1997 Ford Explorer vs 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Explorer | 1997 Mercury Mountaineer |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,731 | 328 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 369 | 293 |
| Investigations | 6 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 156 | 41 |
| Fire reports | 53 | 10 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 14 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | 124,323 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Mercury Mountaineer |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 669 | 138 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 202 | 59 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 198 | 14 |
| Suspension | 105 | 15 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 83 | 37 |
| Power Train | 104 | 8 |
| Visibility | 90 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 80 | 15 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 71 | 6 |
| Vibration / shaking | 69 | 17 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 5 |
| Clunking / rattling | 19 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 15 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
1997 Ford Explorer
1997 Mercury Mountaineer
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Mercury Mountaineer years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.