2000 Mercury Mountaineer Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2000 Mercury Mountaineer most often write about two kinds of trouble: cruise control that will not release or a speed-control switch that smokes or burns under the hood, and a transmission that flares, slips or stops engaging, typically around 60,000-160,000 miles. Other recurring themes are electrical faults (hazard switch smoking, wipers and door locks quitting, headlights dimming) and air bags that did not deploy in a collision. Many reports come from higher-mileage vehicles, though the speed-control fires and tire problems appear at lower mileage too.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Speed control switch overheating or fire

   • 18 complaints (15%)
   • median 135,000 mi at 12.4 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2016

   Complaints describe smoke or flames from under the hood, often while driving or shortly after the vehicle was parked and shut off, and several owners connect it to the speed control deactivation switch on the master cylinder. Some report brake lights stopping, a blown cruise/brake fuse, a melted connector at the master cylinder switch, and smoke from under the dash until the cruise control was disconnected. Others describe receiving a recall notice for the fused wiring harness and being told parts were not available, sometimes for months. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 200,000 miles, and in several cases while the vehicle was parked with the ignition off.

   Recall 07V336000

   What to check: Ask whether the speed control deactivation switch recall (fused wiring harness) was completed and get it in writing; if not, have it done before driving. After a drive, check the master-cylinder switch connector for melted or discolored plastic and watch for a cruise/brake fuse that keeps blowing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving to an intersection with my family while going 45 MPH. I noticed black coming through the vents. I pulled off to a gas station parking lot. I proceeded to use fire extinguishers under the hood, the fire department had to come put it out. They did a look through and determined the fire started at the fuse box. I went home and researched that this is a recurring problem with this type of vehicle. I'm now out the 6500 I used to purchase it. I cant fix it or trade it in now.”

   NHTSA complaint #10660886, filed 2014-11, 183,345 miles

   “I was driving don the road to an intersection going 45 MPH and noticed black smoke coming from under the hood. I proceeded to pull over and got my family out the car before the electrical was completely fried. I tried to put the fire out with two extinguishers and help from fellow bystanders. The blaze under the hood had to be put out by the fire department. I received a police and fire report. The area that the fire had originated from was the fuse box. I know this was a factory problem because I didn't do any work in those areas. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10660877, filed 2014-11, 183,345 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: smoking hazard switch, wipers and locks

   • 13 complaints (11%)
   • median 77,500 mi at 7.4 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2002–2016

   Owners describe smoke from the hazard/turn signal switch housing, often when signalling left, and in some cases the switch was replaced afterward. Others report windshield wipers and interior lights that stop working (a condition owners link to the generic electronic module), headlights that dim and go out, inoperative power door locks that leave rear occupants unable to open a door, and stereo or clock displays that quit. Several say the dealer or manufacturer declined to treat the faults as a recall matter. Reported from very low mileage up to about 170,000 miles, with the wiper and lock complaints spread across the range.

   Recall 00V0720001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test every wiper speed, the hazard and turn signals, all power locks from both inside and outside, and the headlights on a dark road. Ask whether the generic electronic module recall was applied to 4.0L AWD examples.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The automatic locks do not work on all the doors. I've had these locks worked on, but they continue to not work. This is a safety issue, as the doors will not open at all. The driver's side rear door will not open when you try the auto-locks, and the lock cannot be manually pulled up, thus leaving the rear-seated occupant trapped in the car. This often times with the front passenger as well. It also happens with the rear hatch.”

   NHTSA complaint #10429486, filed 2011-10, 70,000 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10023160, filed 2003-06, 30,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slip, flare and flashing O/D light

   • 14 complaints (11%)
   • median 59,976 mi at 9.3 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2019

   Owners describe the overdrive light flashing, the transmission flaring or slipping between gears, delayed engagement when pulling away, and in some cases dropping into low range at low speed. Dealers reportedly performed fluid flushes or topped off fluid without a lasting fix, and several owners say they were quoted a factory remanufactured transmission. A few mention the 4WD and overdrive lights flashing together with a whine or alarm from the dash. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 160,000 miles, often first noticed during gentle acceleration or when shifting out of a stop.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive it from cold and feel for flare or hesitation on the 2-3 shift, and confirm the overdrive light does not flash. Check transmission fluid level and color, and look for leaks at the front axle vent tube on 4WD/AWD examples.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2000 Mercury Mountaineer transmission failure vehicle has only 64,000 miles, transmission has been power flushed by our local ford dealership with no correction, we were told the problem was shift flare, with the o/d light flashing is common with all 5r55e transmissions with 4.0l v6 engines. We were told it would be best to replace the transmission with a factory remanufactured unit, rather than try to repair the old transmission at a cost of $2500.00 to $3000.00 dollars. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10302016, filed 2010-01, 59,976 miles

   “I have a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer that started having transmission problems at 70k miles. It has an aod transmission and it wouldn't shift into gear when I would hit the gas to drive. I took it into the dealer I bought the SUV from and they told me that I was low on transmission fluid and that was the problem so I had them fill the fluid. Almost immediately it started going through fluid and at around 85k miles it slowly started having the shifting problems again. Now it hardly shift at all. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10410296, filed 2011-07, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Air bags fail to deploy in a crash

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2006

   Complaints describe frontal and side impacts, including rollovers, in which the air bags did not deploy even though seat belts were worn. One owner reports the air bag warning light flashing and then staying on, with a repair attempted at the dealer. These are collision reports, so owners describe the outcome rather than a diagnosis. Reported across a wide mileage range, generally between about 36,000 and 95,000 miles.

   Recall 00V179000

   What to check: Watch for an air bag warning light that flashes or stays on, and have any stored air bag codes read. Ask whether the side air bag sensor recall was performed on vehicles built with side air bags.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were rear ended and both seats broke, flinging us into the back seat. We then went into the oncoming lane (because my wife could no longer reach the steering wheel or the brakes) and were hit head on. Complaint #1 - the seats should not have broken. Complaint #2 - the airbags never deployed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10037002, filed 2003-09, 58,600 miles

   “Consumer's daughter was traveling about 35mph and was proceeding into the intersection while light turned green, another vehicle veered into the right side of consumer's vehicle. Vehicle flipped twice onto the road, and landed upside down. Daughter had to crawl out of driver's side window. Upon impact, driver's air bag failed to deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #863531, filed 2000-06

Buying note. On this model year, confirm in writing that the speed control switch and seat-related recalls have been completed, then test the transmission and every electrical function on a long test drive. Given the age and typical mileage, budget for possible transmission and electrical repairs.

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.