2008 Mercury Mariner

Above average

Owners filed 461 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. It has been recalled 4 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
106,000 milesMedian miles at failure

402 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 120,000150,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Steering272
204
Power Train46
000
Service Brakes28
000
Vehicle Speed Control19
000
Electrical System17
000
Unknown or Other13
200
Engine10
100
Power Train › Automatic Transmission9
000
Air Bags7
301
Tires4
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift15V606000
Filed Sep 29, 201557 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.

Risk. If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing15E045000
Filed Jun 3, 2015576 vehiclesTimken Company

Defect. The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.

Risk. Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.

Hybrid Propulsion System14V526000
Filed Sep 3, 201470,209 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.

Risk. If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.

Steering › Electric Power Assist System14V284000
Filed May 29, 2014740,878 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.

Risk. If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train
Filed Mar 4, 2025PA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while at a stop sign, the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depression of accelerator pedal with the oil warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The contact drove the vehicle despite the failure returning upon restarting the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and was informed that the shift lever had disengaged from the transmission. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer after the mechanic discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V606000 (Power Train); which the mechanic linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Steering
Filed Dec 26, 2024220,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at 55 -60 MPH, the power steering failed. The steering wheel became increasingly difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was turned off while the contact inspected the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted but a short distance afterwards the failure reoccurred. No warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer who informed them the vehicle was included in a recall for the vehicle, NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering), approximately 10 years ago, which had a software update as the remedy. The dealer confirmed the remedy had already been completed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 220.000.

Steering
Filed Oct 22, 2024104,392 milesPA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the electric power steering had failed. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 104,392.

Unknown or OtherCrash
Filed Jun 29, 2024OH

Car was in accident in October of 2022 has been lost since

Steering
Filed May 22, 2024OH

The steering wheel does not return to center when making turns. It is more pronounced during left turns. This is a dangerous condition that could result in the vehicle going left or right of center and striking pedestrians, bicyclists, oncoming traffic, fixed objects. An independent service center confirmed that the issue was a bad torque sensor and bad motor in the steering column. I have schedule a police inspection for 5/23/2024. Issue first appeared this year. No warnings.

Steering
Filed May 3, 2024OH

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became loose while steering in either direction. As the failure persisted, the steering wheel had become stiff and the "Power Steering Assist" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with power steering assist failure. The mechanic was unable to obtain the part needed to repair the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) which was linked to the failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Steering
Filed Mar 5, 2024160,000 milesOK

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the steering sensor however, the contact stated the failure persisted and the local mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Steering
Filed Feb 9, 2024IN

Power Steering Assist Fault. Loss of power steering.

Steering
Filed Dec 7, 2023NY

Lost all power steering. Cannot steer or turn my steering wheel

Steering
Filed Nov 6, 2023107,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel seized temporarily. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently while driving, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact's husband assisted her in driving the vehicle to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a fee would be charged for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

Power Train
Filed Sep 21, 2023309,000 milesMD

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while idled at a stop, the maintenance warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while the accelerator pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact then stated that he had to apply pressure to the accelerator pedal to increase the RPMs to approximately 3000 to allow the vehicle to proceed forward. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake pedal had to remain depressed to stop the vehicle from rolling on an incline when the vehicle failed to shift in 2nd gear. The contact stated that the vehicle was inspected by a family friend who determined the potential failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V606000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 309,000.

Steering
Filed Mar 31, 202377,000 milesSC

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking space, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed; however, the failure reoccurred while driving 35 MPH. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, however, the failure persisted. The contact used physical strength to steer the vehicle and drove to the local dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stopped driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

Steering
Filed Feb 15, 2023IA

Steering stopped while driving.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Feb 1, 202389,000 milesKS

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, he had to hard brake, however, afterward while depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was diagnosed as a hydraulic control unit (HCU) failure. The contact was informed that the HCU needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired as the parts were on backorder. The contact stated that he discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN nor the Year/Make/Model was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

Steering
Filed Jan 31, 2023186,000 milesUT

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while her husband was driving 75 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that her husband exited the freeway and veered to the side of the road while using physical force to steer the vehicle. The contact's husband was able to drive to the residence even though the failure persisted. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 186,000.

Steering
Filed Jan 30, 2023KY

The power stearing went out all at once and a light popped up saying power assit fault

Steering
Filed Dec 29, 202295,000 milesWI

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer and had the recall repair completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on December 27, 2022, while exiting her garage porch the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Steering
Filed Nov 9, 2022238,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and was difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 238,000.

Steering
Filed Oct 5, 2022NH

Our torque sensor needs replacing. McFarland Ford in Exeter said that the torque sensor was repaird via recall at First Ford in Fall River, MA 2014. We have NEVER had a problem with steering. First Ford in Fall River informed me that if we brought the vehicle in for an oil change, any recall item would have been checked, and if they found no problem with it at that time, it was reported, and that ended the recall status for our vehicle. Please, we need your help. My husband is 83; I am 70. This whole thing smells. How can checking something we had no problem with cancel a recall status on our vehicle. There was no warning. Our vehicle worked fine. We got in the next morning, and the steering wheel wouldn't turn.

Steering
Filed Sep 19, 2022185,669 milesVA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) and an inspection was performed along with a software update. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality making it difficult to turn to the left or the right. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality was restored. The failure occurred three times on the same day. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure however, the vehicle had not been taken the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 185,669.

20 of 461 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
201187300Routine
2010270320Above average
2009315200Above average
2008 — this page461400Above average
200733300Routine
200663400Routine
200567300Routine
20040100Routine
20030100Routine
20020100Routine
20010100Routine

Compare every Mariner year →

Reading this record

Complaint volume is well above typical for a single model year.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Sep 29, 2015. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.