Most common 1999 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Share of the 151 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 →
1999 Mercury Mountaineer recalls (7)
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat, that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control and 4.0l sohc engines, if the strand cover on the speed control cable becomes flared at the end, the speed control cable May bind when the speed control is activated.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the speed control cable and, if necessary, replace it. Owner notification began August 29, 2003. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles equipped with 4.0l engines and all-time 4-wheel drive (a4wd) powertrains. The generic electronic module (gem) could experience a condition referred to as "lock-up" in which the gem controlled electronic functions (e.g., front windshield wipers, interior lights, 4x4 system, etc.) could…
Remedy: Dealers will install a resistor in the gem circuit.
Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The secondary hood latch May corrode at the latch pivot and stick in the open position.
Remedy: Dealers will install a secondary hood latch with components that are coated prior to assembly for improved latch pivot corrosion protection.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The right front brake line to the hydraulic control unit (hcu) connection could separate causing the line to leak when the brake pedal is applied.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the flare nut on the brake line.
Show 1 more recall
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from May 29, 1996 through March 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer:
Vehicle hesitation/stalling
There is no summary currently available
Windshield wiper malfunction
There is no summary currently available
Front seat back recliner attachment
By letter dated August 4, 2003, Ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (NHTSA recall no. 03V281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 Ford explorer / Mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 Ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 Ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.complaints allege that the driver's seat back reclined without warning.a…
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 1999 Mercury Mountaineer owners say
Wheels & tires all 52 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer. The vehicle was equipped with Goodyear wrangler tires, line size: p235/75/r15, dot number: rtn-st235-75-15105s. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the front passenger side tire blew. The contact lost control of vehicle and drove into the woods, crashing into several trees. The contact received injuries to the ribs, head, back and shoulders. The police department was called to the scene and a police report was filed (south carolina police report number: 40-8691422). The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure and current mileage was 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer equipped with cooper discoverer h/t tires, size: p265/75r15. While driving approximately 70 MPH, a loud banging noise came from the rear of the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, it was discovered that the rear driver side tire had experienced tread separation, which also caused damage to the rear body panel of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN and tire failure mileage were unknown. The vehicle failure mileage was 180,000.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 22 →
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.
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.
Air bags
Exploding airbags filled vehicle with smoke and ash. I received minor burns and abrasions on arms and face, daughter riding in back seat received black eye form flying object and required scan of head to rule out head injury. Was result of accident
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 MPH the vehicle hit another vehicle from behind and the frontal airbags failed to deploy. A police report was filed at the scene and the driver sustained minor injuries. After the accident, the air bag light illuminated. The dealership was not alerted and no inspections have been made.
1999 Mercury Mountaineer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer a good car?
Based on 151 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Mountaineer rates use caution: 1.5× 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 1999 Mercury Mountaineer?
The wheels & tires — 52 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tread/belt. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (22) and air bags (14).
How many recalls does the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer have?
There are 7 recalls for the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer, the most recent from August 3, 2007 (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 1999 Mercury Mountaineer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 26% 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.