2008 MERCURY MARINER Complaints

MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER STEERING. LUCKILY, SO FAR, IT HAS FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. IT RETURNS WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO VIBRATES WHEN STOPPED AND THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. THERE IS ALSO A "CLANKING" NOISE WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. THIS IS THE VEHICLE MY DAUGHTER IS LEARNING TO DRIVE IN, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HER SAFETY AND HER PASSENGER'S SAFETY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID I MAY NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN AND HAVE HEARD OF A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008'S. IN FACT, THE DAY IT WAS IN FOR SERVICE THERE WAS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE(BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE) THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL STARTED SHAKING AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

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

WAS TRAVELING HOME FOR LUNCH, TURNING CORNER AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT TO IDLE. PUSHED GAS PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, BUT ENGINE REMAINED AT IDLE. WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AT ALL. WAS ABLE TO IDLE HOME BLOCKING TRAFFIC AS I WENT. CHECKED GAS PEDAL AND FOUND THAT THROTTLE CABLE HAD BROKEN. THE WIRE ITSELF HAD BROKEN. THE RUBBER GROMMET AND CRIMPED END REMAINED IN-TACKED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF FOR INSTANCE I HAD BEEN PULLING ONTO FREEWAY OR CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTION, OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THIS PART SHOULD BE INSPECTED ON ALL VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR AND MAKE. THIS TYPE OF BREAKAGE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY A FATALITY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE. AFTER COASTING FOR A WHILE, THE VEHICLE WOULD RAPIDLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

I WAS TRAVELING WEST AT ABOUT 70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE ON I-66 OUT OF WASHINGTON, DC WITH FOUR PEOPLE IN THE CAR. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE DIED AND WE WERE LEFT WITH ONLY THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ON THE HYBRID AND A DASH WARNING OF A RED TRIANGLE AND THE STATEMENT "STOP SAFELY SOON." THE CAR QUICKLY LOST POWER TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND WE STRUGGLED TO GET ACROSS THE FOUR LANES TO THE SHOULDER. THE ELECTRONICS IN THE CAR STILL OPERATED (RADIO, DASH LIGHTS, ETC.), BUT THE GAS ENGINE STALLED. ONCE ON THE SHOULDER, WE STOPPED. THE FORD OWNER'S MANUAL TOLD US TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND TRY TO RE-START. WE DID THIS AND THE CAR RE-STARTED. WE STARTED TO DRIVE, BUT THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE CAR DID THE SAME THING ON ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS UNTIL WE COULD GET TO AN EXIT THAT HAD BUSINESSES. THE FORD DEALER IN THIS AREA (AWAY FROM MY HOME) STATES THAT THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT PARTS FAIL, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT FORD SHOULD NOT TELL OWNERS TO RE-START THE CAR AND TRY TO PROCEED ON. IT IS DANGEROUS WHEN IT CONTINUES TO FAIL AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE NEXT FAILURE MIGHT OCCUR (ON A BRIDGE, IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, ON A BUSY, FAST INTERSTATE). MOREOVER, HAVING REVIEWED COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET ABOUT FORD HYBRIDS, I KNOW THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS SITUATION WHERE THE CAR ENGINE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO VARIOUS PROBLEMS (E.G., THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP, BAD SENSORS, OR A CORRUPTED PCM). *TR

WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW, CATCHES AND LURCHES FORWARD. IT HAS LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE COME CLOSE SEVERAL TIMES, TO HITTING CARS PARKED NEXT TO ME. IT ALSO HAPPENS AT STOP SIGNS/LIGHTS. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, IT DOES NOT ACCELERATE IMMEDIATELY AND LURCHES FORWARD WHEN IT CONNECTS. IT HAS SPRAYED FLUID ALL OVER MY ENGINE AND LEAKED ALL OVER OUR DRIVEWAY. IT'S UNDER WARRANTY SO I TOOK IT TO OUR FORD DEALER WHO SAID, YES, IT'S COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THAT'S JUST THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT DOES NOT COVER ALL OF THE COSTS FOR THE PARTS THEY NEED TO DISCONNECT AND MOVE OUT OF THE WAY TO FIX IT. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD $700 FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THEY NEED TO FIX FREE OF CHARGE. WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN AND THAT IS SAYING A WHOLE LOT BECAUSE FORD/MERCURY HAS BEEN MY CAR OF CHOICE FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. *TR

TL -THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION COOLER WAS LEAKING AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION COOLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED HE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. RVK

THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD TOTAL ENGINE POWER SHUT-DOWN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WITH NO LIMP-AWAY OPTION AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY, REALIZED THAT WE WERE IN AN UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOOD [SO NOT A GOOD OPTION TO STOP AND CALL FOR TOW], TRIED MAPPING SURFACE STREET ROUTE TO SAFER AREA, BUT NAV SYSTEM SHOWED THE ONLY SURFACE STREET ROUTE TO TAKE US BACK HOME PUT US ON A STEEP, NARROW WINDING SECTION OF LAUREL CANYON - NO SAFE EXIT IF ANOTHER SHUT-DOWN. ALSO REALIZED WE COULDN'T USE RIVERSIDE THRU GRIFFITH PARK WHICH IS LOCKED AFTER DARK .. SO ZIG-ZAGGED NORTH AND WEST ABOUT 5 MILES BELOW 40 MPH KEEPING TO LIGHTED STREETS HOPING FOR SAFE PLACE OR UNREMEMBERED ROUTE. ENGINE REMAINED STABLE ONCE MORE, DROVE TOWARDS I-5 AGAIN ON LOS FELIZ (PAST THE GRIFFIN BAR ' AND A TOPLESS CLUB) .. REMEMBERED LOS FELIZ AHEAD HAD A LONG, SEPARATE ENTRANCE RAMP TO N/B I-5 . THE DRIVETRAIN ACCELERATED SMOOTHLY TO ~50 MPH, THEN WARNINGS / DRIVE TRAIN DIED AGAIN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ON-RAMP .. HAZARDS ' AGAIN .. BUT WITH LESS MOMENTUM, HARDER TO FIND A WIDE-ENOUGH SPOT ON THE N/B OUTER SHOULDER ACROSS FROM S/END GRIFFITH PARK GOLF COURSE. WHEN MINIMAL SPOT FOUND STOPPED / PARKED / SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED AGAIN, ENGINE STARTED AND IDLED SMOOTHLY, NO WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. NOW ABOUT 10:15PM. WITH HAZARDS ON, ROLLED BELOW FWY SPEEDS ALONG SHOULDER UNTIL IT RAN OUT JUST AS ADEQUATE OPENING APPEARED IN OUTSIDE LANE. ACCELERATED CAUTIOUSLY TO BELOW 50 MPH, LIMPED OFF AT ODD FREEWAY APPENDIX WHICH LEADS EAST - MERGED RIGHT ONTO SAN FERNANDO, TURNED LEFT (NORTH) AT NEXT SIGNAL AND STARTED WORKING WAY ABOUT 12 MILES BACK WEST ON SURFACE STREETS FROM THE MOORPARK AREA NEVER EXCEEDING 45 MPH. NO ADDITIONAL DRIVETRAIN ISSUES BEFORE WE REACHED STUDIO CITY HOME ~ 11:10PM. THIS WAS THE THIRD TOTAL ENGINE POWER SHUT-DOWN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WITH NO `LIMP AWAY' OPTION. *TR