YearToAvoid

2010 Mercury Mountaineer Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2010 Mercury Mountaineer has a complaint index of 20 and ranks 5th out of 6 model years, earning a Best verdict. It has just 13 complaints and one recall, far fewer than the 2006 and 2008 model years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
20/100
#5 of 6 Mountaineer years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
13
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2009
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16
14 city / 19.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2010 Mercury Mountaineer problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine6 (46%)
  2. Brakes5 (38%)
  3. Electrical System2 (15%)
  4. Fuel System2 (15%)
  5. Steering2 (15%)
  6. Structure & Body2 (15%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain2 (15%)
  8. Other1 (8%)
  9. Seat Belts1 (8%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Some owners describe the shifter failing to hold the vehicle in park, with the vehicle rolling backward after being parked and the ignition turned off.
  • Owners report sudden engine surging or speeding up while braking to a stop, sometimes requiring extra braking force.
  • Front brakes reportedly seized at random due to a defective wheel bearing that disrupted the antilock brake sensors.
  • Second-row seat belts have reportedly fractured and detached from the vehicle when being latched.
  • Owners describe the engine stalling repeatedly at both high speed and at stop lights, with no diagnosis found.
  • One owner reported the driver seat sliding backward on its own while braking at highway speed, causing loss of control.
2010 Mercury Mountaineer complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2012Aug 2013Mar 2014Mar 2015Jun 2016Dec 2019
13 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2012 to Jun 2022; peak Dec 2019 (2).

2010 Mercury Mountaineer recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V161000Apr 20, 2010Structure & Body33,256 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:recliner

    Ford is recalling certain model year 2010 fusion, explorer, explorer sport trac, and mercury milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between december 15, 2009 through february 3, 2010 equipped with front seat manual recliners. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraint." the recliner gear plate teeth may be out of dimension specification which could result in limited pawl to gear plate tooth engagement.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, the seatback and head restraint may move rearward, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 30, 2010. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

2010 Mercury Mountaineer fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
19.5 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,050
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.

2010 compared with other Mountaineer years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200520062007200820092010
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid8096115.5
2009Good06016
2010Best2013116

All Mercury Mountaineer years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Mountaineer has a complaint index of 20, the second-lowest among the 6 model years with data, earning a Best verdict relative to other Mountaineer years.
What problems does the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer have?
NHTSA complaints for the 2010 model year center on the engine (6 complaints, 46% share) and brakes (5 complaints, 38% share), with smaller numbers involving electrical, fuel system, steering, structure, transmission, and seat belts.
Does the 2010 Mountaineer have any recalls?
Yes, one recall (10V161000) covers front seat manual recliners on certain 2010 Mountaineer, Fusion, Explorer, and Mercury Milan vehicles built between December 15, 2009 and February 3, 2010.
How does the 2010 Mountaineer compare to other years?
The 2010 model ranks 5th worst out of 6 years with a complaint index of 20, much lower than the 2006 model's index of 100 and the 2008 model's index of 80, both rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Mercury Mountaineer?
EPA rates the 2010 Mountaineer at 16 mpg combined (14 city / 19.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,050.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.