Most common 1997 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Share of the 328 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Mountaineer complaints by model year
Best Mountaineer years: 2009, 2010, 2001. Years to avoid: 2002, 1997, 1998, 2004, 1999. Compare all years →
1997 Mercury Mountaineer recalls (6)
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with 4.0l sohc engines and still retain the original throttle body (part numbers 97jf-9e926ab or 97jf-9e926-ac). Some of the original throttle bodies installed allowed a gap between the plate and bore to be built too narrow.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the original throttle bodies.
Suspension
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Under certain conditions, a front sway bar link can fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both the left and right front sway bar links.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 4.0l single overhead cam engines. The engine fuel lines can be damaged if the vehicle is jump started and the ground cable is attached to the fuel line bracket that is located near the battery.
Remedy: Dealers will install a warning label on the fuel line bracket advising owners not to use it for a jump start ground. Also a revised bolt will be installed in the alternator bracket to provide a convenient jump start…
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate › Support device/strut
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The liftgate assist gas cylinder bracket on the right hand bodyside outer panel was incorrectly welded.
Remedy: Dealers will reinforce the bracket attachment with two pop rivets.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 5.0l engines originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, idaho, iowa, maine, michigan (upper peninsula only), minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming.
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised pcv system with water heated vacuum source.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer:
Fuel line damage from jump starting
There is no summary currently available
Windshield wiper malfunction
There is no summary currently available
Steering knuckle separations
There is no summary currently available
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 1997 Mercury Mountaineer owners say
Wheels & tires all 140 →
We no longer have the tires on our car. However, all four tires had the steel belts fall apart at one time. The rear right tire had a blowout while we were driving causing close to $11,000 in damage on our vehicle, $3,000 in personal expense for us and other expenses to our insurance company for property damage. The week before our trip in which the tires fell apart, we had our tires rotated, aleigned and checked. We always have our vehicles in top shape not only for a trip, but throughout the year as well. I would also like to mention that I did not know some of the information asked for on the form. I did my best. I am hoping that the investigation into the Firestone tires would help to recover some of the expense we and our insurance company had to pay. Due to the accident, our rates have increased as well.( dot number: ? Tire size: unknown )
While driving freeway speed, my rear left tire experienced tread separation causing me to lose control of my vehicle. It was noted that this tire was still completely inflated, only the tread was missing. A witness directly behind my vehicle watched the tread come off of my tire and hit her car. At the accident scene, a firefighter told me of the news special on cbs channel 2 news that aired July 25th. I broke my hand, broke a rib, and badly sprained my neck. I am now paying for a rental car. I am a single mother of three. I would like to be made aware of any updating information on the Firestone tire investigation. I have lots of pictures of the tire, and I even have access to the tire (until they total my car - which May be soon) it is still inflated. It looks as if it was scalped. Thank you!( dot number: )
Speed control & acceleration all 59 →
Tl* the contact's husband owns a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated. As a result, the contact's husband rear ended another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
While completely stopped, the engine roared and the vehicle lunged into oncoming traffic hitting another vehicle. The dealer repaired the damages to the vehicle but was not able to determine the cause of the problem. Please provide any additional information.
Brakes all 40 →
While parking at a right angle on a steep hill overlooking a busy road, the car almost at a standstill, the driver's foot on the brake, the car engine suddenly started screaming, the gas pedal depressed on its own and the car surged forward over a concrete parking curb and mowed down a tall palm tree. My daughter-in-law would have been killed if not for hitting the tree, as she had already taken off her seatbelt and opened her door - we were so close to a standstill. The tree stopped the car from going over a very steep hill at a high rate of speed onto traffic on the road below. The replacement value of the tree is not yet known. I have since discovered via channel 4 tv in uk, and dateline nbc that this is a known problem with this vehicle and people have been killed, as my daughter-in-law and I would have been if not for the palm tree. …
When approaching stop sign, at intersection, vehicle accelerated when brakes were applied, causing a collision with the car in front of mine. The brake pedal was depressed all the way to the floor, and the engine roared as if accelerating. We have had one other similar incident in which the vehicle accelerated while braking. Dealer explained that driver had foot on brake and accelerator at same time. In second incident, I am sure that I had my foot only on the brake. Dealer examined vehicle after each incident and could find nothing wrong.
1997 Mercury Mountaineer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer a good car?
Based on 328 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Mountaineer rates avoid: 3.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mountaineer at the same age. It is one of the Mountaineer years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer?
The wheels & tires — 140 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tread/belt. Next are the speed control & acceleration (59) and brakes (40).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer have?
There are 6 recalls for the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Mountaineer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2010 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 1997, 1998, 2004 and 1999. See the full Mercury Mountaineer years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Mercury Mountaineer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 124,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.