AI Damage2010 Mercury Mariner: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Mercury Mariner filed 270 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 270
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 24% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 23% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 23% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 22% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 21% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 3% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 66 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 61 complaints (23% of all).
- Steering: 61 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 60 complaints (22% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 57 complaints (21% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 2.5 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- CVT
Drive: FWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 270 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 66 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 61 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 61 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 60 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 57 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
But, immediately after impact I noticed my seat belt was no longer on. It had unbuckled on impact.
As a result, both of us had to be taken for emergency treatment for knocks, cuts and follow up checks. So far, it has cost us $16,497.00 and repair of the car us$6,853.00. There has been other events where the car suddenly stops and the steering wheel becomes stiff.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, an alarm sounded, and the steering wheel locked up. The message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed. The contact was able to drive to the residence nearby. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist Failure" was displayed, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn in either direction. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided.
Engine light came on after putting fuel in my car it is hapless the codes read emission and fuel issues to replace cap but it is hapless it says it's an issue that needs to be fixed now my engine light won't go off
The power steering assist is malfunctioning and it is available for inspection upon request. The steering wheel is very difficult to turn, it's as if the power steering assist is keeping the wheel from turning.
Total loss of brakes. Coasted to the side off the road narrowly avoiding busy intersection. Vehicle was looked at by mechanic, traced to faulty ABS Sensor. Serious safety hazardâ Recall must be issued immediately to prevent accidents and injuries!
Brake pedal went to floor on my 10 Mariner, slid into intersection, no warning lights came on, checked for any fluid leaks and there were none. This is 2nd time it has happened and is extremely dangerous! Believe, like others that it is the ABS control. Ford should fix this immediately!
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,510 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mariner has 185 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 270, above average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Mercury Mariner?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, engine, steering. Total complaints: 270. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (21%), steering or power steering problems (17%), stalls while driving (16%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Mercury Mariner?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Mercury Mariner from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.