Mercury Mountaineer Rod Knocking Diagnosis

A rod knock is a very serious problem.  If your Mercury Mountaineer has a knocking rod, it’s almost always going to be caused by a failure of the rod bearing or the rod caps (leading to a spun bearing) or lack of oil.   If you do have a rod knock, don’t ignore it for … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer: Bad Torque Converter → Symptoms + Diagnosis

Your Mercury Mountaineer’s torque converter is responsible for converting the energy generated by the engine at the flywheel and transferring it to the transmission, creating a bridge between the engine and the transmission.   In the Mercury Mountaineer, a bad torque converter is often caused by bad transmission fluid, worn clutches, bad seals, or loose … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer Battery Light: Why It’s On and How to Fix

If your Mercury Mountaineer’s battery light is on, it is trying to warn you that there is an issue with the charging system. The charging system itself is relatively simple.  The battery light comes on because the voltage level at the battery is too low. Quick Facts Common Causes Faulty Battery, Bad Alternator, Battery Cables, … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer Burning Smell: Causes + How to Fix

A burning smell is one of the most troublesome problems you can experience in a vehicle.  If your Mercury Mountaineer has a burning smell, there are many potential causes.   Typically, the smell is caused by some type of fluid (oil, trans fluid, etc…) hitting the exhaust or other hot parts of the engine or … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer:  Burning Oil Diagnosis

  The engine burning oil is one of the most common problems that a vehicle can encounter, particularly one with high mileage.  If your Mercury Mountaineer is burning oil it is typically caused by piston rings or valve guides.     How Much Oil Consumption is Normal? Most auto manufacturers are hesitant to tell you … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer: Backfiring Causes

  One of the more jarring vehicle problems that you can experience is a backfire.  It sounds like a shotgun blast and can scare you if you’re not prepared for it.  If your Mercury Mountaineer is backfiring, common causes include improper engine timing, bad spark plugs, engine running rich, and plug wires (if so equipped). … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer:  Oil in Coolant Diagnosis

If you’ve recently checked your Mercury Mountaineer’s coolant, and it looks almost like it has butter in it, then you probably have oil in it.  Oil in your coolant is most often caused by a blown head gasket. It can also be caused by a cracked head or even a bad radiator (well sorta, you’d … Read more

Mercury Mountaineer:  Overheating → Symptoms + Causes

One of the worst problems that can happen to your Mercury Mountaineer is overheating.  Common symptoms of overheating include smoke coming from under the hood, a pegged temperature gauge, and (eventually) a blown head gasket. If your Mountaineer is overheating, stop driving it immediately to avoid damaging the engine. Ignoring an overheating engine can lead … Read more