Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Ford Mountaineer, most frequently naming the body & structure, driver assistance and electrical categories. 5 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| May 2005 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 2007 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 2007 | 1 | 4 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TAILGATE HAS A CRACK IN THE FIBERGLASS, BELOW THE WINDSHIELD TRAVELING DOWN. THERE IS NO IDENTIFIED REASON FOR THIS CRACK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THIS IS COMMONLY SEEN IN THE MOUNTAINEER AND EXPLORERS. THE CRACK INDICATES A MANUFACTURER DEFECT HOWEVER FORD/MERCURY HAS NOT MADE THE RECALL. *TR
THERE IS A CRACK THAT EXTENDS DOWN THE LIFTGATE ON THE 2004 FORD EXPLORER. I HAVE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. IF THIS CRACK IS NOT REPAIRED INEVITABLY THERE WILL BE WATER DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE LIFT DOOR SUCH AS A FAILURE OF THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER AND REAR WINDOW WIPER. I WISH TO HAVE THIS FAILURE REPAIRED AT MY FORD AUTHORIZED DEALER AT YOUR COST. ADDITIONALLY, THE TWO REAR WINDOWS WILL NOT LET DOWN. I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES AND HAVE REPLACED ONE THAT WAS BROKEN. IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM ONCE. THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES AGAIN. THIS TIME NONE OF THEM WERE BROKEN. IF THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT REPAIRED, I BELIEVE ALL THE WINDOWS MAY EVENTUALLY BE FROZEN, POSSIBLY IN THE DOWN POSITION , CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OR IN THE UP POSITION WHICH WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR GOING THROUGH DRIVE ,THROUGH BANKING, FAST FOODS, TOLL BOOTHS, ETC. *AK MY THIRD COMPLAINT IS THAT MY TURN SIGNALS ARE
I DRIVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON MY WIFE AND I NUMEROUS DIFFERENT TIMES WITH IN THE 14 MONTHS OF OWNING THE SUV. AT ONE POINT WE WERE ALMOST IN A ACCIDENT WITH OUR 1 YEAR DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE FORD COMPANY 6 DIFFERENT TIMES AND THEIR RESPONSE IS UNLESS FORD CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEY REFUSE TO ALLOW US TO RECEIVE A NEW VEHICLE. WHEN I ASKED THE ZONE MANGER WHAT THEY CAN DO THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT A COMPUTER INSTRUMENT ON THE CAR AND DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY WOULD BEGIN TO NEGOTIATE A NEW CAR. THE COMPUTER INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE CAR THREE DIFFERENT TIMES NOW. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IF WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO FORD WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE CAR STALLING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL US WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. WE HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK 3 TIMES WITHIN THE 24 HOUR TIME PERIOD AND THEY HAVE COME UP WITH NOTHING. IN TOTAL FORD HAS HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR NEAR THIRTY DAYS AT DIFFERENT TIMES TRYING TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, LEAVING MY WIFE AND I WITHOUT AN SUV. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN EITHER DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE INSTRUMENT ON IT OR THAT I COULD DRIVE IT WITH THE INSTRUMENT TO TRY AND DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I WAS REALLY NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT AND THEY SAID THAT IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER. I TOLD THEM I REFUSE TO PUT MY FAMILY IN DANGER AND THEY SAID THEN YOU ARE GOING TO BE WITHOUT YOUR CAR! THIS CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO FORD 10 TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I HAVE INVESTED OVER $8,000.00 INTO THIS VEHICLE IN 14 MONTHS AND THE FORD COMPANY HAS OFFERED NO RETRIBUTION FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEMS. THIS HAS IMPACTED MY FAMILY SO GREATLY THAT WE NOW HAVE AN ATTORNEY LOOKING AT THE LEMON LAW STATUTES BECAUSE WE ARE TOO FEARFUL OF GETTING BACK INTO IT.
CONTACT STATED: FAMILY HAD JUST COME BACK FROM A FOUR HOUR ROAD TRIP AFTER USING CRUISE CONTROL. HUSBAND WAS IN CAR WHEN IT IDLED NORMALLY, BUT AS SOON AS IT WAS PUT IN REVERSE IT LURCHED BACKWARD VERY QUICKLY. WHEN VEHICLE WAS STOPPED FINALLY IT WAS THEN PUT INTO DRIVE. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN CAR LURCHED FORWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT.*AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
STRUCTURE
This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
AXLE SEAL LEAKS. *EH
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
AXLE WHINE HOWL. THIS INCLUDES 1997-05 FORD VEHICLES. *EH
SEAT BELTS
SAFETY BELT WEB STOP BUTTON SERVICE. *EH
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
AXLE WHINE HOWL SERVICE WITH INDIVIDUAL PARTS INSTEAD OF AN AXLE ASSEMBLY. *EH
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.