Total Complaints
3 filings
FORD MOUNTAINEER · model year
2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER
3 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003FORDMOUNTAINEER carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 MOUNTAINEER is latches/locks/linkages:hatchback/liftgate:lock with 1 filings, followed by suspension:rear (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 2003 MOUNTAINEER, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recalls (1)
04V44200013/09/2004
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE LIFTGATE GLASS STRUT MAY BECOME DISENGAGED OR THE HINGE MAY FRACTURE ALLOWING THE GLASS TO FALL AND POSSIBLY BREAK.
Recent Complaints
20070711SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. BRAKES ARE STARTING TO FAIL WHEN LIGHT IS OFF, NOT WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS ON. I AM GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION.*AK
Mileage: 44,000
20070608SUSPENSION:REAR
2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAS REAR DIFFERENTIAL ISSUES. LOUD HUMMING COMING FROM BACK END. POTENTIAL FAILURE IS POSSIBLE AT ANYTIME WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOCKING OF BACK WHEEL.
20070522LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
MY 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAD A LIFT GATE RECALL. LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN HYANNIS, MA REPLACED PARTS TO FIX. THIS WAS LAST YEAR. THIS WEEK THE LATCH BROKE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOW AND THE GLASS FELL AGAIN. LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN HYANNIS CHARGED ME FOR THE PART! THIS ALL IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE EARLIER RECALL I WOULD BELIEVE. THE DEALER SAYS NO. THE ORIGINAL RECALL SAID LIFTGATE GLASS STRUT MAY DISENGAGE OR HINGE MAY FRACTURE, ALLOWING GLASS TO FALL AND POSSIBLY BREAK. AM I WRONG? AND IF IT NOT PART OF THE RECALL THEN I GUESS IT SHOULD BE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
Mileage: 71,000
Compare 2003FORDMOUNTAINEER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER have?▼
The 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER?▼
Yes, the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER is LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:REAR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 FORD MOUNTAINEER; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.