2004 Mercury Mountaineer: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 210 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is structure (36% of complaints); the 2005 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Dec 2007
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 210 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“This vehicle is has a power train problem from day one with the 5R55S/W transmission and AWD transfer case. I purchased this vehicle where it stranded my family over 200 miles from home and it's a non running car. This vehicle should have been removed from being sold with this defect and crushed! I will never buy a FoundOnRoad Dead ford pos ever. The transmission went into neutral with out any notice. To repair the faulty drive train I will cost me aprox $2400.00 mileage 152,000 third time the drive train has been worked on.. There tranmissions were failing in a little as 50,000 miles.”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2020
“Takata recall air bag light stays on for no apparent reason... All the time grinding noises while turning left or right sounds like gears are freely spinning while engaged and driving. No issues with changing gears as far as mechanic says.”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2018
“Humming in front at all speeds ft wheel bearings where bad. Now right rear bearing making noise. Very loose . Lots of other complaints online need to be looked at”Owner report · Suspension · Mar 2018
Show 7 more owner reports
“1. Paint coming off of roof and driver's door. 2. Rear passenger side and driver side power windows not working. 3. Cracks in plastic area of rear lift gate around wiper arm. 4. Almost lost control and potential accident on interstate when right rear wheel came loose.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2017
“This was very dangerous!! Right hinge broke which dropped right side of glass putting pressure on the glass which made it explode. Glass covered me with a few minimal cuts”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2017
“My son was driving to work on august 6, 2015. Something happened, and he ran off the road and hit a tree. At that point the airbag cover flew totally off, instead and falling down as it is supposed to. The cover itself gashed my sons forehead from left to right, and he lost his right eye. This is a terrible accident. The airbags came out so fast that they had burn marks on them. These airbags were supposed to save peoples lives instead of mangling their faces. Someone needs to be responsible for this horrific act....01/04/17 *bf *tr *cn”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2016
“My vehicle shuts off while driving. No warning, loses power steering, loses power brakes. It will start righ back up once I shift into park. This happens at all different speeds and temperatures. I could have just got in the car or been driving for hours. Happens at 15mph and 60mph just the same. Have almost been hit from behind of several occasions when this has happened.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2016
“While my 17 year old daughter was driving with the cruise control on in a 30 -40 mph zone, several lights came on, the power steering went out, and the vehicle stalled. She was on a small 2 lane road, and there were no warnings prior to the occurrence. She was very scared, she turned on the hazard lights and called me immediately. The vehicle then restarted and she drove home. Today (jan. 5, 2016) the problem occurred again, fortunately in a slow speed zone again. She was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. This problem is potentially very dangerous and needs to be addressed by the manufacturer, or they need to offer a buy back at full value for placing people at risk.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mercury mountaineer. While the vehicle was parked, the rear liftgate glass strut disengaged and the glass detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000. ...updated 07/30/15 *bf!..updated 08/13/15 *bf updated 10/26/2017*cn”Owner report · Structure · Jun 2015
“I was driving down the street and all of a sudden my side airbags deployed. I did not hit a pot hole, there was no accident, they went off by themselves. *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · May 2015
When filing, owners marked a crash in 11 of these complaints and injuries in 16 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
Remedy: SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2004 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Mountaineer by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
NHTSA has 210 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer. The most complained-about area is structure (36% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2004 Mercury Mountaineer problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 69,469 miles or less.
Does the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning visibility:glass, side/rear. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.