Short answer
Among Mercury Mountaineer model years through 2024, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2 more years have the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (0) and 2000 has the most (6). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Mercury Mountaineer: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 11 (2000–2010)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 11
- Fewest recalls
- 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2 more years (0)
- Most recalls
- 2000 (6)
- Most recalled system
- Vehicle speed control (5)
Mercury Mountaineer Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | Not rated | Seats |
| 2009 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2008 | 1 | Not rated | Power train |
| 2007 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2006 | 1 | Not rated | Visibility |
| 2005 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2004 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2003 | 0 | Not rated | None on record |
| 2002 | 2 | Not rated | Tires, Vehicle speed control |
| 2001 | 3 | Not rated | Vehicle speed control, Seats |
| 2000 | 6 | Not rated | Vehicle speed control, Air bags, Electrical system |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20101 recall
- 20090 recalls
- 20081 recall
- 20070 recalls
- 20061 recall
- 20050 recalls
- 20040 recalls
- 20030 recalls
- 20022 recalls
- 20013 recalls
- 20006 recalls
Mercury Mountaineer: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Mercury Mountaineer recalls are vehicle speed control (5), seats (3), air bags (1), electrical system (1) and power train (1). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
FAQ: Mercury Mountaineer Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Mercury Mountaineer?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2 more years are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 0 each.
Which Mercury Mountaineer model years have the most recalls?
2000 has the most, with 6 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Mountaineer", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy