Problems · by component
2008 Mercury Mariner electrical system problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Mercury Mariner cite electrical system, 6% of all 461 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
27
6% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE CAR WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (A CITY STREET, NOT A HIGHWAY) AND A TRIANGULAR LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH A MESSAGE TO STOP SAFELY. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND I HAD TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT. THIS HAD HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY AND I HAD PAID A DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE HYBRID COOLING PUMP. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS PART HAD BEEN RECALLED AND WAS REIMBURSED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE ORIGINAL REPAIR. THE SAME PART HAS FAILED AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT UPON CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE PART AGAIN.”
“THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN IT COMES TO A STOP, MID TURN, SLOWING DOWN, AND SOMETIMES ACCELERATING. SEVERAL WEBSITES SHOW 100'S OF COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS A MAY SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT DIES AT ANY POINT WHILE DRIVING.”
“FORD'S RECALL "CODE 14S19" ON 2005-2008 MARINER HYBRIDS AND ESCAPE HYBRIDS SHOULD COVER ALL OF THESE HYBRIDS BUT IT HAS EXCEPTIONS! FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON *SOME* OF THE 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS AND *SOME* OF THE CORRESPONDING MERCURY MARINER HYBRIDS. HOWEVER THEY ARE REFUSING TO ISSUE A RECALL ON MY PARTICULAR 2008 MARINER HYBRID (WHICH IS EXHIBITING THE ELECTRONIC OVERHEATING PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL WHERE THE STOP SAFELY NOW COMES ON AND THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER). THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX MY MARINER JUST BECAUSE THE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE PARTICULAR MANUFACTURING LOT COVERED BY THE ORIGINAL FORD RECALL - THOUGH MY SUV DOES FALL IN THE DATE RANGE MENTIONED IN THE RECALL) I AM CERTAIN THIS RECALL SHOULD COVER MORE HYBRID SUV THAN FORD HAS ADMITTED TO, AND SINCE THE MARINERS HAD A VERY LIMITED PRODUCTION RUN, IT IS LESS LIKELY THAT THERE WIL BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DUE TO THIS VERY SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING ISSUE - AND I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS INCLUDING ON NHTSA. FORD SHOULD EXPAND THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE ALL DEFECTIVE FORD ESCAPES AND MARINER HYBRIDS BEFORE…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERBALE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS COLD STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO LOCATED FAILURE CODE: B2278 (STEERING TORQUE SENSOR). THE DEALER (KOONS SILVER SPRING FORD, 3111 AUTOMOBILE BLVD #1, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904, (855) 458-6764) DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY AND IGNITION HOUSING ASSEMBLY WERE NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.”
“IN MARCH 2018, I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE WHEN COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT AND MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS EVERY TIME FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. THEN TOWARD MID MARCH, I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND THE POWER STEERING TOTALLY WENT OUT.IT STATED ON PANEL "POWER STEERING DEFAULT ASSIST." IT TOOK EXTREME EFFORT TO STEER THE WHEEL TO THE SIDE AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY RIGID. BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE, IT HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN TO MOVE CAR IN APARTMENT PARKING LOT. I GOT THIS VEHICLE IN JUNE 2017 FROM A CAR DEALER WITH NO WARRANTY. FORD SAYS THIS VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL FOR TORQUE PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. AS THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND A SAFETY HAZARD, I WANT THIS VEHICLE VIN ADDED TO RECALL LIST. IF I DRIVE IT ON OPEN ROAD, IT WILL SURELY CAUSE INJURY TO MY FAMILY. I CAN'T EVEN MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONWAY FORD (2393 US-501, CONWAY, SC 29526) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TT CONTACT STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVER NIGHT IN A PARKING GARAGE THE STEERING WAS COMPLETELY OUT UPON STARTING VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY STEERING WOULD WORK IS WITH THE HELP WITH ANOTHER PERSON TURNING THE WHEEL. CONTACT STATES IGNITION STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TT”
Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.