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2002 Mercury Mountaineer reliability record

Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.

Source-verified · 2026NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Official source ↗
NHTSA complaints
504
5 in the last 5 years
Top problem area
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
89 complaints
Recalls on record
0
none on record
Reported harm
19 reported crashes · 48 injuries · 8 fires

How this record compares

raw NHTSA counts, not defect rates

Complaint rank

#1,028

of 4,194 vehicle records

Vs Mercury median

+275

median 229 across 90 Mercury records

Vs 2000-2004

+251

median 253 complaints in 771 records

Top component share

25%

Power Train: 127 complaints

What owners report fails — 2002 Mercury Mountaineer

  • POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 89
  • POWER TRAIN 38
  • STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS 23
  • STEERING 15
  • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 15

Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer

A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.

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These are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2002 Mercury Mountaineer units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?

NHTSA has 504 consumer complaints on record for the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. The most-reported problem area is power train:automatic transmission (89 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2002 Mercury Mountaineer units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?

Owners most often report problems with: power train:automatic transmission (89), power train (38), structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments (23), steering (15). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

How much does it cost to own a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer?

Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.

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