2008 MERCURY MARINER Complaints

I WAS PULLING INTO MY WORK PARKING LOT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED ENGAGING. I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE INTO A SPACE. MECHANIC CONFIRMS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS VEHICLE, I CALLED MERCURY/FORD AND HAD TO REFERENCE THE CASE # MYSELF FOR THEM TO FIND IT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THAT MY VEHICLE MET THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM (CSP: 09B10) - ALL THE WAY DOWN TO A SPECIFIC MANUFACTURING PLANT UP TO A SPECIFIC MONTH AND DATE BUT BECAUSE THEY STOPPED HONORING THOSE IN 2011 I AM NOT ELIGIBLE. I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAD NO WAY TO KNOW THIS WAS A HAZARD, NOT WAS THE DEALER AWARE AS FORD/MERCURY HAD APPARENTLY REMOVED THE CSP NUMBER FROM THE FILES ONCE IT EXPIRED. THIS IS PROVEN BY THE FACT THAT FORD/MERCURY'S OWN REPRESENTATIVE DIDN'T' SEE IT LINKED TO MY VEHICLE, I HAD TO MENTION IT SPECIFICALLY AND THEN SHE CONFIRMED THAT IT DID APPLY TO MY VEHICLE AND WAS UNASSOCIATED WITH IT AT EXPIRATION. AS SUCH, THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHETHER THIS WAS ADDRESSED OR EVEN AN ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS HAD IT BEEN 20 MINUTES EARLIER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, MY 3 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY!! VERY DANGEROUS! FORD/MERCURY SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL THIS ITEM, WHICH IS CLEARLY A KNOWN MANUFACTURING ISSUE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY $2000 TO FIX SOMETHING THAT THEY DID INCORRECTLY FROM THE FIRST AND POSES A GREAT SAFETY RISK! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE BAND, PUMP AND THE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL PULSATED ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. *TR

DIVING ALONG THE FREEWAY I HAD THE CRUISE SENT AT 65MPH AND SUDDENLY THE MARINER WAS ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. I STEP ON THE BRAKE AND IT DISENGAGED THE CRUISE AND SLOWED. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE OF SOME KIND. THEN DRIVING HOME I DIDN'T USE THE CRUISE AND THE CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN ABOUT 15MPH WHILE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS STAYING AT 55MPH. I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS LOSS OF POWER ABOUT 6 RANDOM TIMES. I'VE USED THE CRUISE ON LONG STRETCHES OF HIGHWAY(THAT I RARELY DRIVE) AND THE MARINER HAS ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN 4 TIMES. THE FOURTH TIME RESULTING IN A SPEEDING TICKET OF 15MPH OVER. THIS WAS 1 OF 2 TIMES THE ACCELERATION WAS GRADUAL. OTHERWISE IT'S AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOORBOARD AS IT TAKES OFF. I SEE ON THE NHTSA THAT THERE ARE OTHERS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I'VE QUESTIONED THIS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG NOR RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND THERE IS NOTHING FROM FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AS SOON AS I AM WORKING AGAIN I WILL BE TRADING MY FORD MARINER IN FOR A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. UNTIL THEN I WON'T USE MY CRUISE AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. THIS IS SCARY THAT THIS HAPPENS AND FORD DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT! *TR

MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER WAS TOWED INTO MY LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE STEERING HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR. WHEN I TOOK INTO THE DEALER THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD IN FACT WENT OUT AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WAS THE THRUST ANGLE SENSOR THAT WAS EMBEDDED INTO THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SENSOR IS NOT SERVICABLE AND THE WHOLE COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. BOTH FAILURES HAPPEN WITHIN 4 DAYS! UPON TALKING TO THE SERVICE WRITER, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES THAT RUN THRU THE A/C CONDENSER. THEY CALLED ME TODAY AND INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS DONE AND TOLD ME IT WAS $5364.56. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANS COOLER LINES WOULD NOT BE COVERED DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE! HOW CAN A FACTORY RECALL NOT BE COVERED? I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM THE SAME FORD DEALER USED AND THE RECALL WAS ISSUED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR! HOW CAN THEY SELL A CAR AND NOT PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE BEFORE THEY SOLD IT TO ME AND MY FAMILY? I ASKED THE SERVICE WRITER IF THAT WAS THE FACTORY PART AND HE STATED THAT IT COULD POSSIBLE BE. IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF A FACTORY RECALL, HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO TRUST THEM TO FIX MY VEHICLE PROPERLY? I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, TWICE A DAY! THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND POWER STEERING IN THE 2008 MODELS THAT I AM SURPRISED THAT THEY HAVEN'T PUT A RECALL ON THOSE PARTS YET. THERE ARE TWO MORE VEHICLES AT THE SAME DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM! A 2008 MARINER AND 2008 ESCAPE. THE LAST 3 CARS I BOUGHT HAVE BEEN FORD AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO STOP THEM BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR

I HAVE FORDS THAT ARE 70 YEARS OLD AND THE POWER STEERING WORKS GREAT NOW I BUY MY WIFE A FORD ITS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD AND THE POWER STEERING QUITS ALMOST DIES AND THEN WANTS MY PAY CHECKS FOR 7 WEEKS 1400 DOLLARS AND NOW ALL OF THESE PPL ON HERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD WON'T STAND BEHIND IT AND AT LEAST MAKE IT A RECALL OK THEY WANT TO WAIT TILL PPL START DIE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ENGINEERS THEY HAD DESIGN THIS DID NOT KNOW THEIR A** FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND. *TR

I OWN A 2008 MERCURY MARINER AND I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH ITS SAFETY. ON 03/15/13 I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. I PROCEEDED TO PUT IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE ROAD AND BACKED INTO THE DRIVE. I TURNED ALL POWER DOWN THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE WITH NO PROBLEMS IN THE STEERING. I WENT TO PICK UP MY KIDS AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO PULSATE AND I COULD HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN. EVERYTIME I CAME TO A STOP IT WOULD DO IT. ON SAT. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SHOP. WE COULDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE TO SEE IF THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE OR IF A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. I WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN PLACED AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. I SET UP AN APPT WITH THE DEALER FOR TUES. I WAS WORKING ON MON. AND LEFT TO RUN AN ERRAND FOR WORK AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITH OUT WARNING I LOST ALL POWER IN THE DRIVING AND HEARD A LOUD GRINDING AND THEN CLUNK. I THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT! I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY HAZARDS TO TRY AND GET OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CAUSE I WAS SLOWING DOWN EXTREMELY FAST. I WAS ALMOST IN A 3 CAR ACCIDENT AND LUCKILY EVERYBODY IS OK, BUT IT COULD OF BEEN A LOT WORSE! I WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY CONFIRMED MY FEARS. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. THEY TOLD ME THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO CAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS! WHEN I ASKED AS TO WHY, THE SAID NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE! WOW, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THESE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED? VERY UNHAPPY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST $5200 TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN! HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE! *TR

-THE STEERING WHEEL WILL VIBRATE OR CHATTER WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND IDLING THE STEERING WHEEL WILL VISIBLY OSCILLATE BACK AND FORTH, TO A SMALL AMOUNT. *TR -ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE; INDEPENDENT OF WHETHER IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY OR IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECENTLY USED. TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE REQUIRED SHIFTING TO PARK, POWERING THE VEHICLE DOWN, AND RESTARTING THE PROCESS. -THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS ISSUE WASN'T SERVICABLE BY THEM AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND ELECTRIC ACTUATOR "PUMP" MECHANISM. VERY EXPENSIVE!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE HAD RECURRED PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,311.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE MAKES A CLICKING/TICKING SOUND WHEN APPROACHING A STOP. STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND UPON STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO SERVICE GARAGES (ONE FORD, ONE INDEPENDENT) AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING UNIT. VEHICLE ALSO HAD INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AT MY RESIDENCE THE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING IT TO THE FIRST SERVICE GARAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS THE POWER STEERING WAS OPERABLE AGAIN. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING UNIT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED ANY FURTHER SYMPTOMS OR ISSUES. *TR