Axle Assembly Problems of Mercury Mountaineer

Front end noise and vibration this is happening to a large number of Ford SUV explorers and Mountaineers. It is effecting the driving and shakes the steering wheel. The SUV springs are making a large noisy sound when turning and cant turn all the way in one direction. Truck just stops at a certain point.

See all problems of the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

2002 mountainer had rear axles replaced twice, front once , still leaks differntial fluid . All seals replaced twice, dealer said it wasn't ongoing problem ,but most 2002 Mountaineer owners seemed to have simliar problems. This was 1st year awd models were produced, now 3 months after last repair steeering buckles in low range tires seem to fight turning. Car isn't safe.

01/18/07 when truck shifts gears it vibrates. Solution: flush automatic transmission fluid. (also changed oil) helped for a few months but problem is back. ($198. 95) 5/29/07 air bag light stays on. Solution: replaced drivers side pretensioner. (also changed oil). $273. 19 6/26/07 heard very loud clunking noise. Solution: replaced front differential (internal damage to clutches), both rear axle seals (because of leakage) $1580. 23 11/07/07 truck makes loud noise from the rear and seems to jump while turning. Solution: front end alignment and replace seals in rear. $482. 97 still have the loud noise and jumping. 12/13/07 take truck to different place with same problem. Solution: replace left front hub bearing. $401. 73. 02/18/08 still have same problem with loud noise and jumping. Solution: left rear hub bearing, drums in rear, and now mechanic tells me I need clutch packs in rear to solve problem. Tells me I should take it back to the dealer. ??? $380. 00. Now I can add all of this up 198. 95+273. 19+1580. 23+482. 97+401. 73+380. 00=$3017. 07 to finally get my truck fixed---------priceless!!!!!!!!!.

2003 Mercury Mountaineer awd 4. 0l. We purchased our Mountaineer in June of 2004, with 22,000 miles on the odometer. Approximately 300 miles into our ownership, we experienced a front bearing wine. Dealership covered defect under 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. Other defects covered. . . Replacement of the rear speed sensor at 23,454 miles. A 2nd abs problem required a new actuator speed control switch assembly at 28,419 miles. Transmission shift solenoid replaced at 32,075 miles. Driver side passenger window motor replaced at 33,443 miles. Recall on rear glass hatch lift struts at 27,379 miles. January 23, 2006 our Mountaineer now has 42,777 miles on the odometer. We noticed a low pitch noise starting at 25-30 mph and becoming higher in pitch at higher speeds. Our local Lincoln / Mercury dealership service advisor determined we had a faulty rear axle ring & pinion gear set. They rebuilt our rear axle using the VIN # to determine actual bill of sales date, which was June of 2003. This gave us a warranty until June of 2006 thus nearing the end of our 36 months warranty. We regretfully admit paying a $200. 00 deductible the dealership asked for. We drove off with our newly rebuilt axle in our Mountaineer. Our noisy axle never went away. The dealership blamed this due to worn and noisy tires. We replaced these tires at 47,500 miles or 4,500 miles after the original axle noise complaint with no real apparent change to our noisy problem. Our Mercury Mountaineer went back into the shop at 48,300 miles with a noise still distinctive from the rear. Again our local Mercury dealership took a look at the SUV with the service manager riding in the vehicle. His comment. . . Sounds like an on-going rear axle issue. He would check with his district manager about replacing the entire axle assembly this time around. They contacted us by phone the next day. They didn't believe it was the axle, but one of the rear outer hub wheel bearing assemblies. It would cost us $270. 00.

See all problems of the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

Rear axle failure at 11,000 (side bearings) and 48,000 miles(bearings and rear axle). Due to design mistakes, and probably cost reduction programs, mud can trap open a breather valve for the rear axle. Then water goes through the valve and into the axle, and destroys the side bearings,and clutch flange,and pinion. The replacement cost of these items is nearly$1,300.

See all problems of the 2004 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

Consumer called complaining that front wheel axle broke while driving at 65 mph. Manufacturer was not contacted at the time of this call . However, dealer was contacted, and stated that the vehicle had no warranty, and the consumer would have to pay for the repairs.

See all problems of the 1998 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

The rear end makes a noise while driving, also during right turns, tried to get it repaired twice before!.

See all problems of the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

This report is about an ongoing problem with my Mercury Mountaineer that first occurred in November, 1998, and continues intermittently to this day. Usually in temperatues under 55 degrees, a high pitched whistle/squeal sound can be heard from the body front, both right and left. Ford is aware of this problem, and has addressed it in their TSB 5506, NHTSA item #sb605189. The cause is apparently the front axle seal(s), and Ford's solution is temporary, to lubricate the affected area. They supposedly are working on a permanent solution, although it has been nearly a year since they identified the problem, over a year since I reported it to my dealership. Upon writing to Ford about my problem, they assured me the problem was non-degenerative, I. E. Not a safety issue, and they were working on a solution. In the meantime, I should have the temp. Solution applied. However, I have had the temp. Solution applied 4 seperate times, and each time, the noise comes back after just a little while. Each time the temp. Lube is applied, it quells the problem for a shorter and shorter period of time. Given the fact that the temp. Solution is less and less effective over time, as well as the fact that the whistling/squeling noise sounds as if it is a metal-on-metal type of sound, I challenge Ford's claim that the problem is not a saftey issue, and feel it may be only a matter of time until the tires break off or the axle seal collapses. I have no confidence Ford is pursuing a permanent solution-developing new seals I assume (given that they have supposedly been working on it for a year). My dealership has been 100% understanding and helpful, but cannot provide a solution that does not exist, although they continue to assure me a permanent solution is in the works per Ford. I feel I have exhausted my options in pursuing information and a solution to this problem, and am very worried that my safety is at risk from a defective, poorly designed front axle-tire assembly.