2008 Mercury Mariner Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Mariner years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 461 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercury Mariner. That is the most of any Mariner model year in the database (11 years). The most reported problem area is steering (297 complaints, 64%), typically at around 120,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 5 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 461owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Mercury Mariner problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 297 | 64% | 120,000 | “steering assist” (23%) | $1,800 |
| Power Train problems | 66 | 14% | 62,061 | “transmission cooler” (12%) | $2,850 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 7% | 78,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 6% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 27 | 6% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 4% | 119,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 14 | 3% | 113,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 2% | 80,800 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 2% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 1% | 2,047 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 1% | 125,326 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 1% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 1% | 169,346 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 17,977 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 104,689 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 50,763 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 129,100 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 76,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 145,944 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 92,720 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 145,944 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Mercury Mariner recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Hybrid propulsion system
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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 system
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of power steering while driving (DP15001) — opened Apr 1, 2015, closed Jun 14, 2018.
- Tire valve cracking (PE08060) — opened Oct 14, 2008, closed Apr 9, 2009.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
Car was in accident in October of 2022 has been lost since
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…
Other Mercury Mariner years
← 2007 Mariner · 2009 Mariner →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Mariner | 87 | 2 |
| 2010 Mariner | 270 | 2 |
| 2009 Mariner | 315 | 1 |
| 2008 | 461 | 3 |
| 2007 Mariner | 33 | 2 |
| 2006 Mariner | 63 | 3 |
| 2005 Mariner | 67 | 2 |
| 2004 Mariner | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 Mariner | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 Mariner | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 Mariner | 0 | 1 |
See all Mercury Mariner problems by year, every Mercury model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Mercury models
Embed this 2008 Mercury Mariner badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercury Mariner?
Owners most often report steering, power train, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 297 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Mercury Mariner?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Mercury Mariner a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Mariner model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.