Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 34 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 34, in the owner's own words
ABS BRAKE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON. BRAKES PRETTY MUCH STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING TO THE LIGHTS. HAD TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO GET BRAKES. VERY UNSAFE. NOW THE BRAKE IS STUCK ON AND THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. HAVE TALKED TO AND READ ABOUT SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL YET?
"TAKATA RECALL" WHEN I WAS LEAVING A STORE YESTERDAY I NOTICED THAT MY ABS, BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A DESCRIPTION INDICATING MY CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM. I NEVER NOTICED AN ISSUE WITH MY BREAKS PRIOR TO THESE SIGNALS COMING ON AND MY FIANC'S CAR HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING WELL FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I NORMALLY DRIVE THE SUV SO WHEN I NOTICED IT SAID THAT I MADE SURE THE BREAKS WERE WORKING WHEN I STARTED TO MOVE. I DID NOTICE THAT THE BREAKS REQUIRED MORE OF A FIRM PUSH WHEN I WAS NEEDING TO COME TO A SPOT. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS OR CAUSED ME TO RUN ANY STOP LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. HOWEVER, AFTER DOING MY OWN RESEARCH I DID FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE 2008 MERCURY MARINERS AND FROM SOME OF THE WARNINGS I HAVE READ STATED THE BREAKS ENDED UP FAILING AFTER THIS ALL ACCRUED AND ABOUT GOT THEM INTO ACCIDENTS. WITH THE NHTSA ALREADY INVESTIGATING THE '2006-2012 FUSION AND LINCOLN MKZ AND THE 2006-2011 MERCURY MILAN' MODELS WITH THE SAME ISSUES, IT SEEMS THE ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN JUST THE MERCURY MARINER.
ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL PRESSED HARD THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. GAVE THE VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSTICS TO MECHANIC - CODES U0418 INVALID DATA FROM BRAKE CONTROL MODULE, CODES C1478, C1479, C1480, WHEEL BRAKE PRESSURE CONTROL PLAUSIBILITY, U2023 COMMUNICATION NETWORK FAULT, MECHANIC GAVE ESTIMATE OF $5542.00 TO REPLACE ABS CONTROL ASSEMBLY. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY DECLINED TO ASSIST AT THIS TIME. NO HELP PROVIDED TO PUT MY VEHICLE BACK ON ROAD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS DAUGHTER WHO OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE RE-GEN BRAKE DISABLED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
HEADING WEST ON THE INTERSTATE I TOOK THE OFF RAMP AND CAME TO A STOP. AS I WAS STOPPING A TONE RANG OUT, THE ABS LIGHT, AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE BRAKES DIDN'T FEEL AS STIFF AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BUT I DID COME TO A STOP AS I WASN'T TRAVELING VERY FAST WHILE APPROACHING THE STOP SIGN. I TURNED LEFT AND PROCEEDED OVER THE OVERPASS TOWARDS A SIDE ROAD WHEN A CAR THAT HAD COME UP THE OFF RAMP FROM THE EASTBOUND LANE ROLLED THE STOP SIGN AND STOPPED WITH THE NOSE OF THEIR VEHICLE IN MY LANE. I NEARLY PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL THROUGH THE FLOOR AND HAD LITTLE TO NO BRAKES TO STOP ME. I AND MADE A SPLIT SECOND DECISION TO SWERVE AROUND THE CAR, DRIVING IN THE ONCOMING LANE AS I WAS ABLE VERIFY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ONCE I PULLED OVER ON A SIDE ROAD I NOTICED THE DISPLAY IN THE DASH READ "REGEN BRAKE DISABLED" I DROVE SLOWLY TO A SMALL CAR SALES LOT WITH AN AUTO SHOP AND THEY RESEARCHED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER TO REPLACE A HYDRAULIC PUMP. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY FOR A BIT BUT SAID MORE THAN LIKELY THE FIX WOULDN'T LAST. NEXT STOP IS THE FORD DEALER BUT FROM WHAT I'VE READ TONIGHT, MANY OTHER USERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN QUOTED OVER HALF THE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE TO FIX THE ISSUE. I WAS GLAD NOT TO SLAM INTO THE PASSENGER DOOR OF THE LADY WHO PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS GLAD I HAD A CLEAR LANE TO AVOID HER WITHOUT HAVING A HEAD-ON COLLISION BUT I CAN SEE WHERE THIS ISSUE COULD HAPPEN AT THE WRONG TIME AND PLACE AND CAUSE HARM OR LOSS OF LIFE FOR THOSE INVOLVED. BECAUSE I HAD LITTLE TO NO BRAKES WITH THE PEDAL PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROESCH FORD (333 W GRAND AVE, BENSENVILLE, IL 60106, (630) 279-6000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, WITH REGEN BRAKE DISENGAGED NOTICE APPEARING, HCU UNIT FAILED, SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH HYBRID
I HAVE ABS, BRAKE WARNING AND REGEN BRAKES DISABLED MESSAGES ON DASH. FORD MECHANIC ESTIMATED COST OVER 5K.
HCU MODULE FAILURE AT 60,000 MILES. THIS FAILURE IS MENTIONED INTSB 05-8-5 & IN NHTSA ID# 10017553 THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM IN MANY FORD ESCAPE/ MERCURY MARINER HYBRIDS GOING BACK TO 2005. MY DEALER ESTIMATED THE COST TO BE ALMOST $6000. THIS IS VERY DISTURBING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED SINCE PURCHASED IN 2009. IS FORD GOING INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM? CAN YOU DO ANYTHING TO HELP WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN PLACED ON AN OWNER OF ONE OF YOUR VEHICLES? WE HAVE PURCHASED A NUMBER OF FORD PRODUCTS OVER THE YEARS & FEEL THAT CUSTOMER LOYALTY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I HAVE LOST FAITH IN FORD SINCE THIS HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE DECIDED TO NOTIFY YOU OF THIS SITUATION SINCE THIS REPAIR COST IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.
ABS WARNING LIGHT, REGEN BRAKE SYSTEM DISABLED WARNING LIGHT BRAKE SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY, HARD TO STOP VEHICLE
ABS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM MESSAGE COMES ON AT ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING ON SITTING STILL. LOSE BRAKING POWER, CAUSING DRIVER TO PUSH BRAKE VERY HARD TO STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL SOMETIMES GOES TO THE FLOOR AND YOU HAVE TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. DEALER COULDN'T LOOK AT THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS SAID ITS OKAY TO DRIVE IN "MANUAL MODE", HOWEVER MANUAL MODE ONLY USES REAR BRAKES AND WILL TAKE VEHICLE A LONG DISTANCE TO STOP IN RAINY CONDITIONS.(I WENT THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION IN THE RAIN AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT SO LEFT IT AT THE DEALER). DEALER HAD VEHICLE FOR ALMOST SIX WEEKS, REPLACED THE ABS HUC TWICE, FINALLY CALLED FORD. FORD ADVISED TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE HOSES "DUE TO RESTRICTIONS". DEALERS ARE TELLING OWNERS THEY HAVE TO REPLACE ABS HCU AND PART ALONE COST $4700.00. HOWEVER, FORD KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND IS NOT PUTTING OUT A BULLETIN OR RECALL, UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLED. OWNERS ARE TRADING THE UNSAFE CAR BECAUSE THE DEALER IS MISDIAGNOSING THE REAL PROBLEM WHICH COST APPROXIMATELY $300.00
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PRESSED BRAKE PADEL TO FLOOR WHILE AVOIDING COLLISION WITH OTHER CARD. THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE CONTROL THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM THAT CONTROL BRAKING. INFORMED TO NOTIFY NHTSA OF THE EXTREME UNSAFE BRAKING CONDITION WHEN ABS MODULE FAILS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 134,129. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CHARGE $4,000 FOR THE ABS MODULE CONTROL. THEY ARE GOUGING THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WITH EXCESSIVE PRICING WHO WANTS TO DRIVE SAFELY.
AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDDLE, THE ABS LIGHT AND RED BRAKE LIGHT COME ON AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND POWER BRAKES FAIL. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY WHEN THE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE IS OVER 90 DEGREES. ONCE IT HAPPENS, BRAKING REQUIRES A HARD PUSH OF THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR AND STOPPING TAKES LONGER. IT IS INDEED DANGEROUS. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, [XXX] *TT *TR
ABS LIGHT AND REGEN BRAKES DISABLED LIGHT HAVE BEEN COMING ON WHILE DRIVING. WHILE THESE LIGHTS ARE ON, BRAKES ARE SQUISHY AND IS HARDER TO STOP CAR. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT VARYING SPEEDS. LIGHTS MAY COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED OR WHILE DRIVING AT VARYING SPEEDS.
FAILURE OF THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM DUE TO A DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER AND/OR HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT ("HCU"). VERY DANGEROUS. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS - WHY? MANY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM! SEE HTTP://BLOG.YAGELSKI.COM/2010/07/FORD-HYBRID-BRAKE-FAILURE-REVISITED.HTML
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND THE ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING THE ABS AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING BRAKE FAILURE. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 60 MPH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES AND REGENERATIVE BRAKES DISABLED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TIMES BEFORE THE ACTUAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.
APRIL 2016 THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE REGEN BRAKES." WHEN BREAKING THE VEHICLE TOOK MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL TO SLOW AND STOP. THE REPAIR FOR THIS WAS $4100 ($4800 WITH LABOR). I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I CHOSE TO HAVE THE REPAIR SINCE I NEED THE VEHICLE FOR WORK AND STILL OWE MONEY ON IT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT APEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AS OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA AND OTHER FORUMS ATTEST TO. I CONTACTED FORD AND ASKED THAT I BE REIMBURSED AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY DECLINED MY REQUEST.
UPON STARTUP AND SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE ALONG WITH THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BECOME WEAK AND INEFFECTIVE.
WHEN BRAKING IT TAKES THE VEHICLE ALONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP WHILE DRIVING DEALER SAYS THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT IS BAD ( HCU ) THEY WANT 4,000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT.
WHEN DECELERATING DOWN HILL THE BRAKES BECAME SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER TO STOP THE CAR AND REQUIRED EXTREME FORCE TO STOP THE CAR. AFTERWARDS THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR DISENGAGED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE AUTOMOBILE RUNS ON COMBUSTION ENGINE ONLY WITHOUT THE HYBRID ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND FROM THE BRAKES. ALSO, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURES RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
THE ABS TONE RINGS ON THE 2008 MODEL MERCURY MARINER AND FORD ESCAPE ARE DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN - THEY ARE THIN METAL, BUT PUT UNDER STRESS BY BEING FORCED ONTO THE HALF-SHAFT (DIFFERENT METAL, DIFFERENT EXPANSION RATE), AND THEREFORE PRONE TO CRACKING/BREAKING. WHEN CRACKED/BROKEN, THEY CAUSE THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO FAULT OUT, SOMETIMES INTERMITTENTLY AND WITH NO WARNING. THE PART ITSELF IS CHEAP (~$10 EACH), AND APPARENTLY SHOULD BE, BUT THE DEALER WILL NOT SELL THEM SEPARATELY, AND INSTEAD REQUIRES THE OWNER TO REPLACE THE HALF-SHAFT, WITH ESTIMATES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS OF BETWEEN $400 AND $1000 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT HALF-SHAFTS. SIMPLY MAKING THE PART THICKER, OR OF THE SAME METAL AS THE HALF-SHAFT, WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM - INSTEAD, FORD FORCES OWNERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND ROBBERY, WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T RECUR WITHIN A MONTH OF DRIVING (THE CRACKING SEEMS TO BE MORE RELATED TO TEMPERATURE THAN MILEAGE). THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE AT THEIR OWN COST - I BET THEY'D THEN "DISCOVER" A WAY TO PREVENT RECURRENCE IF THEY WERE PAYING OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET FOR ANY THAT FAILED BEFORE 100,000 MILES. A CURSORY SEARCH ON THE INTERNET WILL TURN UP THOUSANDS OF RESULTS FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON SPONTANEOUSLY. BRAKING ABNORMAL AND UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. BRAKING SYSTEM NOT WORKING. NEUTRAL AND HAD TO DO SHOULDERS TO CONTROL VEHICLE AND SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY. VERY DANGEROUS! *TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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