1996 Mercury Mountaineer problems
The Mercury Mountaineer is a mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was sold by Mercury from 1996 until 2010. Sharing many of its features with the Ford Explorer, the vehicles were virtually identical in terms of hardware. Externally, they were styled somewhat differently, and the Mountaineer was positioned with a more upscale interior, with the Mountaineer's MSRP coming in at $1,000–$6,000 more than the Explorer. It was last redesigned for the 2006 model year with a new frame, looking very similar to its previous model.
Some controversy resulted after the media highlighted a number of rollovers involving Explorers and Mountaineers fitted with Firestone tires. The Mountaineer has been praised for its excellent handling and stability. The Mountaineer was never sold in Canada. As part of the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, production of the Mountaineer ended in late 2010.
Background
In 1990, General Motors introduced the Oldsmobile Bravada sport-utility vehicle, derived from the four-door Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. Though far lower in price, the Bravada was marketed as a competitor to the Range Rover (and the later Land Rover Discovery) and Toyota Land Cruiser. While sharing its body with the Blazer, Oldsmobile differentiated the Bravada with the use of model-specific trim and a dedicated all-wheel drive powertrain (in place of part-time four-wheel drive). For 1993, Jeep briefly revived the long-running Grand Wagoneer nameplate as part of the Jeep Grand Cherokee model line, using woodgrain exterior trim and a leather interior; limited sales led to its cancellation after a single model year.
As a response to the Bravada and the Grand Wagoneer, Ford introduced the 1993 Ford Explorer Limited in 1992. In contrast to the outdoors-themed Explorer Eddie Bauer, the Limited was geared towards on-road driving; it was fitted with all-wheel drive in place of traditional four-wheel drive. The Limited was also distinguished by monochromatic body trim, body-color bumpers, and chrome wheels.
As part of the redesign of the Explorer for 1995, the Limited remained part of the Explorer lineup, with the segment gaining additional competitors through the use of badge engineering. For 1996, the Acura SLX (Isuzu Trooper), Infiniti QX4 (Nissan Pathfinder), and the larger Lexus LX450 (Toyota Land Cruiser) were introduced together.
As these brands, along with Oldsmobile, competed more directly with luxury brands than the Ford model line, Ford Motor Company sought to develop SUVs for its Lincoln-Mercury division. To minimize model overlap, Mercury was chosen to sell a version of the mid-size Ford Explorer, while Lincoln would sell a version of the then-upcoming full-size Ford Expedition.
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Common 1996 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Based on the complaints from owners of the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer, several common problems have been reported. Here is a detailed list of these issues:
- Whining Noise from Transfer Case: Some owners have experienced a whining noise emanating from the transfer case.
- Built-In Rear Child Safety Seat Concerns: There have been concerns that the built-in rear child safety seat may not easily accommodate some children.
- False ABS Activation: Issues with false ABS activation while lightly braking at low speeds have been reported.
- Axle Wind-Up: Conditions with axle wind-up on tight turns with the control trac transfer case have been noted.
- Rear Crankshaft Oil Leaks: Engineering has been investigating rear crankshaft oil leaks in some vehicles.
- DTC P0402: The presence of DTC P0402 in memory under investigation by engineering has been highlighted.
- Vibration During Acceleration: Some vehicles may experience a vibration during wide-open throttle acceleration or while cruising at highway speeds.
These problems encompass a range of issues from suspension and child safety concerns to technical faults like false ABS activation and axle wind-up. Owners have reported these issues, indicating a variety of challenges faced with the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer.
1996 Mercury Mountaineer car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Mercury Mountaineer problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Tires problems
- Vehicle speed control problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1996 Mercury Mountaineer vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1996 Mercury Mountaineer complaints
The NHTSA has received 3 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer.
TIRES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2000-11-08
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: I HAD TIRE BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING AT APROX.55-60 MPH. VEHICLE VEERED FROM THE ROAD . TIRE SHOWS SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION IN AN AREA ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG THAT RUNS ALONG THE SIDEWALL AND RAPS ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY ACROSS THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS A RIGHT REAR WILDERNESS AT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HL TIRESIZE: P235 75 15)
TIRES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-12-29
- VIN: 4M2DU55P8VU
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: MY WIFE PURCHASED A 1996 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER IN HAWAII IN FEBRUARY 1998. THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH WILDERNESS AT TIRES (VNHL IPY 336 235/75 R15). IN DECEMBER 1999, TREAD ON ONE OF THE NEW TIRES SEPARATED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 25,005 MILES ON IT WHILE DRIVING IN HAWAII AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. WE WENT TO A FIRESTONE DEALER IN WAIPAHU, HI AND WERE TOLD WE HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE ($39.97 ) THAT WOULD BE PRORATED BASED UPON THE REMAINING TREAD. THE LOW COST FOR THE NEW TIRE REFLECTED THE LACK OF TREAD WEAR ON THE BAD TIE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS REPLACEMENT TIRE WAS ANOTHER WILDERNESS TIRE (8XHL 1PY 1100 235/75 R15). WHILE IN EL PASO IN MAY 2000, AS WERE DRIVING THE MOUNTAINER ACROSS COUNTRY, A SECOND OF THE ORIGINAL "VNHL" TIRES SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AS WE WERE REPLACING THE SECOND TIRE, WITH ANOTHER WILDERNESS AT (8XHL 1PY 269, 235/75 R15 ), AT A PRORATED COST OF $64.99, THE MECHANIC, AT BOB MUSEL MESA FIRESTONE IN EL PASO, NOTICED THAT A THIRD "VNHL" ON THE GROUND WAS BAD BECAUSE IT HAD A CHUNK OF TREAD MISSING FROM THE TIRE. HE TOOK THIS BAD TIRE OFF THE GROUND AND IT IS NOW MY USELESS SPARE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING EITHER INCIDENT. BUT I THINK OUR LUNCK MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT. THE TREAD SEPARATION LED US TO CONDUDE IN MAY THAT THE ORIGINAL WILDERNESS AT TIRES THAT CAMNE WITH THE VEH WERE CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AND THE RECENT FIRESTONE RECALL SUGGESTS THAT ALL OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES ARE PROBABLY DEFECTIVE, DESPITE THE DISTINCTION THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PROFERRED. WE VISITED FIRESSTONE DEALERS IN NEWARK (COCHRAN & TREVITS) AND NEW CASTLE (SCOTT BALMANN, MANAGERE) DELAWARE THIS PAST WEEKEND TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE OUR DANGEROUS, DEFECTIVE TIRES REPLACED. WE SHOWED OUR RECEIPTS, TOLD OUR STORY AND GOT NO RESULTS. IN EACH CASE, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NEITHER "VNHL" OR 8XHL" DOT DESIGNATED WILDERENESS AT TIRES WERE PART OF THE RECALL ESTABLISHED BY FIRESTONE. MY FORMER/CURRENT "VHNL" TIRES ARE BAD!!!!
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: 4M2DU55P9VU
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THROTTLE REMAINS OPEN, CAUSING UNATTTENDED ACCELERATION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1996 Mercury Mountaineer recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 2 recalls for different components of the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer.
- Manufacturer: BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, INC.
- Components: TIRES:TREAD/BELT
- Summary: 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.
- Consequence: 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: 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.
- Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.0L ENGINES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, MICHIGAN (UPPER PENINSULA ONLY), MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THESE VEHICLES, WHEN OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES BELOW -20 DEGREES FARENHEIT, DO NOT RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE IN THE THROTTLE BODY.
- Consequence: ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.
- Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.
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