Mercury Mountaineer: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
1,273 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Mercury Mountaineer, model years 2000 to 2010. 4 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2002 (transmission 9.7×); 2004 (transmission 4.3×); 2003 (transmission 2.8×); 2006 (engine 5.5×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2001, 2007, 2005. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 122 | — | 8 | |
| 2001 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 22 | quiet: 1 of 9 | 4 | |
| 2002 Mountaineer | 372 | transmission 9.7× | 4 | |
| 2003 Mountaineer | 152 | transmission 2.8× | 1 | |
| 2004 Mountaineer | 210 | transmission 4.3× | 1 | |
| 2005 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 82 | quiet: 3 of 9 | 1 | |
| 2006 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 117 | engine 5.5× | 2 | |
| 2007 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 81 | quiet: 2 of 9 | 1 | |
| 2008 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 96 | — | 2 | |
| 2009 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 6 | — | 0 | |
| 2010 MountaineerFEW REPORTS | 13 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200220032004