2005 Mercury Mountaineer Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2005 Mercury Mountaineer ranks 4th out of 6 model years with a complaint index of 40, earning a Good verdict relative to other Mountaineer years. Owners logged 82 complaints, mostly about structure and body issues, with no recalls recorded.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #4 of 6 Mountaineer years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 82
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 6
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 15
- 13 city / 18 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2005 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body27 (33%)
- Engine22 (27%)
- Transmission & Powertrain19 (23%)
- Brakes6 (7%)
- Other6 (7%)
- Electrical System5 (6%)
- Steering5 (6%)
- Airbags3 (4%)
- Fuel System3 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Vehicles unexpectedly rolled or slipped into reverse after being placed in park with the engine off and key removed.
- Some drivers reported the vehicle lurching forward or backward on its own, including during reverse and while pulling into driveways.
- Brakes reportedly failed to stop the vehicle at low speed, in one case resulting in a crash into a garage or house wall.
- Airbags reportedly did not deploy during low-speed rear-end collisions, coming out already deflated.
- Owners described warped rotors appearing very early in ownership along with thumping noises during sharp low-speed turns.
- A stability control warning light reportedly illuminated with an accompanying noise and the vehicle pulling to one side, which dealers could not diagnose.
2005 Mercury Mountaineer recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2005 Mercury Mountaineer fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 13 MPG
- Highway
- 18 MPG
- Combined
- 15 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,300
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2005 compared with other Mountaineer years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
- Among the 6 Mountaineer model years with data, 2005 ranks 4th worst with a complaint index of 40 and a Good verdict relative to other years. It has fewer reported problems than the 2006, 2007, and 2008 model years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer?
- NHTSA complaints are led by Structure & Body issues (27 complaints, 33% share), followed by Engine (22 complaints, 27%) and Transmission & Powertrain (19 complaints, 23%).
- Does the 2005 Mercury Mountaineer have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Mountaineer, unlike the 2006, 2008, and 2010 model years which each have at least one recall.
- Which Mountaineer year should I avoid instead of 2005?
- The 2006 model year has the highest complaint index (100) and carries an Avoid verdict, with 117 complaints and one recall, making it a worse choice than 2005.
- What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2005 Mountaineer?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 56,750 miles, though this varies by problem area, with Brakes issues reported around 36,000 miles and Electrical System issues around 98,581 miles.