Complaints
504
Crashes
19
Fires
8
Injuries
48
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0
Worst 2002 Mercury Mountaineer Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#189 complaints
Automatic Transmission
Avg mileage:72,326 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:1
#238 complaints
Transmission / Drivetrain
Avg mileage:106,690 mi
#323 complaints
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments
Avg mileage:45,679 mi
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Transmission | 89 | 2 | 1 | 72,326 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 38 | — | — | 106,690 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments | 23 | — | — | 45,679 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 15 | — | 1 | 91,749 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 15 | — | — | 103,718 mi | |
| Body Structure | 15 | — | — | 88,001 mi | |
| Suspension:Rear | 15 | — | — | 103,313 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 12 | — | — | 103,595 mi | |
| Side/Rear Glass | 12 | — | — | 63,650 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 11 | — | — | 80,914 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate | 10 | — | — | 62,170 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 10 | 4 | 1 | 87,336 mi | |
| Airbags | 9 | 4 | — | 140,035 mi | |
| Structural Problems | 9 | — | — | 54,106 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 8 | 4 | — | 86,533 mi | |
| Visibility | 8 | — | — | 119,099 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 | — | — | 85,650 mi | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 7 | 1 | — | 33,875 mi | |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 7 | — | — | 18,884 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 6 | — | — | 82,512 mi | |
| Other Equipment | 5 | — | — | 92,344 mi | |
| Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit | 5 | — | — | 35,713 mi | |
| Suspension:Front | 5 | — | — | 90,000 mi | |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | 5 | — | — | 65,320 mi | |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 5 | — | — | 57,182 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 5 | — | — | 79,700 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Parking-Brake Issues | 4 | — | — | — |
Automatic Transmission
89
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
72,326
Transmission / Drivetrain
38
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
106,690
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments
23
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
45,679
Engine & Cooling
15
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
91,749
Steering Defects
15
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
103,718
Body Structure
15
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
88,001
Suspension:Rear
15
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
103,313
Electrical Faults
12
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
103,595
Side/Rear Glass
12
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
63,650
Suspension Failures
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
80,914
Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate
10
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
62,170
Unintended Acceleration
10
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
87,336
Airbags
9
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
—
Avg Miles
140,035
Structural Problems
9
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
54,106
Air Bags:Frontal
8
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
—
Avg Miles
86,533
Visibility
8
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
119,099
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
85,650
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
33,875
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
18,884
Tire Defects
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
82,512
Other Equipment
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
92,344
Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
35,713
Suspension:Front
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
90,000
Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
65,320
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
57,182
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
79,700
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Parking-Brake Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Mercury Mountaineer Years
2002 Mercury Mountaineer — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2002 Mercury Mountaineer has 504 NHTSA complaints, 19 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 89 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (89 complaints, avg 72,326 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (38 complaints, avg 106,690 mi); Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments (23 complaints, avg 45,679 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 80,599 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?
NHTSA complaints for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer include 19 crash-related reports, 8 fire reports, 48 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (automatic transmission) and verify open recalls have been addressed.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Mercury Mountaineer reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2002 Mercury Mountaineer
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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