2008 Mercury MARINER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
461 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
106,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 403 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 296 of 461 complaints (64.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 294 | 63.8% |
| Braking behavior | 56 | 12.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 53 | 11.5% |
| Engine operation | 36 | 7.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 296 |
| Power Train | 55 |
| Service Brakes | 29 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 |
| Electrical System | 23 |
| Unknown Or Other | 19 |
| Engine | 14 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 12 |
Steering: 296; Power Train: 55; Service Brakes: 29; Vehicle Speed Control: 29; Electrical System: 23; Unknown Or Other: 19; Engine: 14; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 21 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 51 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 80 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 146 |
| 150,000 and above | 83 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 51; 75,000 to 99,999: 80; 100,000 to 149,999: 146; 150,000 and above: 83
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (146). 58 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2014 | 56 |
| 2015 | 43 |
| 2016 | 59 |
| 2017 | 45 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 48 |
| 2020 | 30 |
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2007: 2; 2008: 6; 2009: 10; 2010: 10; 2011: 10; 2012: 14; 2013: 27; 2014: 56; 2015: 43; 2016: 59; 2017: 45; 2018: 45; 2019: 48; 2020: 30; 2021: 25; 2022: 15; 2023: 8; 2024: 7; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 294 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 53 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10201058 · 2007-08-28 (August 28, 2007)
TRAVELING THROUGH WILLIAMSBURG, VA EN ROUTE TO VACATION WHEN POWERTRAIN LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND POWER STEERING IS LOST. ABLE TO STEER VEHICLE INTO PARKING LOT TO WAIT FOR TOW. HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET TO THE OPEN RENTAL LOCATIONS TO CONTINUE ON TRIP, UNLOAD ALL LUGGAGE INCLUDING A LOADED ROOF RACK INTO PARKING LOT AND RELOAD WHEN RENTAL ARRIVES AN HOUR LATER. CAR WAS TOWED THE NEXT DAY TO THE CLOSEST MERCURY DEALER WHO DETERMINES THE PROBLEM WAS AN INCORRECTLY SEATED CONNECTOR PIN. DEALER SECURED PIN AND PERFORMED TEST ON POWER STEERING MODULE…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,061 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201058 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243195 · 2008-09-23 (September 23, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL ROUGHNESS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS IN THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE IN WHICH THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED TSB NUMBER 10022282 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES) IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT UPDATED COMPLAINT ON D…
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243195 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10201053 · 2007-08-28 (August 28, 2007)
CAR HAD 2,500 MILES WHEN BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND ONLY HAD MANUAL BRAKING. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY NEEDED TO CONSULT WITH FORD SPECIALISTS TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SURE IF IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER OR THE BRAKES. THE REPLACEMENT PART HAD TO PULLED FROM THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE NOT DUE UNTIL 8-15-2007. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER ON 7-26-2007. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 2,507 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201053 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10288838 · 2009-10-18 (October 18, 2009)
ON 09-24-2009 WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95 TOWARDS MAINE NEAR PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OUR VEHICLE A 2008 MERCURY MARINER, WITH 15,682 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, LOST ALL BRAKING CAPABILITY AT 65 MPH. BEING A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER I WAS ABLE TO TALK MY WIFE, WHO WAS DRIVING, OVER INTO A BREAKDOWN LANE IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID COLLISION WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS, MOTOR VEHICLES AND FIXED OBJECTS. ULTIMATELY THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ONTO AN OFF RAMP AND ONTO A SIDEWALK AND GRASS AREA TO INCREASE FRICTION TO REDUCE SPEED. THIS WAS SEVERAL MILES IN THE MAKING…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,682 miles reported. Look up ODI 10288838 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10247136 · 2008-10-29 (October 29, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND STALLED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND THE TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,094 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247136 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10247862 · 2008-11-06 (November 6, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND PROCEEDING TO A STOP, THE ENGINE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE OIL LEAKAGE FROM THE GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,094 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552398 · 2013-11-15 (November 15, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING GEAR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR DUE TO THE FORMAT OF THE ELECTRICAL STEERING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552398 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10575567 · 2014-03-29 (March 29, 2014)
I HAD JUST MADE A RIGHT TURN AND WAS PROCEEDING DOWN THE BLOCK WHEN I HEARD A SUDDEN "CLICK" AND LOST POWER. I COULDN'T STEER AND THERE WAS NO POWER. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR OVER TO THE CURB AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I RESTARTED IT A FEW MINUTES LATER AND IT STARTED UP OK. HOWEVER, THE RSC WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON EVEN THOUGH I HAD NEVER PRESSED THAT BUTTON. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM SO I GOT A NEW BATTERY. THAT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND I CAN'T IMAGINE …
Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575567 at NHTSA ↗