RoadVitals

1999 Mercury Mountaineer Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
22
Latest May 17, 2013
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.
15%
of 151 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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 visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed May 17, 2013

REAR WINDOW WIPER MOTOR , WASHER WORKS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512583
Incident
Jul 14, 2010
Mileage
109,901 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 10, 2009

FRONT WIPERS STOP WORKING. THIS OCCURS ABRUPTLY WITHOUT REGARD TO WEATHER CONDITIONS, TIME THE CAR IS RUNNING, ETC. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE MOTOR AND THE SWITCH. THE WIPERS STILL FAIL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10286967
Incident
Oct 1, 2007
Mileage
70,000 mi
AirbagsEngineTires & wheels+2 more
Filed Sep 9, 2005

1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, TIRES, DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR, LINKAGE ON THE TRANSMISSION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT.*MR

NHTSA ID
10137734
Incident
Sep 1, 2005
BrakesTires & wheelsVisibility
Filed Dec 5, 2003

BRAKES FAILED SEVEN TIMES WITHIN 70,000 MILES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE GEM CONTROL MODULE WAS THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE GEM CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED, THE BRAKES FAILED, AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE DIDN'T OPERATE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10050127
Mileage
70,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 20, 2002

THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE DEFROSTER EVEN ON HIGHEST HEAT AND FAN SETTING, ALONG WITH THE WIPERS ON HIGHEST SPEED, CANNOT KEEP THE WINDSHIELD FROM FREEZING UP AT ANY/ALL SPEEDS WHEN SNOW IS FALLING ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER MUST STOP EVERY FEW MILES AND CLEAR OFF THE WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE, OR ELSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING (JAMMED BY THE ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD). IT IS CLEARLY A MAJOR SAFEFY DEFECT IN THE 1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WHEN DRIVEN IN THE SNOW.

NHTSA ID
760953
Incident
Nov 30, 1999
Visibility
Filed Jul 18, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON UNCOMMANDED - - INTERMITTENTLY. OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHEN MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN. OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL LEVER. OCCURS LESS FREQUENTLY WHEN TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE SPEED OF THE WIPERS IS ALSO AFFECTED, MOST OFTEN STARTS IN THE SLOW SPEED MODE, WIPER SPEED REMAINS THE SAME DESPITE INCREASE/DECREASE BY TURNING SWITCH.

NHTSA ID
725652
Visibility
Filed Oct 29, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT TOUCHING SWITCH, AND THEY WILL NOT FUNCTION ON HIGH SPEED, CAUSING A DISTRACTION OR POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
852210
Visibility
Filed Sep 28, 1999

WINDSHIED WIPERS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. WOULD STOP OR GO ON THEIR OWN. CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO DRIVER. HAD WIPERS REPAIRED SEVEN TIMES SO FAR. BEEN THROUGH LEMON LAW. PROBLEM HAS SINCE RETURNED. *AK

NHTSA ID
848858
Incident
Mar 10, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 28, 1999

NO SUMMARY.

NHTSA ID
712395
Incident
Feb 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 28, 1999

SHORTLY AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED TO GO ON WHEN THEY WEREN'T PROMPTED TO DO SO. CHANNEL 7 NEWS DID A REPORT ON THIS AND CALLED THEM PHANTOM WIPERS. THE PROBLEM THEY REPORTED IS THE EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING. ALSO, WHEN IT RAINS HEAVILY AND I NEED THE FAST WIPER SPEED, ONLY THE SLOW ONE WORKS EVEN WHEN I PUT IT ON FOR THE FAST SPEED. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING. THE WIPERS GO ON AND OFF AT ANY TIME - THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS RUINING THE WINDSHIELD AS IT HAS DRY WIPERS GO ON AND OFF AND MOVING DIRT CONSTANTLY ACROSS THE GLASS - MUST BE DOING SOME KIND OF DAMAGE TO THE GLASS AND OF COURSE WEARING THE WIPERS OUT - ALL CAUSING ME UNNCESSARY EXPENSES. IT IS EXTREMELY RIDICULOUS TO BE TOLD - " THERE IS NO FIX". PLEEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSEEEEE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I HAVE ALWAYS PURCHASED ONLY MERCURY CARS - FOR THE QUALITY AND THE SERVICE. I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS IS THE LAST MERCURY VEHICLE I WILL PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID
712359
Incident
Feb 1, 1999
Exterior lightingVisibility
Filed Sep 21, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHILE SWITCH IS IN OFF MODE, OR WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS USED. ALSO WIPER WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE OPERATING. DEALER NOTIFED AND WAITING ON REPAIR PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
848289
Incident
May 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 9, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON ALL BY THEMSELVES WHEN CONSUMER LEAST EXPECTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
847430
Incident
Sep 9, 1999
Visibility
Filed Aug 21, 1999

VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN HEAVY RAIN IN DARK EARLY MORNING HOURS ON I-94 IN SE MICHIGAN. WHEN PASSING A TRACTOR TRAILER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS (FRONT AND REAR) SPONTANEOUSLY FAILED. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OFF AT NEXT EXIT, AND WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. DRIVEN BACK TO DEALER IN DRY DAYLIGHT HOURS FOR WARRANTY FIX. NOTHING CONCLUSIVE FOUND, THEN I READ ABOUT YOUR INVESTIGATION IN THE NEWSPAPAER ON 8/20/99.

NHTSA ID
710315
Incident
Apr 16, 1999
Visibility
Filed Aug 19, 1999

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN CONSUMER HIT A BUMP AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON, STEERING WHEEL WENT TO THE RIGHT, AND THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT AN ENBANKMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
845439
Incident
Jul 13, 1999
Visibility
Filed Aug 10, 1999

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND GO OFF WITHOUT APPLICATION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PART TO CORRECT IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
844731
Incident
Jun 6, 1999
Visibility
Filed Aug 3, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD TURN ON AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT INDICATIONS. OCCURS ON BUMPS AND TURNS WHEN INITIALIZING TURN SIGNAL. *AK *YC

NHTSA ID
844155
Incident
Jun 15, 1999
Visibility
Filed Aug 2, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, DISTRACTING THE DRIVER. DEALER CLAIMS MODULE IS ON BACK ORDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
844008
Visibility
Filed Jul 28, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND STAY ON. SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT COME ON EVEN WITH APPLICATION. DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
843633
Visibility
Filed Jul 28, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE TURNED ON HIGH IN ORDER TO FUNCTION. WHEN THE WIPERS ARE ON, THEY RUN AT SLOW PACE. DEALER CAN NOT FIX THEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
843619
Visibility
Filed Jul 26, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND SOMETIME'S DON'T WORK AT ALL. *AK

NHTSA ID
843397
Incident
Dec 22, 1998
Heating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Jul 23, 1999

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON HITTING A BUMP IN THE RAOD, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE BLADES TO WEAR. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER IS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
843191
Incident
Jun 23, 1999
Visibility
Filed Jul 14, 1999

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON SPONTANEOUSLY. THEY DO NOT OPERATE AT HIGH SPEED UNLESS I ACTIVATE MY TURN SIGNAL WHICH WILL ACTIVATE THE HIGH SPEED (BUT NOT ALWAYS). A RIGHT HAND TURN (WITH OR WITHOUT TURN SIGNAL) SEEMS TO TRIGGER THEM TO COME ON (BUT NOT ALWAYS). WHEN THEY DO COME ON SPONTANEOUSLY, THEY WILL BE IN THE PAUSE MODE AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS. THEY STOP OPERATING JUST AS SPONTANEOUSLY. THEY HAVE COME ON AT TIMES EVEN BEFORE I LEAVE MY DRIVEWAY, SOMETIMES AFTER 20 MILES OR MORE, BUT USUALLY WITHIN 1-2 MILES OF DRIVING. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT VARSITY TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NEXT DAY HE TOLD ME HE HAD 5 VEHICLES THAT MORNING WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT FORD ENGINEERS WERE LOOKING INTO IT. I HAVE A FEAR THE WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE IN A RAINSTORM AND I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
708613
Incident
Apr 19, 1999

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .