffic! Throttle plate assembly replaced by authorized ford dealer at my cost.”

   NHTSA complaint #10102429, filed 2004-12, 79,000 miles

   “Tried to set cruise control and it would not hold speed set after 2 attempts, then it just took off . Gas petal was all the way to the floor and I could not get it up. Could not shut off cruise control by braking or hitting off button. Was on expressway and going over 90. Had to fight gas petal all the way to the floor by braking. Fortunately I was on straight section of road and there was no ice and little traffic. I had to wait in car in 6 degree temp. For hr. And a half for aaa to load vehicle on flatbed to take to ford dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10054587, filed 2004-01, 61,500 miles

Buying note. Inspect tires closely and verify recall or campaign completion for the speed control switch and the control module before buying, since several complaints center on these parts. Records of completed recalls and a pre-purchase inspection that includes the air bag system and wipers will tell you more than mileage alone on a vehicle this age.

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.