Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Mercury Mariner problems

Owners filed 63 complaints about the 2006 Mercury Mariner with NHTSA between Feb 2006 and Nov 2022. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (13).

Complaints
63
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control13
  2. Power train11
  3. Steering9
  4. Suspension8
  5. Engine8
  6. Structure5
  7. Fuel/propulsion system4
  8. Service brakes4
  9. Electrical system4
  10. Air bags3
  11. Tires3
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  13. Fuel system, gasoline2
  14. Engine and engine cooling2

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 10, 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
20066
20073
20084
20090
20103
20113
20127
20138
20149
20155
20163
20173
20181
20192
20204
20211
20221

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

Vehicle speed control

13 reports1 crash
“TONE RING SNAPPED OFF OF AXLE AND CAUSED THE CAR TO GO INTO 2WD AND APPLY THE ABS BRAKES WHEN NOT ACTUALLY BEING NEEDED WHICH ALMOST ENDED UP IN REAR ENDING A CAR WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. TONE RING DESIGN NEEDS LOOKED IT. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. CORROSION BUILDING UP BETWEEN THE TONE RING AND AXLE SEEMS TO BE WHAT CAUSED THE FORCE OF SNAPPING THIS RING. JUST A POOR DESIGN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2014Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 10622413

Power train

11 reports1 crash1 related recall
“RECALL FOR COOLANT PUMP ON HYBRID SYSTEM COULD RESULT IN HYBRID ELECTRONIC OVERHEATING CAUSING A STALL LIKE CONDITION RECALL WAS ADDRESSED BY DEALERSHIP BACK ON 7/20/2015 2ND OWNER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR 9 MNTHS - HAVE HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN WITH DASH LIGHT ADVISING TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY AND THE SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN DIRECTLY AFTER - BRAKES /STEERING ETC. FOR THE FIRST INCIDENT - TOWED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP - UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE 2ND INCIDENT - TO A REPUTABLE LOCAL MECHANICS SHOP - CHANGED OUT NORMAL VEHICLE BATTERY 3RD INCIDENT - CAUSED DRIVER TO ROLL THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT - STRUCK BY OTHER VEHICLE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2020Steering, Power train, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11312062

Steering

9 reports1 crash
“MY VEHICLE: 2006 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID SUV. PURCHASED NEW IN 2006. IN HOT WEATHER...VEHICLE ENGINE QUITS WHILE IN MOTION ON FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH (3 TIMES), AND CITY STREETS (3 TIMES). EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN ENGINE QUITS WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC. ALL YOU CAN DO (WHILE PRAYING!) IS COAST TO A STOP AND DO YOUR BEST TO PULL OFF ON TO SHOULDER OF ROAD WITHOUT CRASHING INTO OTHER VEHICLES. WE HAVE TRIED 3 TIMES TO GET FORD MOTOR TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM...ALL TO NO AVAIL. THE LAST TIME WE HAD TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $1,500. HOWEVER, FORD MOTOR DID REIMBURSE US! BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY CLAIMED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. NOT TRUE! ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER THE PROBLEM STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. FOR10 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE THAT WAS--AT ALL TIMES--A DANGER TO OUR LIVES. FORD MOTOR SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS PROBLEM MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY AND EITHER REPLACED THE VEHICLE WITH A ANOTHER ONE, OR TRULY FIXED THE PROBLEM. I FEEL FORD MOTOR HAS LIABILITY IN THIS MATTER. THE LAST TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WAS JULY 16, 2017.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2017Steering, EngineODI 11023371

Suspension

8 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS DAUGHTER WHO OWNS A 2006 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HIS DAUGHTER TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 -20 MPH, THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO VEER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER VEHICLES. A TOWING COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND CV-JOINT WERE FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15E045000 (SUSPENSION) WAS REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AGO, AFTER THE WHEEL COLLAPSED ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2020SuspensionODI 11354429

Engine

8 reports
“AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ON A CITY STREET. THE VEHICLE WILL JUST SHUT OFF, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT DOES THIS SEVERAL TIMES. EVERY TIME THE CAR IS BEEN DRIVEN IT WILL SHUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES AND ME AND MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN IN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED. IT CONTINUES TO DO THIS AT ANY SPEED AND EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR NOT EVEN A MILE BEFORE IT TOTALLY SHUTS OFF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2021Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11404452

Structure

5 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AND MY CAR SUDDENLY DINT TURN WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING. ME AND MY PASSENGERS SOMEHOW ESCAPED THE LIFE THREATENING SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC. IT WAS MY CARS SUB FRAME THAT WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT IT BROKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS AFTER I SERVICE MY CAR EVERY NOW AND THEN. ITS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH DUE TO THIS CARELESSNESS FROM THE COMPANY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2018StructureODI 11082502
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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