2003 Ford Mountaineer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2003 Ford Mountaineer, and owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2003 Ford Mountaineer
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Hinge and attachments (structure)
On certain sport utility vehicles, the liftgate glass strut may become disengaged or the hinge may fracture allowing the glass to fall and possibly break.
Remedy: Dealers will have the liftgate glass strut brackets and glass hinges replaced. For the vehicles built from august 1, 2000 through march 3, 2002, the dealers will replace the hinges and liftgate strut bracket. On…
3 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Ford Mountaineer have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 57,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 2007 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“ABS light comes on and goes off. Brakes are starting to fail when light is off, not when the ABS light is on. I am going to take it to the dealership for inspection.*ak”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 11, 2007 · Service brakes, hydraulic
“2003 mercury mountaineer has rear differential issues. Loud humming coming from back end. Potential failure is possible at anytime which can result in locking of back wheel.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 8, 2007 · Suspension
Compare Ford Mountaineer model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Mountaineer model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Ford Mountaineer | 0 | 7 |
| 1998 Ford Mountaineer | 1 | 5 |
| 1999 Ford Mountaineer | 0 | 6 |
| 2000 Ford Mountaineer | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 Ford Mountaineer | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 Ford Mountaineer | 1 | 11 |
| 2003 Ford Mountaineer | 1 | 3 |
| 2004 Ford Mountaineer | 0 | 4 |
Checking a specific 2003 Ford Mountaineer
How do I know if my 2003 Ford Mountaineer has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2003 Ford Mountaineer; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V442000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.