Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 15% | 38,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 33% | 118,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 3% | 113,000 miles |
| 2007 | 5 | 6% | 65,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% | 87,000 miles |
| 2005 | 5 | 6% | 48,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 2% | 83,000 miles |
| 2003 | 6 | 4% | 88,000 miles |
| 2002 | 23 | 6% | 109,000 miles |
| 2000 | 5 | 4% | 48,000 miles |
| 1999 | 4 | 3% | 75,000 miles |
| 1998 | 4 | 2% | 210,000 miles |
| 1997 | 5 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, he was unable to remove the key from the ignition. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he was able to remove the key after disconnecting the battery. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the steering column lock module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,782.
Once the key is inserted the seat will move into position and the interior lights turn off. That is what should happen. What happens is my knee nudges the key the car will think I have taken the key out and will turn the interior lights on and move my seat all the way back to its out position. This can cause an accident because me feet no longer touch the pedals. As soon as this happened my air bag light came on but no codes are showing. This has happened multiple times and I am surprised there is not a recall for this since there are others suffering with this as well that I have seen posted in online forums.
I was driving my vehicle and the driver's seat moved back, and the dome light came on. This really scared me! Thank god I wasn't on the highway traveling at a higher rate of speed with other vehicles when this occurred. The first time this happened was approximately 3 months ago (the seat moves back, I move the seat up & it goes back again, I move it up again...until it finally stops). This continues to happen periodically every since.
Exact same as NHTSA id # 10654146. The "easy exit" feature activated at 65 MPH in freeway traffic. I am 6' tall and was able to slide seat forward, but my wife is 5' tall and May have had issues reaching the pedals... This has since happened on 3 other occasions ( 2 at freeway speed, and once pulling into our driveway). I will contact dealer, but wanted search recalls first.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Mercury Mountaineer. On the day the vehicle was purchased, the contact noticed fluid leaking onto her garage floor. She returned to the dealer and was informed that the pinion seal needed to be replaced, and repairs were made. While traveling 45 MPH, the contact attempted to set the cruise control and the vehicle shut off in the middle of the road. She was able to pull over to the shoulder and restart the vehicle to drive home. After work one evening, she was unable to start the vehicle. After 20 minutes, her father arrived and was able to forcefully start the vehicle. The contact returned to the dealer the following day, but they could not duplicate the failure with the cruise control or the stalling. On June 16, 2008, she took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced a fuse. …
Had warped rotors within first 2,000 miles. Ford would only ground rotors but dealer replaced them at no charge. I have also experienced a loud, thumping noise when I am making a sharp turn to left or right at a very low speed. Also, often when putting car in reverse many times there is a large thump and vehicle appears to shift hard. Finally, when stopped on a steep hill, after removing foot from brake, vehicle rolls backwards many times.
Transfer case defect causes steering difficulty on slow turns. Transmission issue reported to Ford in 2005 at 38,000 miles. Again at 51,000. I opted for an aamco transmission when Ford refused to cover. Now transfer case is making driving dangerous. Turning ability greatly reduced.
I had picked up my kids from daycare and I put my vehicle in reverse and backed up. While backing up I heard a loud pop and I got out to see but there was nothing visible. So I put the vehicle in drive and as I was going down the street my vehicle axle broke and my truck hit the street in the middle of traffic. I took it to the Ford dealership and they said it was my axle and my differential had broken also, am I am lucky that I didn't have a bad accident with the extend of the damage of the differential. After I fixed that and it cost $2900. That still did not fix the problem and I had to replace the transfer case. Then all three of my Cadillac converters had to be replaced. I have had problem after problem and oh yeah the back rear gate has been cracked like the month after I bought it.
NHTSA investigations
Steering knuckle separations
There is no summary currently available
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Mountaineer years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (23), 2003 (6), 1997 (5), 2000 (5) and 2004 (5) model years. Steering complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Mercury Mountaineer steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for any Mercury Mountaineer model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercury Mountaineer steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles; 27% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (6 mentions), followed by the linkages › tie rod assembly (4).
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.