What breaks most · 2005 to 2011 model years
Mercury Mariner problems by year
Owners have filed 1,014 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercury Mariner across model years 2005 to 2011. Three years stand out: 2008 for steering complaints, 2010 for speed control and throttle complaints and 2009 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2006 and 2005.
- Years to check closely: 2008, 2010, 2009
- Fewest complaints: 2006, 2005
- Complaints on file
- 10142005 to 2011, all trims
- Worst year
- 2008354 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 252 fires · 30 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 82kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 22Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 6 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (15) | |
| 57 | 4 | 4 | Speed control and throttle (13) | |
| 28 | 0 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (10) | |
| 354 | 7 | 4 | Steering (229) | |
| 218 | 5 | 2 | Steering (90) | |
| 221 | 1 | 3 | Speed control and throttle (66) | |
| 71 | 2 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (24) |
What fails on the 2008 Mercury Mariner
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 65% |
229 | 4 | Shop steering parts for the 2008 Mercury Mariner |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 15% |
54 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
28 | 0 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2008 Mercury Mariner |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 6% |
21 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2008 Mercury Mariner |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 4% |
13 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2008 Mercury Mariner |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 3% |
11 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2008 Mercury Mariner |
| Unknown or other | 3% |
9 | 1 | — |
| Air bags | 2% |
7 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Power steering assist module stoped working for no reason while i was driving. Many other complaints with this problem my mechanic is telling me it is a 50% chance i may have to replace the entire steering column.
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When intering to tunnel my car suddenly speed up it felt like i had the gas pedle down to the floor. Even while holding the brake all the way down, this did not slow the car down much. There were no warning lights or check engine lights on then or now
-
I started car up went to pull out of a parking spot the car was fine when i parked it earlier i could steer the car i had two use two hands . I took the car for a computer check i was told by jack williams auto that there is a recall for the steeringtorque sensor malfunction.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercury Mariner years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2008, 2010, 2009 carry the most filings on the Mercury Mariner. The 2008 alone has 354 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Mercury Mariner problem?
On the 2008 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 229 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercury Mariner problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercury Mariner complaints that include mileage is about 82,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.