2006 Mercury Mountaineer: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer
On the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer, the failure owners report most often is radiator or coolant leak, and the reports cluster around 60,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 50,000 miles. Overall it scores 72 out of 100, high risk for a 2006.
High risk for a 2006 — 84th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. 153 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 28 named failure modes on the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer, and the three most-reported carry 58% of everything filed.
Radiator or coolant leak leads with 51 reports, about 3.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 51k to 80,000 miles.
Other powertrain problem follows with 30 reports, usually reported between 21k to 65,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.
Other engine problem follows with 8 reports, usually reported between 42k to 70,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into cooling (54), transmission (34) and body (10).
When these failures get reported
123 of the reports on the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 59,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 32% by 50,000 miles, 80% by 100,000 miles and 94% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 50,000 and 60,000 miles, which alone holds 19% of the dated reports.
19% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 51k, other engine problem around 56k and radiator or coolant leak around 59k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 28. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 9 mention a crash, 5 a fire and 6 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.60, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: radiator or coolant leak at $350–$1,900, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and sunroof failure or glass breakage at $700–$4,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
64% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures, so more than half of what owners complained about here is expensive.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 51 | 43 | 51k | 59k | 80k | 3.6 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 30 | 24 | 21k | 51k | 63k | 2.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 8 | 8 | 42k | 56k | 72k | 0.6 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 6 | 6 | — | 68k | — | 0.4 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 4 | 1 | — | 8k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 4 | 2 | — | 98k | — | 0.3 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Water pump failure | cooling | 3 | 3 | — | 65k | — | 0.2 | $500–$2,200 | High |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 178k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 6k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 3 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.2 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 3 | 2 | — | 411 | — | 0.2 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 14k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 3 | 2 | — | 28k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 92k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 2 | 2 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 69k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 61k | — | 0.1 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 89k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 95k | — | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 87k | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 123k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 54k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 33k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 8 | 4 | — | 96k | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer draws about 11 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 88th percentile of complaint rates among 2006 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 14,281 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2006 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Radiator or coolant leak
There is a big problem with the 2006 mercury mountaineers and ford explorers with the v6's radiator. At very low mileages the radiator separates at the seams on the side causing a leak. This is very dangerous and expensive. I have done research on the problem and it is terrible that you only get 40k or less out of a radiator. There needs to be a recall on this problem!!! Please help. *tr
Had to replace radiator at 36,500 miles. Purchased vehicle on sept 9, 2009 as a certified mercury vehicle and within 3 months had a leak in the radiator that needed to be replaced. *tr
Other powertrain problem
I received my vehicle 1/18/2006 a mercury mountaineer. On my survey that I returned to ford in march of 2006, I told them that I hated their " slip-o-matic " transmission. I do not have all the visits documented but the second problem we had was the vehicle would come to a stop at a stop light and then a few seconds later you would feel a "thud" like you were hit from behind by another vehicle. We had the transmission reprogrammed and the valve replaced and that problem seemed to be resolved. But the slipping through the gears continued to be a persistent problem. It is almost as if when you pull out into the highway that you are in suspended animation for 1 to 1.5 seconds. This is particularly unsettling when crossing several lanes of traffic from a stopped position... Like pulling out of a gas station (with the traffic) while a semi is coming up behind you real fast or turning across traffic with out the green arrow and you really have to get across quickly sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. This occurs randomly but yet approximately 10 to 20 times a week. Right now the SUV is in the service center. I have requested the…
I bought my 2006 mercury mountaineer april 26, 2006. I started having the transmission problems december 2006. When you put on breaks to stop you hear a thud and the vehicle will actual throw you forward in the seat. It feels like you might not actually stop when it first happens. This happens daily. The fist time I took the vehicle in and left it with them, they drove it and said they did not find anything. January 2007 I took the car back to them and they did dive it and have the same problem. The called ford and ford told them there was a recall on it and they needed to put it on the computer and do a recalibrating. They did this and the problem was gone for a week and it returned. I took it back to them and they replaced a part in the transmission, this lasted a week and it started the same thing again. I am now still fussing with them about getting if fixed. They kept it 5 days last week and did nothing to it. I had an appointment with a ford rep. Last week and this past week and he did not show for either appointment. *tr
Other engine problem
My 2006 mercury mountaineer has a problem with the A/C fan unit. The A/C fan will not decrease in blower intensity even if manually downgrading the fan or turning up the temperature. Does not matter whether you are in auto or manual A/C mode. *tr
Had to replace two radiators within 30,000 miles of replacement. Exactly how many complaints, or should I say deaths (?) are needed to trigger an investigation of a company gladly receiving assistance while outputting inferior vehicles. No vehicle manufactured in 2006 should need three new radiators within 3 year and 70k miles. Stop letting ford off the hook and get serious about getting to the bottom of their issues. Just do a search on 2006 mercury mountaineer and you will clearly see there are issues with the cooling as well as the automatic transmission. In fact, our model has the same issue that others have reported with the automatic transmission and it will sometimes no moves gears, slip a gear, and tug like it is pulling out of mud at a stop light. Open a full blown investigation into their lack of quality control and the lack of professionalism on the part of the dealerships for not reporting this to corporate. *tr
Recalls on the 2006 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer, affecting an estimated 14,302 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover visibility:glass, side/rear and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
1,657 vehicles 2007-12-11- Defect
- Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as DOT-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, "glazing materials."
- Consequence
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(s) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
- Remedy
- Safelite will notify its retail customers and replace the glass free of charge. Retail customers can contact safelite toll free at 1-888-843-2906. Safelite will notify its wholesale customers and reimburse wholesale customers for current inventory and at a specified rate for replacing their customer's glass. Wholesale customers can contact safelite's wholesale division, service autoglass toll free at 1-888-246-6298. The recall began on january 15, 2008.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
199,942 vehicles 2005-11-09- Defect
- On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.
- Consequence
- After a period of continuous use on the high speed setting, lack of grease on the output shaft gear may cause the gear to distort or fracture during operation resulting in a loss of wiper function. Inoperative wipers under inclement weather conditions could cause a crash due to impaired visibility.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on november 22, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673 or lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2006 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2006 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2006 — 84th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 13 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1999 comes out best at 59 and 2005 worst at 72, with 2006 itself at 72.
If the model year is negotiable, 1999, 1997, 2001, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2002 and 2010 score lower than 2006 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2006–2010 generation specifically, 2008 is the strongest year at 68 and 2006 the weakest at 72.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2006-2010 generation, 2008 Mercury Mountaineer scores best at 68 and 2006 Mercury Mountaineer worst at 72.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 21k, other engine problem from about 42k and radiator or coolant leak from about 51k.
On a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
153 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 153 reports, 123 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 80% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer?
The most-reported failures are radiator or coolant leak (51 reports, median 60,000 miles), other powertrain problem (30 reports, median 50,000 miles) and other engine problem (8 reports, median 55,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2006 Mercury Mountaineer problems start?
Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 50,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 20,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 59,000 miles.
Is the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
It scores 72 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 84th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2006 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Mercury Mountaineer is best?
Within the 2006–2010 generation, 2008 scores best at 68 out of 100 and 2006 worst at 72. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed