2002 Mercury Mountaineer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer, and owners have filed 372 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2002 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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Tires: sidewall
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The right side tires may have horizontal cuts on the edge of the tread that could have occurred during vehicle assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tires and, if any slices are found, the cut tires will be replaced. Owner notification began june 7, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date…
372 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer have filed 372 complaints with NHTSA; 17 describe a crash and 7 describe a fire. Reports cite 38 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 81,503 miles. Complaints peaked in 2009 with 46 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Aftermarket rack and pinion system re-manufactured by Detroit Axel began leaking fluid and caused a loss of power steering within 3 months of purchase. A second unit was installed and after about a ye”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 27, 2023 · Steering
“Body : to much rust, corrosion, on rear of truck other failure or detachment of exterior body like rear gate frame components, and other structural components that may present a safety hazard. Electri”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 18, 2022 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer (Mountaineer 2WD, Mountaineer 2WD FFV, Mountaineer 4WD, Mountaineer 4WD FFV). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14–16 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12–14 / 17–19 |
| Fuel | Gasoline or E85, Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 4/4.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 5-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 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
How do I know if my 2002 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2002 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 01V171000).
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.