YearToAvoid

2008 Mercury Mariner Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

83/100

#2 most-complained of 7 Mariner years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Mercury Mariner has 461 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 83 out of 100 — #2 highest of 7 Mariner model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is steering (297 complaints, 64% of the total). Complaints report 9 crashes and 5 injuries.

Complaints
461
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
9 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
18.5 city / 24 hwy

Top 2008 Mercury Mariner problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering297 (64%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain66 (14%)
  3. Engine46 (10%)
  4. Brakes40 (9%)
  5. Electrical System28 (6%)
  6. Other19 (4%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (3%)
  8. Fuel System11 (2%)
  9. Airbags8 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body7 (2%)
2008 Mercury Mariner complaints: complaints filed per quarter362007 Q32010 Q22013 Q12015 Q22017 Q32019 Q42022 Q12024 Q4
540 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q3 to 2025 Q1; peak 2016 Q1 (36).

2008 Mercury Mariner recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V606000Sep 29, 2015Transmission & Powertrain57 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.

  2. NHTSA 14V526000Sep 3, 2014Fuel System70,209 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.

  3. NHTSA 14V284000May 29, 2014Steering740,878 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.

2008 Mercury Mariner fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Mariner years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008200920102011
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Best1763320
2007Best033220
2008Avoid83461320.5
2009Avoid100315121
2010Caution67270221.5

All Mercury Mariner years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Mercury Mariner a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Mercury Mariner ranks #2 of 7 among Mariner model years (Complaint Index 83/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 461 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercury Mariner?
The most reported problem areas are steering (297 complaints), transmission & powertrain (66 complaints), and engine (46 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 106,500 miles.
Does the 2008 Mercury Mariner have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2008 Mercury Mariner, most recently reported 2015, covering transmission & powertrain, fuel system, and steering.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Mercury Mariner?
EPA rates the 2008 Mercury Mariner at 20.5 MPG combined (18.5 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,175. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.