FaultScore

1997 Mercury Mountaineer seat belt problems

12 of the 399 complaints about the 1997 Mercury Mountaineer are about the seat belts — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 150,000 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seat Belts 7 58.3%
Front 3 25.0%
Buckle Assembly 2 16.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 185,000 miles Springboro, OH

SEAT BELTS

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH. 185,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #11311224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 198,000 miles Buchanan, MI

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT REFUSES TO LATCH AND, IF IT DOES LATCH, COMES UNLATCHED ON ITS OWN. ON INSPECTION, THE 'GUTS' OF THE MECHANISM ARE GONE.

NHTSA complaint #11100258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 137,400 miles Newnan, GA

SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH.

NHTSA complaint #10794584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 170,000 miles Santa Cruz, CA

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10693941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 132,145 miles Houston, TX

SEAT BELTS

I ATTEMPTED TO CONNECT THE TWO PORTIONS OF THE DRIVER FRONT SEAT BELT AND THE LATCHING MECHANISM IN THE FEMALE PORTION WOULD NOT LATCH, THEREBY DEFEATING MY ABILITY TO SECURE THE SEAT BELT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT QUOTED ME ALMOST $200 TO REPAIR THE BELT, INDICATING THE OEM KIT WAS ALMOST $150. SOMEONE IS PROFITEERING ON DEFECTIVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10508701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 175,000 miles Troy, MI

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT FASTEN.

NHTSA complaint #10448358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Berwick, PA

SEAT BELTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT ON AND THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT SNAP INTO PLACE. THE FAILURE HAD BEEN ON GOING FOR ONE WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA complaint #10390198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 124,646 miles Virginia Beach, VA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO LATCH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THE RELEASE MECHANISM WAS STUCK. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 103,000. UPDATED 01/07/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/31/07

NHTSA complaint #10201791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Bitely, MI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WHEN INSERTED. THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY RELEASES THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND DOES NOT LOCK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER OR INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #10148228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tempe, AZ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT SECURE AND HOLD, WHICH IS DANGEROUS IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN HIT THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BY CONSUMER.

NHTSA complaint #10109539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pompano Beach, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

FRONT SEAT BELTS WILL NOT UNLATCH. CONSUMER AND PASSENGER HAD TO SLITHER OUT OF THE SEAT IN ORDER TO BE RELEASED. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA complaint #10103146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Keaau, HI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

I HAVE A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. IN WHICH JUST RECENTLY MY SEATBELT(DRIVER) DOES NOT HOLD. IT KEEPS ON SLIDING OUT. THERE IS NO TENSION IN THE BUCKLE. I TOOK IT IN TO FORD TO GET IT REPAIRED IN WHICH I HAVE TO PAY $87.24. THEY SAID THAT THE MILEAGE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.I LOOKED UP SOME RECALLS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE NAVIGATORS AND THE EXPEDITIONS ON THE 1997-2000 MODELS AND ALSO ON THE 2000 MOUNTAINEERS . WHICH INCLUDES FORD EXPLOYERS F-150,ECT. I FEEL THAT THERE IN NO DIFFERENCE IN THE SEATBELTS ON THESE VEHICLES. SAFETY COMES FIRST. INFACT THE DAY IT HAPPENED I CALLED FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND THEY GAVE ME AN APPOINTMENT ONE WEEK LATER. IN WHICH I THINK THAT A SEATBELT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THEY SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME THAT DAY. PLEASE HELP ME.

NHTSA complaint #10000475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Mercury Mountaineer problems

← Full 1997 Mercury Mountaineer report