AI Damage2004 Ford Mountaineer: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Ford Mountaineer filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 50% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 25% of all complaints
- Structure: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Husband was in car when it idled normally, but as soon as it was put in reverse it lurched backward very quickly. When vehicle was stopped finally it was then put into drive. The problem happened again car lurched forward. Subsequently, striking another vehicle.
Tailgate has a crack in the fiberglass, below the windshield traveling down. There is no identified reason for this crack. I have been told by the dealership this is commonly seen in the mountaineer and explorers. The crack indicates a manufacturer defect however ford/mercury has not made the recall.
If this crack is not repaired inevitably there will be water damage to the electrical components in the lift door such as a failure of the rear window defroster and rear window wiper. I wish to have this failure repaired at my ford authorized dealer at your cost. Additionally, the two rear windows will not let down.
This vehicle has stalled on my wife and I numerous different times with in the 14 months of owning the suv. At one point we were almost in a accident with our 1 year daughter in the car.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mountaineer has 5 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford Mountaineer?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, electrical system, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (25%), stalls while driving (25%), windows, sunroof (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Ford Mountaineer?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Ford Mountaineer from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.