YearToAvoid

2010 Mercury Mariner Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#3 most-complained of 7 Mariner years

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

The 2010 Mercury Mariner has 270 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 67 out of 100 — #3 highest of 7 Mariner model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is engine (104 complaints, 39% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes, 2 fires, and 6 injuries.

Complaints
270
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 2
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19.5 city / 25.5 hwy

Top 2010 Mercury Mariner problems

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

  1. Engine104 (39%)
  2. Fuel System63 (23%)
  3. Steering61 (23%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain60 (22%)
  5. Electrical System30 (11%)
  6. Brakes11 (4%)
  7. Other11 (4%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers8 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body7 (3%)
  10. Airbags4 (1%)
2010 Mercury Mariner complaints: complaints filed per quarter782010 Q12013 Q12014 Q42016 Q42018 Q32020 Q22022 Q22025 Q2
363 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q3 (78).

2010 Mercury Mariner recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V777000Oct 26, 2016Fuel System329,265 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.

  2. 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.

2010 Mercury Mariner fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
25.5 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,025
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.

2010 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
2008Avoid83461320.5
2009Avoid100315121
2010Caution67270221.5
2011Good3387221.5

All Mercury Mariner years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Mercury Mariner a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Mercury Mariner ranks #3 of 7 among Mariner model years (Complaint Index 67/100, verdict: Caution). It has 270 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Mercury Mariner?
The most reported problem areas are engine (104 complaints), fuel system (63 complaints), and steering (61 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 61,100 miles.
Does the 2010 Mercury Mariner have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2010 Mercury Mariner, most recently reported 2016, covering fuel system and steering.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Mercury Mariner?
EPA rates the 2010 Mercury Mariner at 21.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025. 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.