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#BS-2008-MERMAR-393E2008 Mercury Mariner
Based on reports from 554 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 554 complaints, 11 crashes, 0 fires, and 4 recalls.
Top reported problems
power steering stopped working
11 complaints • Severity 8.9/10
revs high and slips
4 complaints • Severity 8.5/10
transmission went out
3 complaints • Severity 9.3/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
296 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 105K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (116 reports) • Median: 105K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (296 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2008 Mercury Mariner: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 53% of all reports filed for the 2008 Mercury Mariner, with 296 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 105,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 105K-mile mark.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2008 Mercury Mariner, with 55 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2008 Mercury Mariner, with 34 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Speed Control Issues
Speed Control complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2008 Mercury Mariner, with 29 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2008 Mercury Mariner. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (4 recalls)
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Mercury Mariner is the 2006 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2008 Mercury Mariner vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)
This vehicle
554
Class avg
387
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles from 2008.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 554 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Mercury Mariner Model Years
View all Mercury Mariner years →2008 Mercury Mariner: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Mercury Mariner?
Is the 2008 Mercury Mariner reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2008 Mercury Mariner problems?
Does the 2008 Mercury Mariner have any recalls?
What mileage do Mercury Mariner problems start?
What’s in the full report?
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Get the Full 2008 Mercury Mariner Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 554 owner reports. Know before you buy.