Most common 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid problems
Share of the 38 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Mariner Hybrid complaints by model year
Best Mariner Hybrid years: 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2008. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid owners say
Brakes
In stop and go city traffic going about 1 mile an hour I braked but my Mariner didn't and I slowly rear ended another vehicle. My ABS sensor went on then off eventually an ABS regen light came on and I had no brakes so I drove ,very carefully, 83 miles to my Ford dealer ( with no brakes) to find out that I needed a complete replacement of my ABS Hybrid braking module. $3900! My mechanic and I called two different junk yards where we received replacements and they were installed but when brought back to the Ford dealer the units wouldn't take the computer code and the (used) systems failed. $3900 is a lot of money for a vehicle, with 158,000 miles on it, that I bought used for under $5000. That said is there anyway that this ABS Hybrid brake module should have been on a recall list. Are others having similar issues? Is this why they quit making hybrids at this time? …
The brakes failed and ABS and brake lights came on. Had a soft pedal almost to floor before any braking was present. After turning of engine and restarting brakes returned to normal. The first time this happened my wife ran into e repair shop building causing $3000.oo dollars damage. Our insurance charged her with a at fault accident. We cannot locate the accident report.
Engine & cooling
My son was driving to his work as an emt. I allowed him to use my Mariner. Traveling approx 65mph on the 5 freeway south in sunland, he heard the rod go and saw the lights on the dash indicate the engine overheating. He pulled off the 5 freeway and parked wear it was safe and called for help. I had aaa pickup the vehicle and bring it to the mechanic in westlake village ca. They indicated to me that the engine had thrown a rod and would need to be replaced. They thought it might have run out of oil or something else, but bottom line was that the engine was destroyed. They quoted me a price of $15,000 minimum to fix, so I had it towed to my driveway where it has remained since. It wasn't' for 10 months later we would get any indication that something else might have caused this to happen. I last serviced my Mariner in March & May of 2013. …
I was driving down the street, and suddenly, the "stop safely" light came. The engine shut off and the temperature light came on in the dash. I was able to get my car started after about 30-45 seconds. I started driving again, but it shut down again a couple minutes later. It has been occurring intermittently since that day, with today being the most recent. I called Ford motors today and was informed that my car is on the recall list. They never sent a letter to me. The representative referred me to the closest dealership in my area, and advised me that any repairs will be free of charge. I don't understand why Ford motors would program this vehicle to completely shut down during travel. God forbid if this happens while driving on a highway. This is a very dangerous so called "safety feature", which needs to be discontinued in the future.
Electrical system
My son was driving to his work as an emt. I allowed him to use my Mariner. Traveling approx 65mph on the 5 freeway south in sunland, he heard the rod go and saw the lights on the dash indicate the engine overheating. He pulled off the 5 freeway and parked wear it was safe and called for help. I had aaa pickup the vehicle and bring it to the mechanic in westlake village ca. They indicated to me that the engine had thrown a rod and would need to be replaced. They thought it might have run out of oil or something else, but bottom line was that the engine was destroyed. They quoted me a price of $15,000 minimum to fix, so I had it towed to my driveway where it has remained since. It wasn't' for 10 months later we would get any indication that something else might have caused this to happen. I last serviced my Mariner in March & May of 2013. …
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid driven twice on dec. 19 total of about 70 miles over the course of the day. No apparent problems or warnings during the trips. Last driven at 4:30 p.m. We were awakened at 1:30 a.m. By our son who was visiting asking for our other vehicle keys as the Mariner had exploded in our driveway. He saw flickering flames in the back cargo area. The adjacent truck was moved out of harms way and the car was by then engulfed in flames in the interior with flames shooting out of the battery vent. The windows blew out and two more bluish explosions came from the back of the car. The car is a total loss. It definitely burned more heavily in the back where the Hybrid batteries are located. The fire department and sheriff responded. We are awaiting a decision for our next step from the dealership and our insurance carrier.
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 28 / 26 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid a good car?
Based on 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Mariner Hybrid rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Mariner Hybrid at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid?
The brakes — 15 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (12) and electrical system (10).
How many recalls does the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Mariner Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008. See the full Mercury Mariner Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 99,000 miles; 14% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.