RecallRadar

HomeMercuryMountaineer → 1999

1999 Mercury Mountaineer Recalls & Complaints

9

open safety recalls on record

Critical

182 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.50 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical06E056000

Fuel System, Gasoline

FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.

Critical07V336000

Vehicle Speed Control

THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Serious00V072000

Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers

INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RESISTOR IN THE GEM CIRCUIT.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L ENGINES AND ALL-TIME 4-WHEEL DRIVE (A4WD) POWERTRAINS. THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE (GEM) COULD EXPERIENCE A CONDITION REFERRED TO AS "LOCK-UP" IN WHICH THE GEM CONTROLLED ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS (E.G., FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, 4X4 SYSTEM, ETC.) COULD NOT BE TURNED ON OR, IN SOME CASES IF THE FUNCTION IS ON, COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF.

Serious00T005000

Tires:Tread/Belt

IF THE TREAD SEPARATES FROM THE TIRE, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & full details

THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.

TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT WEATHER, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SEPARATION OF THE TIRE TREAD.

Serious03V281000

Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner

THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

Serious99V062001

Vehicle Speed Control

IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS USED AND THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE REPLACEMENT CABLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ADVISED NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L, 3.0L FFV/EFI OR 4.0L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM JANUARY 5, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 MUSTANGS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE OR 4-VALVE ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (OVER 8,500 LBS.) TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; AND 1999 F-53 STRIPPED CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999. A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO PULLEY AND NOT ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL.

Moderate03V280000

Vehicle Speed Control:Cables

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL AND 4.0L SOHC ENGINES, IF THE STRAND COVER ON THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE BECOMES FLARED AT THE END, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE MAY BIND WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED.

Moderate99V123000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKE PRESSURE TO THE FRONT WHEELS, INCREASING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLARE NUT ON THE BRAKE LINE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE TO THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT (HCU) CONNECTION COULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE LINE TO LEAK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED.

Moderate99V164000

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch

IF THIS OCCURS AND THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH IS EITHER NOT ENGAGED OR IS RELEASED, A HOOD FLY-UP COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WITH COMPONENTS THAT ARE COATED PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY FOR IMPROVED LATCH PIVOT CORROSION PROTECTION.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY CORRODE AT THE LATCH PIVOT AND STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION.

Complaint volume

182 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

15Crashes
5Fires
9Injuries
1Deaths

Across 182 complaints. Severity Index 0.50.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Tires29 · 16%Visibility · Windshield W…18 · 10%Tires · Tread/Belt18 · 10%Air Bags6 · 3%Vehicle Speed Control5 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling…5 · 3%Tires · Sidewall5 · 3%Air Bags · Frontal5 · 3%
  1. Tires — 29 reports
  2. Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer — 18 reports
  3. Tires:Tread/Belt — 18 reports
  4. Air Bags — 6 reports
  5. Vehicle Speed Control — 5 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 5 reports
  7. Tires:Sidewall — 5 reports
  8. Air Bags:Frontal — 5 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 4 reports
  10. Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner — 4 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1996 (2) · 1997 (7) · 1998 (6) · 1999 · 2000 (8) · 2001 (4) · 2002 (4) · 2003 (1) · 2004 (1) · 2005 (1) · 2006 (2) · 2007 (1) · 2008 (2) · 2009 · 2010 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.