Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Last year, driving on state highway and vehicle loses power. Wrench light comes on, engine is running, no gas, etc. Shut off, wait, and start again. Light is off and runs OK. This happened several more times. Contacted Ford customer assistance and showed there was a customer experience recall on throttle body. Took it to a dealer and they found nothing wrong. I got it back, and problem reoccurred. Took it back to dealer,they drove it around, and couldn't find anything wrong. Finally, in another city, left work and lost power and engine light came on and didn't go off after restart. Contacted dealer and they replaced throttle body sensor (or similar) for free. This last week, was driving on interstate 75mph in traffic and I lose power in passing lane. Luckily coasted to shoulder, restarted and lights off. Happened again this morning going to work on state highway at 60mph. …
Wrench light on Mercury Mariner 2011 with slow (20-40mph max) and rough ride home. Yesterday while leaving work, I turned right out of the parking lot onto the main road. Immediately my Mariner hesitated, jerked forward, and a wrench light came on. My SUV slowly accelerated to 20mph and struggled to get to 40mph. It road rough and I wasn't sure if it would stall or not; however, I was able to slowly make it home. I looked up the wrench light and learned I was likely having a throttle body or powertrain problem. I found online that the dealer would fix it, but unfortunately, that was only through January 2015 and had expired (before the dealer even sold me the SUV.) I started the SUV this morning to take to the dealer to get fixed, but the wrench light has gone off and there is not proof to show the dealer of the problem. …
I was driving when it felt like the vehicle was reving in park then the "wrench" icon appeared on my dash. I went a couple blocks & my vehicle felt like it wasn't shifting automatically as it should. I pulled over & turned it off. It started right back up with no lights on, I went half a block & stopped at a stop sign but while stopped the engine reved up. I was worried I was going to be in an accident. Then the "wrench" light came back on, since I was close to home I figured I'd just try to get home. About another block, the check engine light came on & was making strange noises. I kept my vehicle at about 5-10 mph & got it home. My car was very jerky.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Mercury Mariner which was being towed by a 2004 fleetwood tioga montara. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming from the hood. The motor home was pulled over, the contact opened the hood, and noticed that the transmission overheated without warning. The vehicle was taken to chuck colvin Ford Nissan (1925 n hwy 99 w, mcminnville, or 97128, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the failure was a known occurrence with the transmission at approximately 50,000 miles. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
I have been intermittently losing power steering. The code is B1342. After researching, it looks like Ford is aware of this problem but is unwilling to fix the issue. This fix must be done at a dealership since it is a software issue and going to cost $2,000. Obviously losing power steering when going at fast speeds is incredibly dangerous for myself and others. There is no check engine light that comes on when the issue arises.
On 1/1/2016 I was driving on 495 w in queens, ny heading back to manhattan where I live. Out of nowhere the car began jerking, a wrench light on the dash panel came on (which I never saw before) and I could tell the car was decelerating. I tried hitting the accelerator again, the car would jerk, the engine was revving but was barely moving. I knew I had to pull over and luckily I was able to navigate to the shoulder of the road. This was an extremely dangerous situation. I am a confident driver, however, a less confident or timid driver most likely would have panicked and gotten into a potentially serious collision.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while idled at a stop, the maintenance warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while the accelerator pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact then stated that he had to apply pressure to the accelerator pedal to increase the RPMs to approximately 3000 to allow the vehicle to proceed forward. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake pedal had to remain depressed to stop the vehicle from rolling on an incline when the vehicle failed to shift in 2nd gear. The contact stated that the vehicle was inspected by a family friend who determined the potential failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V606000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 309,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while at a stop sign, the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depression of accelerator pedal with the oil warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The contact drove the vehicle despite the failure returning upon restarting the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and was informed that the shift lever had disengaged from the transmission. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer after the mechanic discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V606000 (Power Train); which the mechanic linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Related recalls (1)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Mariner years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (66), 2010 (60), 2009 (44), 2011 (24) and 2005 (15) model years. Transmission complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Mercury Mariner transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 15V-606 (floor shift, Sep 29, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mercury Mariner transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (26 mentions), followed by the automatic transmission › torque converter (2).
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.