Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Mercury Mountaineer
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Mercury Mountaineer has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 236 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #03V281000 FORD/HIGH BACK SEATS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V422000 FORD/THROTTLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00T005000 FIRESTONE/TREAD SEPARATION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V164000 FORD/SECONDARY HOOD LATCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V062001 FORD/CRUISE/SPEED CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V060000 FORD/JUMP STARTING NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Tires 96 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 35 complaints
- Electrical System 21 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 20 complaints
- Latches/Locks/Linkages 12 complaints
- Seats 12 complaints
Of the 236 complaints on file, 22 report a crash and 23 a fire; across all 236 complaints, owners report 29 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$7,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Mercury Mountaineer has multiple recalls affecting critical systems like seat safety and vehicle speed control. Complaints highlight issues with tires and speed control, indicating reliability concerns within these areas.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| tires | 20,000–40,000 miles | $400–$800 | very common |
| throttle body | 40,000–60,000 miles | $300–$600 | common |
| hood latch | 60,000–80,000 miles | $150–$350 | occasional |
| fuel lines | 70,000–90,000 miles | $200–$500 | occasional |
| seat recliner | 50,000–70,000 miles | $100–$300 | rare |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Replace air filter annually
- Brake fluid replacement every 20,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 30,000 miles
- Transmission service at 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive throttle behavior
- Squeaking or wobbling tires
- Loose-fitting seats
- Hood not latching securely
- Fuel smell near engine bay
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Mercury Mountaineer at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.