Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BLEND AIR DOOR SQUARE DRIVE BROKEN CAUSING SEVERE DISCOMFORT IN SUMMER AND IMPROPER DEFROSTER OPERATION DURING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. MASTER TECHS IN AREA INDICATE PROBLEM OCCURES WITH EXCESS FREQUENCY ON VARIOUS MODEL AND YEARS OF FORD TRUCKS. THEY FURTHER INDICATE THE FAILURE RATE IS EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE COMPARED TO ALL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS.
THE HOT/COLD ADJUSTMENT ON THE HEATER OF MY 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER IS INOPERATIVE, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS FOGGED, SINCE THE DEFOGGER BLOWS ONLY COLD AIR. THE PROBLEM, APPARENTLY STRIKES ALL 95-99 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EVENTUALLY, DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE HEAT BLEND DOOR. THE ESTIMATE FROM THE DEALER, WHO HAS DONE MANY, WAS OVER $200 FOR THE REDESIGNED PART, AND OVER $800 LABOR TO INSTALL. *NM
TEMPERATURE CONTROL SWITCH MAY BE DEFECTIVE. NO MATTER WHAT CONSUMER PUTS TEMPERATURE ON AIR COMES OUT HOT. *AK *TT
WHILE DRIVING, HEADLIGHTS WILL COME OFF AND ON BY THEMSELVES THIS HAS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AND WAS VERY DANGEROUS. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. *AK CUSTOMER ADDS HEAT BLOWS COLD AIR. DEALER FOUND BLEND DOOR MOTOR AND BLEND DOOR TO BE FAULTY. *TT
CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL INTERMITTENTLY WORK, NONE OF THE SPEEDS EXCEPT HIGHEST SPEED WILL WORK, CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING, THE HIGHEST SPEED HAS FAILED WITH OUT WARNING, MAKING OPERATORS VIEW IMPOSSIBLE. *JG *AK
POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 1997 I VIEW WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT FORD HAS REPLACED A PARTICULAR PART 4 TIMES DUE TO PART FAILURE. I HAVE ALL OF THESE PART NUMBERS IF NEEDED BUT IT DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO TYPE THEM IN HERE IF NOT WANTED. EVERY TIME I GO TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED IT COST OVER $100 IN LABOR ALONE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. WHEN IT IS RAINING ETC. AND YOUR WIPERS FAIL IT IS NO "PIECE OF CAKE"!!!*AK
THE PLASTIC AIR BLEND DOOR, WHICH IS INSIDE THE HEATER AIR PLENUM, BROKE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. TWO DIFFERENET DEALERS QUOTED ME $700-$800 TO MAKE THE REPAIR SINCE IT INVOLVES REMOVING THE DASH. I CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY JUST TO HAVE HEAT IN THE CAR, BUT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD IN WINTER WEATHER SINCE I CANNOT KEEP THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTED.
INSTRUMENTAL LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE PROPERLY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, NO ABLE TO BE RECTIFIED.
I BOUGHT THIS MERCURY IN OCT 98 .IT IS NOW JAN OF 99 AND I HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW PROBLEMS .A WARRENTY CAME WITH THIS CAR, AND WE HAVE BEEN THERE TWICE ;ONE FOR THE TRANSFER CASE, AND SWITCH FOR THE POWER SEAT , LEAK ON REAR HATCH WINDOW. NOW IM RETURNING IT FOR THROTTLE MALFUNCTION. I ALMOST KILLED MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF .I MADE MY CHILDREN JUMP OUT OF THE CAR WHILE DOING APROX . 5 MILES AN HOUR. THE MORE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES THE MORE THE ENGINE IDLED FASTER . I DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CARS I AM A HOUSEWIFE. I JUST WISH I KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT IN THE CAR SO IT COULD BEEN CORRECTED BEFORE I WENT ON VACATION .IT IS A NICE CAR. I WISH MERCURY WOULD NOTIFY THEIRE CUSTOMERS OF ANY DEFECTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS QUESTIONAIR, IT HELPED MY FAMILY ALOT . THANK YOU. DAWN GAG LIANO. *AK
REAR WINDOW GLASS BROKE OUT, OWNER CAN NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSED IT'S UNAVAILABLE.
AFTER VAN WAS DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 5 MILES AND PARKED THE REAR WINDOWS EXPLODED. NO ONE WAS INJURED BECAUSE NO ONE WAS IN VAN. *AK *SLC
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .