SPARK PLUG BLEW FROM HEAD AT 55,000 MILES. STARTED CAR BEFORE WORK. HEARD LOUD TICKING. CAR MISSED AND STUMBLED. FORD DEALERSHIP REPLACED CYLINDER HEAD. COST $3275.56 *JB
2003 Mercury Marauder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Marauder years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
46 reports with mileage · 14 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
5 reportsEVERY TIME I'VE STARTED IT SINCE I OWNED IT, ITS SMOKED EVERY TIME.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SMOKE IS FROM BUT GOES AWAY ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS OF RUNNING.
ENGINE CUTS OUT AROUND TURNS; MISALIGNMENT, VEHICLE PULLS DRASTICALLY TO THE RIGHT; LOW HANGING PANEL ON DRIVER'S SIDE INTERFERES WITH THROTTLE AND BREAK OPERATIONS; BURNING ODOR EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; FLUID LEAKING FROM REAR AXLE; SMOKE EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; LACK OF ACCELERATION BETWEEN 2000-4000 RPM; ENG…
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ENGINE CUTS OUT AROUND TURNS; MISALIGNMENT, VEHICLE PULLS DRASTICALLY TO THE RIGHT; LOW HANGING PANEL ON DRIVER'S SIDE INTERFERES WITH THROTTLE AND BREAK OPERATIONS; BURNING ODOR EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; FLUID LEAKING FROM REAR AXLE; SMOKE EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; LACK OF ACCELERATION BETWEEN 2000-4000 RPM; ENGINE STALLS WHILE IDLING; NOISY CLICKING, CLUNKING, AND GRINDING SOUNDS COMING FROM FRONT AXLE; POOR ACCELERATION BETWEEN 20-40 MPH; FRONT TIRES RAPIDLY WEARING UNEVENLY; SQUEAKING FROM FRONT END; LOOSE RIGHT FRONT EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE; TRUNK ORGANIZER LID CRACKED; ALARM SYSTEM NOT WORKING; REMOTE ENTRY KEY SYSTEM INOPERABLE; STAINS ON LEATHER SEATS; SHARP EDGES AROUND TRUNK; CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 02/01/03 AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVEN TIMES FOR A TOTAL OUT-OF-SERVICE TIME OF OVER A MONTH. THE ENTIRE REAR END WAS REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE STILL LEAKS OIL. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS ARE POSING VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR ME, AS POWER LACKS SEVERELY BETWEEN 2000-4000 RPM. THE FRONT END CLICKS, GRINDS, CLUNKS, AND SQUEAKS DURING DRIVING. ON MOST OCCASIONS WHILE IN THE SHOP, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS DOCUMENTED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY CONCERNS EVEN AFTER THEY VERBALLY CONFIRMED MY COMPLAINTS DURING TEST DRIVES WITH ME. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE REPAIRS WITHOUT DOCUMENTING IT TO AVOID "LEMON LAW" STATUS. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE, UNRELIABLE, AND HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE. MLG *NLM
AFTER REPAIR OF OVER DRIVE PROBLEM, THE NEXT DAY WHILE CAR WAS IDLING, NOTICED STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN VEHICLE. HAD TO ROLL DOWN WINDOWS. HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY SINCE IT HAS A CERAMIC HONEY COMB FILTER. DEALER STATED WOULD BE A CONCERN IF IT WAS DOING THIS AT…
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AFTER REPAIR OF OVER DRIVE PROBLEM, THE NEXT DAY WHILE CAR WAS IDLING, NOTICED STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN VEHICLE. HAD TO ROLL DOWN WINDOWS. HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY SINCE IT HAS A CERAMIC HONEY COMB FILTER. DEALER STATED WOULD BE A CONCERN IF IT WAS DOING THIS AT 10,000 MILES. CAR IS BEING TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR PROBLEM. *JB
THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN A TURN WAS MADE. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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