Most common 2008 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Share of the 96 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 →
2008 Mercury Mountaineer recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with the 4.6l engine and 6r transmission, the bolt securing the transmission oil cooler line fittings at the transmission May not have been sufficiently torqued during vehicle assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and have the transmission cooler line attachment bolt tightened free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2007. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer:
Tire valve cracking
On October 14, 2008, odi opened pe08-060 to investigate allegations of cracked and leaking snap-in tire valves in model year (my) 2007 vehicles manufactured by Ford motor company.the valves were supplied to Ford by topseal auto-parts, a subsidiary of the shanghai baolong automotive corporation in china.valves made by topseal for aftermarket sale were the subject of two recent safety recalls by tech international…
What 2008 Mercury Mountaineer owners say
Seats all 54 →
While driving on a long trip, without warning, the memory seats change seat setting and went back fully as if I shut the vehicle off, this happened several times while I was driving without my assistance. I finally realized that when I touched the keys in the ignition, the seat went back to its original setting. When this occurred I was unable to reach brake and accelerator pedals which could have caused a fatal accident to occur. If this happened at a time that I needed to apply the brakes, I would not be able to and there would have been no way for me to stop. I took my vehicle to an authorized dealer who replaced the ignition. On 6/6/2012 the same thing happened again (mileage 60774), this time I struck the car in front of me, it was a good thing it happened while I was in traffic, and neither vehicle sustained damage. …
Defective ignition. When driving, if you bump the key (or attached keychain), all interior lights will come on, and the drivers seat will retract all the way back into the "easy entry/exit" position, making it impossible for a shorter person to reach the brake or gas pedal. Sometimes during this event, the car will stall. This is very dangerous, and the internet is full of people having this identical issue. Why hasn't this been recalled yet?!? People are paying for a new ignition tumbler, but before long it starts happening to the replacement tumbler as well. Http://www.carcomplaints.com/Mercury/Mountaineer/2008/accessories-interior/seats.shtml
Electrical system all 39 →
While driving on a long trip, without warning, the memory seats change seat setting and went back fully as if I shut the vehicle off, this happened several times while I was driving without my assistance. I finally realized that when I touched the keys in the ignition, the seat went back to its original setting. When this occurred I was unable to reach brake and accelerator pedals which could have caused a fatal accident to occur. If this happened at a time that I needed to apply the brakes, I would not be able to and there would have been no way for me to stop. I took my vehicle to an authorized dealer who replaced the ignition. On 6/6/2012 the same thing happened again (mileage 60774), this time I struck the car in front of me, it was a good thing it happened while I was in traffic, and neither vehicle sustained damage. …
While driving down the road, the seat will suddenly move backwards to the "open door" position, as though the key had been pulled out of the ignition. This creates a very dangerous situation, especially for people with short legs, as one can no longer reach the gas pedal or brake. Slightly "wiggling" the key or ignition switch will usually get the seat to move back to the preset driving position. When this happens, the interior lights also go on, and turn off when the seat moves back into position. This seems to happen at all different speeds, and it seems most events happen after the car hits a bump, but not always. There have been times when it just seems to happen without anything to set it off. It also can happen when the vehicle is first started up, or just as you start to shut the vehicle off. It is absolutely ridiculous that repair of this condition is not a recall item. …
Lights
While driving the vehicle, the seat suddenly went all the way back and the interior lights came on. This has happened several times since then, we finally figured out it was the ignition, with the car acting like the key just got put in the ignition or just pulled out, and the seat moving all the way back for easier ingress/egress and the courtesy lights coming on. Since I am only 5 foot 4 inches, when the seat moves back I can no longer reach the petals, a very dangerous situation while driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer. While driving 30 MPH, the front driver's seat automatically retracted backwards. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. Also, the interior lighting illuminated on its own. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
2008 Mercury Mountaineer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer a good car?
Based on 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Mountaineer rates average: 16% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Mountaineer at the same age. 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 2008 Mercury Mountaineer?
The seats — 54 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front assembly › power adjust. Next are the electrical system (39) and lights (10).
How many recalls does the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer have?
There is 1 recall for the 2008 Mercury Mountaineer, the most recent from September 26, 2007 (cooling unit and lines). 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 2008 Mercury Mountaineer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 67,000 miles; 31% 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.