Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Aug 4, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 236 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9
What this page shows
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 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.
Owner reports naming suspension
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
SteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 4, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE RODS, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.
NHTSA ID
10618577
Incident
Oct 5, 2011
Mileage
210,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 7, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON I-71 NEAR LODI, OH I DRIFTED ON TO THE GRASSY MEDIAN AND WHEN I TRIED TO PULL IT BACK TO THE PAVEMENT WITNESSES SAID THAT THE VEHILCE FLIPPED FIRST LANDING ON THE REAR END THE CONTINUE UNTIL IT LANDED ON ITS WHEELS. ALTHOUGH I WAS DRIVING, I DON'T REMBER ANYTHING AFTER TURNING THE WHEEL UNTIL THE STATE TROOPER SPOKE TO AS THE RESCUE SQUAD WAS REMOVING ME FROM THE CAR. *AK (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: STANDARD)
NHTSA ID
751875
Incident
Jul 29, 2001
Suspension
Filed Jul 6, 2001
CONSUMER STATES DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE MECHANIC SAW THE FRONT BUSHINGS WERE SHREDDED. *SLC
NHTSA ID
892124
Incident
Jul 3, 2001
Fuel systemPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Jun 13, 2001
WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT. *SLC
NHTSA ID
561574
Suspension
Filed Jan 28, 2001
Crash reported
FRONT END ALWAYS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHEN CHECKED EVERY 3,000 MILES. HAD TO REPALCE TIRES BECAUSE OF UNEVEN TREAD WEAR 2 TIMES. FIRST TIME REPLACEMENT VEHICLE HAD ONLY 12,000 MILES. SECOND TIME WE REPLACED TIRES WAS AT 29,680 MILES. METAL-ON-METAL SOUND OFTEN COMES FROM FRONT END AS WELL. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL WITHOUT ANY DRIVER PROVOCATION AND CASHED INTO ROAD SIDE RAIL. REAR-END SPUNOUT AND VEHICLE DID A 360. NO OTHER VEHICLES PRESENT AND BRAKES NOT APPLIED LEADING TO SPIN-OUT. LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING. DEALER ADMITS TO FRONT END/SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, BUT CLAIMS MANUFACTURER "DOES NOT STAND BEHIND PROBLEMS" MY FAMILY IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
740041
Incident
Mar 15, 2000
SuspensionTransmission
Filed Dec 18, 2000
WHEN DRIVING HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. HAD IT REPAIRED, GRINDING HAPPENED AGAIN. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER CAN'T PUT IN DRIVE ONLY SECOND. *AK
NHTSA ID
876630
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
ElectricalSuspension
Filed Aug 23, 2000
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported1 death reported
CONSUMER HAD JUST TURNED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS TRAVELING ON A DIRT ROAD WHEN VEHICLE JERKED TO RIGHT AND THEN ROLLED OVER. CONSUMER AND HER DAUGHTER WERE THROWN OUT FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS, AND DAUGHTER WAS KILLED UPON IMPACT. ALSO VEHICLE EXPLODED INTO FLAMES. *AK
NHTSA ID
868481
Incident
Aug 6, 1999
Suspension
Filed Aug 3, 2000
Crash reported2 injuries reported
WE WERE GOING FROM HOUSTON TO MARYLAND. IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE TRUCK BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY, BEFORE WE COULD PULL IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE TIRE BLEW OFF THE TRUCK, AND MY WIFE AND MYSELF FOUND OURSELVES WRAPPED AROUND A TREE. WE HAD OUR TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS WITH US, IN THEIR CRATES IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. WE LOST ONE CAT, AND OUR GERMAN SHEPHERD HAD HIS SPINAL CORD CRUSHED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO BE PUT TO SLEEP. NOW WE HEAR THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MORE PEOPLE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD BE SO NEGLEGENT. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE FATALITIES HAD WE NOT HIT THAT TREE EXACTLY WHERE WE DID. WE ARE CONSIDERING FILING SUIT, AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE. THANKYOU. WHEN YOU CALL US, WE CAN PROVIDE THE VIN NUMBER, I JUST DID NOT HAVE IT RIGHT NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
NHTSA ID
726554
Incident
Jun 18, 2000
Suspension
Filed Feb 25, 2000
THIS IS FOURTH TIME I'VE HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE IN FOR A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE IN FRONT END (METAL TO METAL SOUNDS). *AK
NHTSA ID
719238
Incident
Feb 23, 2000
Suspension
Filed Nov 16, 1998
Crash reported
THIS VEHICLE WENT COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL, ROLLING ONTO IT'S SIDE AFTER DRIVER TRIED TO CORRECT AN INAPPROPRIATE LANE CHANGE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY POINT IN TIME IN WHICH THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THERE WERE NO DEATHS OR SERIOUS INJURIES CAUSED, BUT ONLY BECAUSE THERE WAS VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND IT OCCURRED AT A POINT ON THE ROADWAY WHERE THERE WERE NO TREES, GUARDRAILS OR ETC. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A PARTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES, BUT THE SENSITIVE STEERING WAS MOST UNFORGIVING! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURERS TO CORRECT THESE SAFETY HAZARDS, BEFORE MORE LIVES ARE LOST!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )
NHTSA ID
700635
Incident
Nov 14, 1998
Suspension
Filed Mar 20, 1998
4 injuries reported
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED , THE FRONT SUSPENSION BROKE IN HALF, DROPPING TO THE GROUND , THROWING THE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE TO SUSTAIN INJURIES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
822042
Incident
Mar 18, 1998
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own