Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
NHTSA data on file today
The 2000 Mercury Mountaineer has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 123 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #07V336000 SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E056000 FUEL LEAK/FIRE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V281000 FORD/HIGH BACK SEATS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V280000 FORD/SPEED CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00T005000 FIRESTONE/TREAD SEPARATION NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V228001 FORD/FMVSS 209/TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLES NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V179000 FORD/SIDE AIR BAGS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V072000 FORD/ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 28 complaints
- Tires 21 complaints
- Electrical System 19 complaints
- Power Train 15 complaints
- Air Bags 9 complaints
- Seats 7 complaints
Of the 123 complaints on file, 15 report a crash and 12 a fire; across all 123 complaints, owners report 17 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2000 Mercury Mountaineer has significant reliability issues, with prominent recalls for speed control and seat defects. Owner complaints further highlight troubles with electrical systems, powertrain, and tires, limiting its overall reliability.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| speed control | 60,000–100,000 miles | $150–$400 | very common |
| tires | 40,000–70,000 miles | $400–$800 | common |
| electrical system | 70,000–110,000 miles | $250–$600 | common |
| powertrain | 80,000–120,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | occasional |
| air bags | 50,000–90,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | occasional |
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 changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake pad replacement every 35,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 50,000 miles
- Replace air filter annually
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive speed control
- Frequent tire pressure drops
- Persistent engine warning lights
- Odd noises from powertrain
- Electrical malfunctions or flickering lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2000 Mercury Mountaineer at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.