I had tire blowout while driving at aprox.55-60 MPH. Vehicle veered from the road . Tire shows signs of tread separation in an area about 8 inches long that runs along the sidewall and raps about 1/3 of the way across the tire. The tire was a right rear wilderness at. *ak (dot number: w2hl tiresize: p235 75 15)
The worst 1996 Mercury Mountaineer problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Tires2
- Acceleration1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Tires2
- Acceleration1
Recalls 1
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with 5.0l engines originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, idaho, iowa, maine, michigan (upper peninsula only), minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. These vehicles, when operated for extended periods of time at highway speeds and temperatures below -20 degrees farenheit, do not return to idle due to ice in the throttle body.
- Risk
- Although the vehicle can be controlled by either applying the service brakes or shifting the transmission to neutral, increased brake pedal efforts or some increase in stopping distance can result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a revised pcv system with water heated vacuum source.
Recall number 97V074000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer 57
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Various noise issues from the rear leaf springs while driving
- Experiencing a clicking / popping noise from the upper steering column area when turning the steering wheel
- Concerns with high brake pedal force to stop after rotor machining
- Some 4X4 vehicles may exhibit a fluid leak from the front axle vent tube
- Concerns with vehicles exhbit fluid leakage from the front axle vent tube
- Information on replacing a gem module on 4X4 vehicles equipped with 4.0L sohc, ohv and the neutral tow kit
- Information regarding front sway bar link
- Some vehicles equipped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit a rubbing noise during right hand turns from the...
- Information regarding pump alignment tools
- Some vehicles may experience an oil leak at the rear crankshaft area after service
What 1996 Mercury Mountaineer owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My wife purchased a 1996 mercury mountaineer in hawaii in february 1998. The vehicle came equipped with wilderness at tires (vnhl ipy 336 235/75 r15). In december 1999, tread on one of the new tires separated when the vehicle had 25,005 miles on it while driving in hawaii at a speed of about 55 MPH. We went to a firestone dealer in waipahu, hi and were told we had to buy a new tire ($39.97 ) that would be prorated based upon the remaining tread. The low cost for the new tire reflected the lack of tread wear on the bad tie. Unfortunately, this replacement tire was another wilderness tire (8xhl 1py 1100 235/75 r15). While in el paso in may 2000, as were driving the mountainer across country, a second of the original "vnhl" tires suffered tread separation and had to be replaced. As we were replacing the second tire, with another wilderness at (8xhl 1py 269, 235/75 r15 ), at a prorated cost of $64.99, the mechanic, at bob musel mesa firestone in el paso, noticed that a third "vnhl" on the ground was bad because it had a chunk of tread missing from the tire. He took this bad tire off the ground and it is now my useless spare. Fortunately, no one was injured during either incident. But I think our lunck might be running out. The tread separation LED us to condude in may that the original wilderness at tires that camne with the veh were clearly defective, and the recent firestone recall suggests that all of the wilderness tires are probably defective, despite the distinction that is currently being proferred. We visited firesstone dealers in newark (cochran & trevits) and new castle (scott balmann, managere) delaware this past weekend to attempt to have our dangerous, defective tires replaced. We showed our receipts, told our story and got no results. In each case, the dealership stated that neither "vnhl" or 8xhl" dot designated wildereness at tires were part of the recall established by firestone. My former/current "vhnl" tires are bad!!!!
While driving 40 MPH throttle remains open, causing unatttended acceleration. Cause unknown. Please give any further details.
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Questions about the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer
Is the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer, fewer than a typical Mountaineer model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer?
Tires, with 2 complaints. Next is acceleration (1).
How many recalls does the 1996 Mercury Mountaineer have?
1 recall, covering vehicle speed control.
What year does the Mercury Mountaineer have bad tires?
The Mercury Mountaineer model years with the most tires complaints are 1997 (138 complaints), 1998 (95 complaints) and 1999 (51 complaints).
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