IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
2005 Mercury Mountaineer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 117.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mountaineer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
120–25K
2125–50K
1250–75K
775–100K
15100–150K
2150K+
69 reports with mileage · 13 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Steering complaints
5 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH IN THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED ALL OF THE TIRES AND BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH IN THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED ALL OF THE TIRES AND BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000.
I HAVE A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, AND I TURNED THE KEY AND WENT TO MOVE FROM R TO DRIVE AND THE HANDLE (GEAR SHAFT) JUST SNAPPED OFF. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. ON THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING ONTO HER GARAGE FLOOR. SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PINION SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL A…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. ON THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING ONTO HER GARAGE FLOOR. SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PINION SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE HOME. AFTER WORK ONE EVENING, SHE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. AFTER 20 MINUTES, HER FATHER ARRIVED AND WAS ABLE TO FORCEFULLY START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OR THE STALLING. ON JUNE 16, 2008, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A FUSE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THEY IDENTIFIED A BUSHING THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. ALL OF THESE FAILURES OCCURRED WITHIN FOUR MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND WITH LESS THEN 4,000 MILES PLACED ON THE VEHICLE BY THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,177 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,600. UPDATED 07/15/08 *BF WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE POWER SEATS AND POWER LOCKS FAILED TO WORK. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE MOTOR. THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/15/08
HAD WARPED ROTORS WITHIN FIRST 2,000 MILES. FORD WOULD ONLY GROUND ROTORS BUT DEALER REPLACED THEM AT NO CHARGE. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED A LOUD, THUMPING NOISE WHEN I AM MAKING A SHARP TURN TO LEFT OR RIGHT AT A VERY LOW SPEED. ALSO, OFTEN WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE MANY TIMES THERE IS A LARGE THUMP AND VEHICLE APPEARS TO S…
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HAD WARPED ROTORS WITHIN FIRST 2,000 MILES. FORD WOULD ONLY GROUND ROTORS BUT DEALER REPLACED THEM AT NO CHARGE. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED A LOUD, THUMPING NOISE WHEN I AM MAKING A SHARP TURN TO LEFT OR RIGHT AT A VERY LOW SPEED. ALSO, OFTEN WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE MANY TIMES THERE IS A LARGE THUMP AND VEHICLE APPEARS TO SHIFT HARD. FINALLY, WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL, AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE, VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS MANY TIMES. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA09013 · Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
Opened Aug 18, 2009 · Closed Feb 12, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift; Steering; Steering:column; Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Additional source detail variants (5)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Steering:column
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Steering
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.