There are 48 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2003 Mercury Mountaineerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE A MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2003 AND IT WAS STATIONED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE BACK MIDDLE OF THE HATCH NOW THERE A HUGE CRACK AND MY WINDOW OF THE TRUNK CAME UNHINGED AND FELL OFF I SEE THIS PROBLEM IN ALL MOUNTAINEERS THEY ALL HAVE THE CRACK IN THE HATCH HOPE THEIRS DON'T FALL OFF I SEE IT IN ALMOST EVERYONE'S. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING AND IT FELL OFF THIS IS NOT SAFE. PLEASE HAVE THIS INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU!
NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. A 1 1/2 INCH VERTICAL CRACK HAS APPEARED IN THE BODY BETWEEN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK LIFT DOOR UNDER THE WINDOW EXTENDING TO THE ROUND MERCURY SYMBOL BETWEEN THE LETTERS, R AND THE C. DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL TAKING IT THROUGH A CAR WASH WHERE I WAS WARNED IT HAD TO BE COVERED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIBERGLASS ON THE TAILGATE CRACKED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO THE CLOSE THE REAR LIFTGATE, THE RIGHT SIDE SUPPORT HINGE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 9/4/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE RAISED THE LIFTGATE, IT CAME DOWN AND THE EMBLEM CRACKED. THE RIGHT HINGE BROKE AND THE RIGHT ROD FROZE.
THE HASN'T BEEN AN ACCIDENT. I WANTED TO REPORT THAT I HAVE A CRACKED TAILGATE ON MY VEHICLE. THE CRACK APPEARED ONE MORNING - I WASN'T EVEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CRACKED BEGINS AT THE TOP OF THE TAILGATE, AROUND THE EMBLEM PART OF THE LIFT GATE, THEN DOWN TOWARDS THE TAILGATE LIFT HANDLE. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, CITRUS FORD, ONTARIO, CA, BUT WAS INFORMED THERE WASN'T A RECALL AND THE ISSUE HAD TO DEAL WITH WATER LEAKING INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM AND CRACKING BECAUSE ITS PLASTIC AND NOT METAL. AT LEAST THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T ACCUSE ME OF BEING IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT NO EFFORTS WERE MADE TO REPAIR THE CRACKED TAILGATE AT NO COST TO ME, THE CUSTOMER. CAN NHTSA PUSH FORD TO RECALL THIS MATTER? *TR
BACK HINGES BROKE ALLOWING THE GLASS TO FALL. *TR
WHEN LIFTING UP REAR WINDOW SECTION (TOP HALF OF REAR DOOR) THE HINGES BROKE CAUSING THE WINDOW AND IT'S FRAME TO FALL DOWN. WINDOW FRAME WAS BARELY HANGING BY PISTON SUPPORTS. *TR
MY 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAS A CRACK RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR DOOR, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY MOUNTAINEER BUT I SEE EVERY MOUNTAINEER OF MY MAKE AND MODEL HAS THAT SAME CRACK,WHY IS THAT, IT HAS TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY BECAUSE EVERYBODY WITH A MOUNTAINEER OF THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL CAN'T BE RELATED. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS CRACK HAS HAPPENED ON THESE MOUNTAINEER IS THERE A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE DEFINITE A STRUCTURE PROBLEM ANDITS DAMAGE TO MY I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE CRACK ITS DAMAGE TO MY CAR I DIDN'T CAUSE AND MERCURY SHOULD FIX IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DECKLID PANEL WAS CRACKED DUE TO THE COLDER WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOOK A COMPLAINT BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,489 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
THERE IS A CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR WINDOW RIGHT BY THE MERCURY EMBLEM, ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE SEEN NEARLY IDENTICAL CRACKING ON MANY OTHER MOUNTAINEERS AND EXPLORERS. I SEE A RATHER LARGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON SEVERAL WEBSITES. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURIES AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY REASONS. MERCURY/FORD NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR
THE BACK LIFT GATE IS CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW, AROUND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MERCURY EMBLEM, AND ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE NOTICED THE SAME CRACKING ON ALMOST EVERY OTHER MOUNTAINEER ON THE ROADS, AND I SEE A HUGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
THE BACK LIFT GATE IS CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW, AROUND THE SIDE OF THE MERCURY EMBLEM, ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE NOTICED THE SAME CRACKING ON ALMOST EVERY OTHER MOUNTAINEER ON THE ROADS, AND I SEE A HUGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR LIFT GATE WINDSHIELD ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
LIFTGATE PANEL ABOVE EMBLEM (OUTSIDE) HAS CRACKED COMPLETELY TOP TO BOTTOM. WHEN I TOOK TO FORD SERVICE, THEY STATED OTHER SIDE WILL CRACK AND EVENTUALLY PANEL COULD COME OFF. MY TRUCK IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. IF PANEL COMES OFF, ODDS ARE IT WILL COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. I DO ALOT OF HIGHWAY MILES AND THAT COULD BE SERIOUS. I WAS TOLD THERE ARE RECALLS ON SAME PROBLEM BUT FOR DIFFERENT YEAR. THIS NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED. *TR
ON THE TAILGATE OF THE MOUNTAINEER, DUE TO HEAT/COLD A CRACK STARTED FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND WENT DOWN PAST THE "MERCURY" EMBLEM DOWN TO THE NEXT PANEL. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AND THE LIFTGATE HAS CRACKED AROUND THE MERCURY EMBLEM. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER MOUNTAINEERS WITH EXACT SAME CRACKING AROUND EMBLEM. THIS MAKES ME WONDER IF PANEL COULD FAIL CAUSING GLASS TO FALL OUT. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED IN NUMEROUS WEBSITES , IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT OR THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE RAMPANT. *TR
MOST 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS AND FORD EXPLORERS ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKED LIFT GATES AROUND THE EMBLEM. SOMETIMES MY LIFT GATE OPENS ON ITS OWN...DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HAPPENING DUE TO THE CRACK BUT THIS IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OUR VEHICLES. DEALERS KNOW ABOUT IT BUT WON'T REPAIR IT WITHOUT CHARGING THE CONSUMERS. DRIVE THRU CAR WASH PERSONNEL ADVISE DRIVERS BEFORE THEY DRIVE THROUGH THAT THE CRACK IS PREEXISTING (SO THEY ALL KNOW ABOUT IT?) BUT THE OWNERS OF THESE CARS CAN'T GET THIS DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING ISSUE REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE TO ALL OF US? *TR
I HAVE A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AND IT HAS A CRACK ON THE LIFTGATE THAT STARTS AT THE TOP IN THE MIDDLE, GOES AROUND THE MERCURY EMBLEM AND CONTINUES DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFTGATE. I AM WORRIED THAT THE GLASS WILL FALL OUT OR BREAK ONE DAY WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR CLOSE THE TAILGATE. OR WILL THE GLASS SHATTER WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR CLOSE IT? *TR
WHILE OPENING MY HATCH IN THE BACK OF MY CAR THE HOCK CAME APART. ONE OF THE TWO HOCKS THAT HOLD THE GLASS OF THE HATCH BROKE. NOT SURE WHY IT BROKE, THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING LEANING UP AGAINST IT. IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE I COULD HAVE HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE GLASS COULD HAVE FELL ON THE CARE BEHIND ME. *TR
THE PAINT ON THE REAR LID OF MY 2003 MOUNTAINEER IS PEALING. DEALER AND TWO AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOPS HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE PROBLEM IS A FACTORY DEFECT. FORD/MERCURY REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO THEIR WARRANTY INFORMATION. THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECT CAUSED BY THEM DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 48 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 26, 2026