VehicleVerdict

1997 Mercury Mountaineer tires & wheels problems

The 1997 Mercury Mountaineer has 164 tires & wheels complaints filed with NHTSA — 41% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

164

Tires & Wheels complaints

41%

Share of year

6

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Tires & Wheels complaints by year

Mountaineer tires & wheels complaints by model year164 complaints1996: 2 complaints1997: 164 complaints1998: 107 complaints1999: 55 complaints2000: 24 complaints2001: 3 complaints2002: 14 complaints2003: 4 complaints2004: 5 complaints2005: 2 complaints2006: 4 complaints2007: 5 complaints2008: 2 complaints
Mountaineer tires & wheels complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

00T005000Tires & WheelsAugust 21, 2000 · 14,400,000 units

Defect

TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT WEATHER, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SEPARATION OF THE TIRE TREAD.

Consequence

IF THE TREAD SEPARATES FROM THE TIRE, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy

THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.

What owners report

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. THERE WAS NO SIDEWALL , AND TREAD WAS STRANDED. ACTUALLY, THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE RIM. TIRE WAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS #AT. THERE WERE NO INJURIUES, AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Tires & Wheels · August 6, 2000 · crash

Common questions

How many tires & wheels complaints does the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer have?

NHTSA has 164 complaints about the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer tires & wheels — 41% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer tires & wheels?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the tires & wheels: 00T005000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.