Most common 2006 Mercury Mariner problems
Share of the 63 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Mariner complaints by model year
Best Mariner years: 2007, 2005, 2006. Years to avoid: 2008, 2010, 2009. Compare all years →
2006 Mercury Mariner recalls (3)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Hybrid propulsion system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
On certain trucks, passenger cars and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper motor May have been produced without grease being applied to the output shaft gear.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on November 22, 2005.
What 2006 Mercury Mariner owners say
Speed control & acceleration
Early on only happened a few times during winter. But as of recently it has become very dangerous to the point I've pulled out after being at a light or stop sign into traffic and unable to go. Gas pedal will not budge. I've had a friend following behind me at one point and they actually ran into the back of my vehicle, luckily no damage was done to there car and mine suffered minor damages to the bumper. I've been hearing things about Ford extending warranty to ten years and 150,000 miles to fix this type of problem possibly with failure of defective throttle body system. But I don't know if that's my issue. I do know I've almost been in seven accidents within the past two weeks.
While building speed via an on-ramp on ca freeway 680, the transmission began to fail. Within roughly 200 yards, the car lost power and, thankfully, I was able to get my car to the side of the freeway. The first time I was able to get the car to work again, I was only able to drive about 50 yards. I then let the car 'rest' for about 20-30 minutes (while I contact my roadside assistance company). After that amount of time, I tried the car again and was able to drive to the next off-ramp (industrial way, benicia, ca). At the stop sign of that off-ramp, the car failed again and I chose to have it towed instead of continue trying to make it work properly. My Mariner is a 2006 with only 77,541 miles! …
Transmission & drivetrain
Recall for coolant pump on hybrid system could result in hybrid electronic overheating causing a stall like condition recall was addressed by dealership back on 7/20/2015 2nd owner has had vehicle for 9 mnths - have had 3 incidents of vehicle shutting down with dash light advising to pull over for safety and the system shutting down directly after - brakes /steering etc. For the first incident - towed to local dealership - unable to diagnose 2nd incident - to a reputable local mechanics shop - changed out normal vehicle battery 3rd incident - caused driver to roll through an intersection on a red light - struck by other vehicle
My Mercury Mariner's idler pulley has already broken three times in the past five months. There must be a recall on this vehicle. The car is very good and too strong for that thin bolt in this part. Luckily, the fourth time it happened, the Ford dealer didn't charge me for the new part, which also broke off two weeks later. It has also broken two belts already. Trying to solve the issue, I went to metric bolts and nuts, in wakefield, ma, and bought a higher grade hardened steel bolt/screw, and it also broke off a week later. Once again, two days ago, my mechanic put in another hardened steel screw. He added a nut near the bearing, which makes a squeaking noise, but it has not broken yet. I am now afraid to drive it far from home, because I have been towed so many times already. I have researched the internet and realized that it is a constant issue. …
Engine & cooling
My Mercury Mariner's idler pulley has already broken three times in the past five months. There must be a recall on this vehicle. The car is very good and too strong for that thin bolt in this part. Luckily, the fourth time it happened, the Ford dealer didn't charge me for the new part, which also broke off two weeks later. It has also broken two belts already. Trying to solve the issue, I went to metric bolts and nuts, in wakefield, ma, and bought a higher grade hardened steel bolt/screw, and it also broke off a week later. Once again, two days ago, my mechanic put in another hardened steel screw. He added a nut near the bearing, which makes a squeaking noise, but it has not broken yet. I am now afraid to drive it far from home, because I have been towed so many times already. I have researched the internet and realized that it is a constant issue. …
My vehicle: 2006 Mercury Mariner hybrid SUV. Purchased new in 2006. In hot weather...vehicle engine quits while in motion on freeway at approximately 70 MPH (3 times), and city streets (3 times). Extremely dangerous when engine quits while driving on freeway in traffic. All you can do (while praying!) is coast to a stop and do your best to pull off on to shoulder of road without crashing into other vehicles. We have tried 3 times to get Ford motor to repair this problem...all to no avail. The last time we had to pay approximately $1,500. However, Ford motor did reimburse us! But at the same time they claimed the problem was resolved. Not true! About two years later the problem started all over again. For10 years we have been driving a defective vehicle that was--at all times--a danger to our lives. …
2006 Mercury Mariner engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 28 / 26 / 27 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 22 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Mercury Mariner a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Mariner rates better than average: 65% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Mariner at the same age. It is one of the best Mariner years by this measure. 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?
The speed control & acceleration — 13 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cables. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (11) and engine & cooling (10).
How many recalls does the 2006 Mercury Mariner have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2006 Mercury Mariner, the most recent from September 29, 2015 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Mariner?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2005 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2010 and 2009. See the full Mercury Mariner years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Mercury Mariner problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 82,000 miles; 26% 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.