1997 Ford Expedition vs 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Expedition | 1997 Mercury Mountaineer |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 853 | 328 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 373 | 293 |
| Investigations | 7 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 52 | 41 |
| Fire reports | 74 | 10 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 13–15 | 14 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 120,000 mi | 124,323 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Expedition | Mercury Mountaineer |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 36 | 138 |
| Suspension | 138 | 15 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 79 | 59 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 96 | 37 |
| Electrical System | 95 | 15 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 89 | 14 |
| Steering | 94 | 5 |
| Power Train | 76 | 8 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Vibration / shaking | 37 | 17 |
| Rust / corrosion | 32 | 5 |
| Stalling | 24 | 6 |
| Brake problems | 23 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 11 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 9 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 9 | 0 |
| Water leaks | 9 | 0 |
1997 Ford Expedition
1997 Mercury Mountaineer
Compare all Ford Expedition vs Mercury Mountaineer years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.