There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Body : to much rust, corrosion, on rear of truck other failure or detachment of exterior body like rear gate frame components, and other structural components that may present a safety hazard. Electrical : electrical systems and items such asa wiring and cable on or inside the door, ignition switch cover detach ,instrument panel and gauges blinking that causes motors and actuators that power mechanical devices like (windows, sunroofs, seats, etc.) Generate some kind of electrical problem that may present a safety hazard. Power train :transmissions, transfer cases fluid hard to check ,electronic control units and shift lever inacurated, drive axles, hubs, shafts, differentials, CV joints star vibration that may present a safety hazard.
WHEN GOING 25-30 MPH VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT.IT ACTUALLY KICKED THE VEHICLE BACK. OD LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH THEN SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON.BEEN DOING THIS SINCE. WENT TO GO GET MOUNTAINEER READ AND OF COARSE..THE TRANSMISSION..SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE OTHERWISE THIS MIGHT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LAWSUIT AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ON THE EXACT SAME THING.
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING ALL I HERE WAS DING DING DING OD/OFF STARTED FLASHING . SEC LATER CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON NOW WHEN I DRIVE PUTTING FOOT ON THE PADDLE TO GO IT WILL IDLE UP I RELEASE AND IT WILL SHIFT N GO. AAMCO SAYING THAT I NEED A REBUILT TRANNY THAT'S BS WITH ALL WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING IT'S JUST A RIP OFF I DON'T HAVE $3500 TO GET THIS FIX. NOW SEEING NOT ONCE NOT TWICE SO MANY COMPLAINTS I READ THAT PEOPLE PAID FOR 2 OR MORE TRANNY FOR THE VEHICLE'S AND NOTHING IS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. AND THE FORD DEALS KNOWS ABOUT IT..... DO A HUMAN BEING HAS TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE FORD DEALER'S CAN OWN UP TO THERE RESPONSIBILITY? IF THEY WAS IN OUR SHOES THEY WOULD WANT THE SAME THING VICE VERSE THEY SAY U REAP WHAT YOU SOW. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP UP JUST FIX OUR TRANSMISSION THAT'S ALL.. ANOTHER THING ABS LIGHT STAYS ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON THE SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON ALL MY WINDOWS DOESN'T LET DOWN NOW WTF? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WHILE DRIVING THE "OD" LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO THIRD GEAR. IT WOULD JUST REV UP. IF YOU LET OFF THE GAS IT WOULD USUALLY SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR. I WAS GOING TO TRY TO CHECK THE FLUID BUT COULDN'T FIND THE DIPSTICK. I CHECKED THE MANUAL AND FOUND OUT THERE IS NONE. WHEN I CHECKED ONLINE FOR HELP I FOUND ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT WERE EXACTLY LIKE MINE. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT FORD WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUSLY POORLY DESIGNED TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PART FOR AN OWNER TO REPLACE AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU COULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AT A CRITICAL MOMENT. WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS AS I AM SEEING ONLINE THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEBODY GETTING HURT OR KILLED FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN. *JS
I RECENTLY DECIDED TO BE #TEAMFORD....UNFORTUNATELY I'M DISAPPOINTED. MY TRUCK NOW HAS THE O/D LIGHT FLASHING EXCESSIVELY. THE TRUCK GOES IN TO 3RD GEAR BUT THUMPS & GOES DOWN INTO 2ND & THEN 1ST. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS WILL RUN ME ABOUT $1800. I REALLY WISH I WOULD'VE STUCK WITH CHEVROLET. .... I'VE USED GOOGLE TO SEE IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM....& YES THEY ARE. FORD SHOULD REALLY OWN UP TO THIS & FIX THIS PROBLEM OUR DO A RECALL. THIS IS SAD. BOY DO I MISS MY CHEVY..... *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 35 MPH THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, ERROR MESSAGE CHECK TRANSMISSION AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE STARTED SHIFTING ERRATICALLY FROM A START THEN HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO GEARS. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND DECIDED TO CHANGE, CLEAN AND FLUSH TRANSMISSION FLUIDS. THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I THEN WENT ON LINE TO FIND CURES FOR THIS PROBLEM AT FORD MOTOR CO WEB SITE AND THERE WAS NO INFORMATION THERE . I SEARCHED THE WEB FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND CAME UP WITH OVER 500 COMPLAINTS WITH FORD BLAZERS' AND MOUNTAINEERS 2002 THROUGH 2004 TRANSMISSION RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS..5R555 SOLENOID PACK. I FOUND A COMPANY THAT CLAIMED THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION 5 SOLENOID PACK NEEDING A UP GRADE AND THIS SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM THROUGH USA INDUSTRIES IN BAY SHORE NY. PURCHASED THIS OEM FORD UPGRADE PACKET, INSTALLED THIS MIRACLE PART AND THE PROBLEMS WERE STILL THERE. NOW USA INDUSTRIES DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT REFUNDING MY MONIES EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL IN THE REFUND TIME LIMIT.. HOPEFULLY EBAY WILL RESOLVE THERE POOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS ISSUE. FORD CLAIMS I NEED TO HAVE A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT APPROXIMATELY $2500.00. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL FORD CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT ARE HESITANT TO ISSUE A RECALL SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN NO DEATHS.. CAN THAT BE FOR REAL????? IS ANYONE ELSE READY TO STAND UP TO FORD FOR A RECALL DEMAND ON OUR CARS?? *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE THE O/D LIGHT STARTS FLASHING VERY FAST. I CAN HEAR THE VEHICLE REVVING AS I AM PRESSING ON THE GAS. ALL OF A SUDDEN A HARD POP AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTS TO ACCELERATE. I TRY TO CONTINUE HOME AND THE VEHICLE GETS TO AROUND 30 MPH AND DOES IT AGAIN, AS TIME GOES ON (SAME DRIVE) IT GETS HARDER TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AROUND 20 MPH AND STAYS AT THAT SPEED. VEHICLE IS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WITH 150,000 MILES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE REVERSING AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUTTER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE PROGRESSED TO A LOUD NOISE WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
THE SHIFT LEVER SNAPPED OFF, IN REVERSE, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT INTO PARK. THE LEVER BROKE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN GEAR WITH NO MEANS TO PUT IN PARK. THE BASE OF THE LEVER THAT OPERATES THE GEAR CHANGE MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE MADE OF POROUS METAL. I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE IN REVERSE, WITH THE KEYS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE A TOW. THANKFULLY I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC, ON A HILL WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS ABLE TO PLACE SOME ITEMS BEHIND THE WHEELS TO PREVENT ROLLING (EMERGENCY BRAKE DOES NOT WORK WELL). THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AS THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS (ENOUGH THAT A PARTS MANUFACTURER HAS COME UP WITH A MORE DURABLE REPLACEMENT PART). *TR
I GOT INTO MY MOUNTAINEER AND NOTICE A FAMILIAR RUMBLE. MY WHEEL BEARINS WENT BAD AGAIN! I WILL BE REPLACING THESE FOR THE 4TH TIME NOW. THIS IS ON TOP OF HAVING TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO THE TUNE OF $3700. I LOVE TO DRIVE THIS CAR BUT IT CONSTANTLY NEEDS REPAIRS AND THE REPAIRS NEED REPAIRS. I CAN NOT AFFORD A NEW CAR BUT I CAN'T KEEP FIXING THIS ONE!!! I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ONLY TO FIND OUT FORD HAD A FLY BY NIGHT LAW SUIT AND NEVER NOTIFIED PEOPLE TO HAVE THERE INTAKES CHECKED SO THAT WAS ANOTHER $300 JUST FOR THE PART. I THINK FORD SHOULD HELP US OUT THAT HELPED THEM OUT. *TR
I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND HAD THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE CENTER CONSOLE TO FIND MY PHONE. AFTER FINDING MY PHONE, I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND PULLED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE ROUGHLY 45 MINUTES LATER TO FIND THAT I HAD LEFT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND IT HAD ALLOWED ME TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. LUCKILY, THE PARKING LOT WAS LEVEL AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY. EVER SINCE THAT DAY, THE VEHICLE WILL ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT POSITION THE SHIFT LEVER IS, AS LONG AS THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. *TR
I WAS PARKING THE CAR WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT STICK BROKE AND ENDED IN MY HAND THE WHOLE PART. *TR
I, AS SO MANY OTHERS, HAVE A FAILING TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR IT REFUSES TO SHIFT PROPERLY AND WHEN IT DOES IT IS EXTREMELY HARD. OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS CONDITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT FORD REALIZES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE BUT REFUSES TO DO A RECALL. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LOST ITS FORWARD MOMENTUM BETWEEN THE SHIFTS. I FEEL AS IF THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
TRANSMISSION , I READ THIS IS A COMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. *TR
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND FROM WHAT I AM TOLD IS THAT FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL IT IS A MASS PROBLEM NOT JUST A ISOLATED INCIDENT MY CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON THE DISPLAY MY OVER DRIVE LIGHT WAS FLASHING RAPIDLY AND ONLY DRIVES AT 20MPH NOW. *TR
AT 99,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO JUMP SLIGHTLY AS IT SHIFTED GEARS. THEN THE OD LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I TRIED TO GO IN REVERSE AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE. THEN, WHEN IT WAS PUT IN DRIVE IT JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR HOTRODDED. *TR
CHANGING GEAR AND GEAR SHIFT BROKE OFF IN HAND. *TR
DROVE TO GROCERY STORE AND ATTEMPTED TO PLACE CAR IN PARK AND UNABLE TO GET IT INTO PARK. IT WILL GO IN EVERY OTHER GEAR BUT WILL NOT GO INTO PARK. ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE GEAR SHIFT AFTER THE GEAR SHIFT ARM BROKE OFF IN MY HAND WHILE TRYING TO GET IT OUT OF PARK A FEW MONTHS AGO. NOW LOOKING AT MORE MONEY ON THIS PIECE OF JUNK CAR. NOW MUST LEAVE CAR IN GEAR AND LEAVE KEYS IN THE CAR. THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AROUND. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A VERY HARD SHIFT FOR A FEW MONTHS. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER RECENTLY STATED THERE WAS A BLOW HOLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE HOLE EXPANDED WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT THAT COULD BE USED, BUT NOT UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 10/18/11*LJ UPDATED 3/22/12 *CN UPDATED 8/11/12
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026