IllustrationBack rear windshield keeps exploding on its own I’m not the only person to complain about this
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
4 reportsTHE PLASTIC THAT HOLD THE VISOR ARM ON PLACE CRUMBLES. BOTH SIDES WERE AFFECTED. THE OUTER SHIELD PLATES SEEM OK IT'S ONLY THE PIECE THAT I CAN ONLY GUESS, 'STABALIZES' THE VISOR WHEN YOU MOVE IT FROM FRONT TO SIDE OF THE CAR. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT $30-$80 EACH TO REPLACE. THIS IS A 3RD HAND VEHICLE HOWEVER THE MILEAGE IS…
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THE PLASTIC THAT HOLD THE VISOR ARM ON PLACE CRUMBLES. BOTH SIDES WERE AFFECTED. THE OUTER SHIELD PLATES SEEM OK IT'S ONLY THE PIECE THAT I CAN ONLY GUESS, 'STABALIZES' THE VISOR WHEN YOU MOVE IT FROM FRONT TO SIDE OF THE CAR. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT $30-$80 EACH TO REPLACE. THIS IS A 3RD HAND VEHICLE HOWEVER THE MILEAGE IS FAIRLY LOW FOR THIS YEAR AT 127,408. THESE ARE NOT PLASTIC PIECES THAT ARE IN THE SUN A LOT, THEY AREN'T AT ALL BUT CRUMBLE LIKE PLASTIC CAN BECAUSE OF SUN EXPOSURE. THERE IS GLUE IN THE PHOTO THAT I PUT ON AS A TEMPORARY FIX BUT IT PEELS OFF EASILY.
I OWN A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER PREMIER SUV. LAST SUMMER I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS ON LIFTGATE IS BROKEN. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK IT WAS NOT RECALLED FOR THE 2005 YEAR. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $600 FOR REPAIR.I FOUND THAT TO BE AN UNACCE…
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I OWN A 2005 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER PREMIER SUV. LAST SUMMER I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS ON LIFTGATE IS BROKEN. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK IT WAS NOT RECALLED FOR THE 2005 YEAR. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $600 FOR REPAIR.I FOUND THAT TO BE AN UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE CONSIDERING FORD HAS BEEN AWARE THAT THE BOLTS ARE INFERIOR. I RESEARCHED TO FIND THAT MANY CONSUMERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT.ADD TO IT THAT THIS WEEK THE "CRACK" APPEARED BENEATH THE GLASS ON THE LIFTGATE NEAR THE EMBLEM(EVIDENTLY ANOTHER FLAW WITH THIS TRUCK WIDELY REPORTED BY OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS). AT THIS POINT IT IS EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE LIFTGATE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY FORD AT THEIR EXPENSE.I CHOSE THIS TRUCK FOR SAFETY FOR MY FIVE CHILDREN AND NOW FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO TRANSPORT THEM WITH THIS LIFTGATE FALLING APART. THE REPSONSE FROM FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THIS YEAR WAS NOT RECALLED FOR THE FAULTY LIFTGATE PROBLEM AND THE EXPENSE TO REPLACE IS MINE.SLOWLY THE LIFTGATE BOLTS AND THE LIFTGATE ARE BREAKING RENDERING ME UNABLE TO UTILIZE IT. HOW DO I KNOW THE GLASS IS SAFE EVEN IF I HIT A BUMP? PLEASE ADVISE.
VEHICLE PAINT PEELING FROM FRONT HOOD. MERCURY DEALER (NORTHGATE LINCOLN MERCURY, TAMPA, FLORIDA) AT FIRST SAID A ROCK HIT IT. ANOTHER SERVICE PERSON SAID ITS A DEFECT. THEY ONLY WANT TO COVER HALF THE COST OF GETTING HOOD PAINTED. VEHICLE BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALER. TSB ISSUED BY FORD CONCERNING THE ISSUE. DEALER OVERESTIMAT…
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VEHICLE PAINT PEELING FROM FRONT HOOD. MERCURY DEALER (NORTHGATE LINCOLN MERCURY, TAMPA, FLORIDA) AT FIRST SAID A ROCK HIT IT. ANOTHER SERVICE PERSON SAID ITS A DEFECT. THEY ONLY WANT TO COVER HALF THE COST OF GETTING HOOD PAINTED. VEHICLE BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALER. TSB ISSUED BY FORD CONCERNING THE ISSUE. DEALER OVERESTIMATED ESTIMATE TO REPAINT HOOD ($1000 DOLLARS) WANTS ME TO PAY A LOST $500 DOLLARS FOR A DEFECT THEY KNOW ABOUT.*TR
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.