Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 451 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercury Milan, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 187 | 41% |
| Service brakes | 158 | 35% |
| Service brakes | 12 | 3% |
| Air bags | 12 | 3% |
| Structure | 7 | 2% |
| Power train | 6 | 1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1% |
| Tires | 4 | 1% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
08 merc milan abs did not work and brakes failed almost causing major accidents. I used e brake to stop. Brakes went to floor. Been calling for and dealerships for recalls I find out now about abs malfunctioning noone wi
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
There is a problem with my tourqe converter with 100k miles. My car won't accelerate.
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
The ABS brake function checked out during the recall window on Nov. 2 of 2021. The Ford dealer mechanics purged the brake system with fresh fluid and tested the function. Tested OK. The car was used without issue until r
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The gas pedal gets stuck at the top when I go to press down on it allowing the car to keep driving when I am trying to stop the car.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Brakes are failing even after they have been serviced. Unsafe car to drive
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Was not able to drive my car because you had to press the breaks all the way to the ground in order for the vehicle to attempt to stop. A recall was issued for the hydraulic breaks in 2019 and no parts were available for
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
In March 2021 I received important safety recall from Ford advising me that the Airbag inflator might explode in the event of a crash and may cause injury or death to the driver or passengers. My daughter still drives t
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Milan. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but went all the way to the floorboard and failed to respond. The contact was unsure whether there was a wa
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 Mercury Milan. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the pass
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not
Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve con
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever register
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mai
| Reliability raw | 62 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 89 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 48 | below average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 451 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 187 of them (41%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 62/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.