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 87 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Mercury Mariner, and it carries 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 18 | 21% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 10% |
| Power train | 9 | 10% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 6% |
| Engine | 4 | 5% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 3% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 3% |
| Visibility | 3 | 3% |
| Power train | 3 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering became inoperable with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where i
NHTSA complaint: Steering
My dealer says my subframe needs to be replaced, and controll arm at a cost of 3600 dollars, I don't understand why my subframe needs to be replaced, I've owned cars for as long as 20 yrs and never had that problem. This
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the fuel odor was noticeable a
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn from a complete stop, the steering wheel became significantly difficult to turn. The contact was able to turn the vehicle b
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate above 10 MPH. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while entering a fast-food drive-thru, the power steering warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was not diagno
NHTSA complaint: Steering
While my wife was driving the vehicle, the power assisted steering failed and produced a "power assist fault code" on the display. The car became too hard for a 74 year old woman to be able to steer. I took the car to th
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2011 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the steering wheel was spinning in circles. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer whe
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Mercury Mariner. 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 model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have
Risk: Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 74 | good |
| Maintenance | 88 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 67 | good |
| Performance | 50 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
| Safety | 60 | average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 18 of them (21%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) 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 74/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 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 66/100. 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.