1997 Mercury Mountaineer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, and owners have filed 328 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 1997 Mercury 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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Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
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Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with 4.0l sohc engines and still retain the original throttle body (part numbers 97jf-9e926ab or 97jf-9e926-AC). Some of the original throttle bodies installed allowed a gap between the plate and bore to be built too narrow. This reduced clearance allowed the engine deposits normally…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the original throttle bodies.
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Suspension
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Under certain conditions, a front sway bar link can fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both the left and right front sway bar links.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 4.0l single overhead cam engines. The engine fuel lines can be damaged if the vehicle is jump started and the ground cable is attached to the fuel line bracket that is located near the battery. Since the bracket is not grounded, the stainless steel fuel line braid could…
Remedy: Dealers will install a warning label on the fuel line bracket advising owners not to use it for a jump start ground. Also a revised bolt will be installed in the alternator bracket to provide a convenient jump start…
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Support device/strut (structure)
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The liftgate assist gas cylinder bracket on the right hand bodyside outer panel was incorrectly welded.
Remedy: Dealers will reinforce the bracket attachment with two pop rivets.
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Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 5.0l engines originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, idaho, iowa, maine, michigan (upper peninsula only), minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. These vehicles, when…
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised pcv system with water heated vacuum source.
328 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer have filed 328 complaints with NHTSA; 41 describe a crash and 10 describe a fire. Reports cite 19 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 125,456 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 138 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 mercury mountaineer. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 12, 2021 · Fuel system, gasoline
“Drivers side seat belt buckle will not latch. 185,000 miles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 24, 2020 · Seat belts
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer (Mountaineer 2WD, Mountaineer 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12 / 17 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Mercury Mountaineer model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mercury Mountaineer model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 Mercury Mountaineer | 1 | 3 |
| 1997 Mercury Mountaineer | 6 | 328 |
| 1998 Mercury Mountaineer | 5 | 236 |
| 1999 Mercury Mountaineer | 7 | 151 |
| 2000 Mercury Mountaineer | 6 | 123 |
| 2001 Mercury Mountaineer | 3 | 22 |
| 2002 Mercury Mountaineer | 2 | 372 |
| 2003 Mercury Mountaineer | 0 | 152 |
| 2004 Mercury Mountaineer | 0 | 210 |
| 2005 Mercury Mountaineer | 0 | 82 |
| 2006 Mercury Mountaineer | 1 | 117 |
| 2007 Mercury Mountaineer | 0 | 81 |
| 2008 Mercury Mountaineer | 1 | 96 |
| 2009 Mercury Mountaineer | 0 | 6 |
| 2010 Mercury Mountaineer | 1 | 13 |
Checking a specific 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
How do I know if my 1997 Mercury 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
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 Mercury dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V402000).
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 Mercury models
- Sable5,381 complaints
- Grand Marquis3,951 complaints
- Milan2,519 complaints
- Cougar1,893 complaints
- Villager1,725 complaints
- Mariner1,296 complaints
- Mystique1,019 complaints
- Tracer567 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.