2002 Mercury Mountaineer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 504 complaints
504
Total Complaints
75,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
19
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

50,000 25th Percentile
75,000 Median Mileage
104,700 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
89
POWER TRAIN
38
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
23
SUSPENSION:REAR
15
STEERING
15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
15
STRUCTURE:BODY
15
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12
SUSPENSION
11

Severity Assessment

19
Crashes
8
Fires
48
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALER. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATED THAT AT 700 MILES RADIATOR SHOULD NOT NEED REPLACING.*AK"
"CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS ON. SHE PULLED OVER, SHUT OFF ENGINE, AND GOT OUT OF VEHICLE WITH REMOTE, KEY IN IGNITION. CONSUMER NOTICED SIDE DOORS CLOSED, AND WALKED TO REAR OF VEHICLE AND PUSHED REMOTE TO RELEASE LIFTGATE. INSTANTLY, WINDOW EXPLODED, A METAL PIECE ON BO..."
"WAS PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFICE AT 45MPH WHEN HOOD FLEW UP ABOUT 6 INCHES. DID NOT HIT WINDSHIELD DUE TO SECONDARY LATCH CATCHING IT. SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED BEFORE IN JULY. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 500 MILES.*AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28