AI Damage2011 Mercury Mariner: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercury Mariner filed 87 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 87
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 28% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 23% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 24 complaints (28% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 22 complaints (25% of all).
- Steering: 20 complaints (23% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 15 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 11 complaints (13% 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, AWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 87 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 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.
After this accident the air bag light remained on. In january of 2015 I was bumped from behind with no damage. However, I then decided I should take in my car to see why the light was still on. As it turns out, the airbag module was apparently damaged beyond repair.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering became inoperable with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering shaft port sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
My dealer says my subframe needs to be replaced, and controll arm at a cost of 3600 dollars, I don't understand why my subframe needs to be replaced, I've owned cars for as long as 20 yrs and never had that problem. This sounds like a manufacturers problem.
In addition, the contact stated that the fuel odor was noticeable all the way to the rear seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the tools needed to perform the repair were not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer.
The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with electric power steering system torque sensor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,968.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate above 10 MPH. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, after which the vehicle stalled.
The contact stated while entering a fast-food drive-thru, the power steering warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mercury mariner. The contact stated that nhtsa campaign number: 16v777000 (fuel system, gasoline) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the recall notification in january of 2017.
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 3,884 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mariner has 185 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 87, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercury Mariner?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, fuel/propulsion system, steering. Total complaints: 87. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (22%), stalls while driving (16%), steering or power steering problems (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.