Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid problems

Owners filed 116 complaints about the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is service brakes (29).

Complaints
116
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes29
  2. Engine28
  3. Steering24
  4. Electrical system22
  5. Fuel/propulsion system17
  6. Power train16
  7. Engine and engine cooling13
  8. Vehicle speed control11
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  10. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  11. Hybrid propulsion system2
  12. Service brakes, electric2
  13. Structure1
  14. Fuel system, gasoline1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20109
20118
201210
201312
201427
201511
20167
201711
201811
20194
20201
20211
20223
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes

29 reports1 crash
“ABS BRAKE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON. BRAKES PRETTY MUCH STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING TO THE LIGHTS. HAD TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO GET BRAKES. VERY UNSAFE. NOW THE BRAKE IS STUCK ON AND THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. HAVE TALKED TO AND READ ABOUT SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL YET?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2019Service brakesODI 11220781

Engine

28 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITH AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANDY MOHR FORD LOCATED AT 2713 E. MAIN ST, PLAINFIELD, IN 46168 HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 11, 2020Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11328361

Steering

24 reports
“The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The Power Steering Assist Fault message was displayed. The contact was able to drive to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 226,118.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2023SteeringODI 11553795

Electrical system

22 reports
“WE BOUGHT VEHICLE IN JAN, 2018 FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, AS A WORK VEHICLE FOR MY HUSBAND, WHO IS A USPS RURAL ROUTE CARRIER. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS IN WINTER. WE BELIEVE THE PRIOR OWNER KNEW ABOUT THIS. THE LIGHT WOULD JUST GO ON & OFF WITH NO PATTERN. ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS LATER, HE WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HGWY (55 MPH) DELIVERING MAIL. HE WENT TO PULL FORWARD BUT THE CAR MADE A BRIEF NOISE AND THEN EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR WOULDN'T START, NO ELECTRICAL OR LIGHTS, HE COULD NOT EVEN ROLL THE VEHICLE BY HIMSELF TO A SAFE PLACE W/OUT HELP. THE ELECTRICAL AND PROPULSION SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING; PERIOD. WE ENDED UP DRAGGING IT HOME. DEALERSHIP GAVE EST. AMT OF REPAIRS AROUND $18K. I FOUND THE RECALL IN 2014 (14S19) FOR THE SAME THING. THE MEC PUMP WAS REPLACED IN 2014, WITH A "SUPPLEMENTAL" FIX IN 2015 SAME ISSUE. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS THE PREVIOUS RECALL, WHICH NEITHER MERCURY OR ANY DEALERSHIP WANTS TO HONOR. I'M GUESSING THERE ARE MORE HYBRID MARINERS W/ SIMILAR ISSUES, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ISSUE A FOLLOW-UP RECALL. SO HERE WE ARE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11170270

Fuel/propulsion system

17 reports
“STOP SAFELY NOW CHIMES AND DISPLAYED ON DASH FOLLOWED BY NO ACCELERATION UNTIL VEHICLE STALLS AND STOPS.STARTS RIGHT BACK UP BUT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY IN LA RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS! HAD RECALL WORK DONE ON THE MECS 3YRS AGO BUT PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED. THIS HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION ON THE 110 FREEWAY IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGLELES, CA. COULD BE THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE BODY OR REAR ACTUATOR. OR ANY OTHER COMPONENT THAT WORKS WITH THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND BATTERY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2018Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11156589

Power train

16 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, IT BEGAN TO ROLL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V606000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. *TT UPDATED 11/30/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2018Power trainODI 11123017
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.