There are 9 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2008 Mercury Marinerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
SPEEDOMETER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES KEEP GOING OUT AND CAUSING SUV TO NOT START
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MODULE WENT OUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BARBER FORD IN HOLLAND, MI (640 E 8TH). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
KEY IGNITION DOESN'T WORK. CAR WON'T START WITHOUT JIGGLING KEY.
MANUFACTURER'S FAULTY IGNITION LOCK MODULE WEARS OUT PREMATURELY AND VEHICLE OFTEN DOESN'T START. CAUSED CONSISTENT BUT INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR LAST 3 YEARS. RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 2008-2012 MARINERS, FORD ESCAPES AND 2008-2011 FORD FOCUS, WHICH ALL USE THE SAME IGNITION LOCK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN RAINING, WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WOULD GET WET AND CAUSED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,400. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 65 MPH, IMMEDIATELY LOSING ALL POWER. MESSAGE ON DASH READ "STOP SAFELY NOW". THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE. DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AND IT HAS OCCURED 8 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR. FORD HAS REPAIRED THE CAR FOR THIS 3 TIMES (IN 2009, 2010, 2013), THE FIRST 2 IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THIS LAST ONE THE REPAIR COST WAS $350. WHAT IS TERRIFYING ABOUT THIS SITUATION IS THAT IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 SECONDS TO REACT, I'VE BEEN VERY CLOSE TO GETTING REAR ENDED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME, BUT WHAT SURPRISES ME IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS SITUATION IS SO SERIOUS, I DID NOT FIND OUT UNTIL NOW IT'S SO COMMON. I WILL BE SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR SOON, I HAD ENOUGH. I KEPT THE CAR THIS LONG BECAUSE OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE, I REALLY LOVE DRIVING IT. *TR
NEW 2008 MERCURY MARINER INTERMITTENT WILL NOT START OR HARD TO START AND WHEN STARTS EMITS HEAVY BLACK SMOKE FROM EXHAUST. WHEN CAR DID NOT START LEFT DAUGHTER IN A UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP, SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADMITTED FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THE CAR BULLETIN # 6023000 AND # 20140. DEALERSHIP ALSO ADMITTED FORD HAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. CAR IS UNSAFE AND CAN LEAVE THE DRIVER IN A DEADLY SITUATION. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026