The 2003 Mercury Mountaineer is a SUV that came with a choice of 4.0L 6-cyl and 4.6L 8-cyl engines. At 23 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 13–14 city / 18–19 highway / 15–16 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,200–$4,450 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 555–592 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations: Mountaineer 2WD, Mountaineer 4WD, Mountaineer 4WD FFV, Mountaineer 2WD FFV |
| Age | 23 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer. You can confirm with your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Owners have filed 152 complaints about the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer with NHTSA. 6 reports involved a crash and 5 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 9 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | — |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 120 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or
Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 2 defect investigations covering the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer.
Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure m
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or t
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2003 Mountaineers that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
Get a free offer in minutes. Towing is always free and you get paid at pickup.