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2003 Mercury Marauder

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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.

4 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

6 reports
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70 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Power TrainSteeringSuspension

THE VEHICLE WAS WASHED AND FUELED AGAINST CUSTOMER?S REPEATED REQUESTS. SIGNIFICANT (ADDITIONAL) CLEAR COAT ABRASION DAMAGE TO PAINTED BODY SURFACES AND TRIM. VEHICLE?S ENGINE KNOCKED FOR THE DURATION OF THE TANK, SUGGESTING THAT IT WAS FUELED WITH REGULAR, NOT PREMIUM FUEL THE VEHICLES FUEL GAUGE CLEARLY READS, PREMIUM FUEL ONL…

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THE VEHICLE WAS WASHED AND FUELED AGAINST CUSTOMER?S REPEATED REQUESTS. SIGNIFICANT (ADDITIONAL) CLEAR COAT ABRASION DAMAGE TO PAINTED BODY SURFACES AND TRIM. VEHICLE?S ENGINE KNOCKED FOR THE DURATION OF THE TANK, SUGGESTING THAT IT WAS FUELED WITH REGULAR, NOT PREMIUM FUEL THE VEHICLES FUEL GAUGE CLEARLY READS, PREMIUM FUEL ONLY. IMMEDIATE MECHANICAL FAILURES: WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THREE SYSTEM FAILURES. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. OVERDRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT CONSTANTLY FLASHING. POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE SENSOR REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. RADIATOR FAN DEFECTIVE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, OTHER MECHANICAL ANOMALIES APPEARED: TRANSMISSION ANOMALY OCCURRING REPEATABLE. CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM BEHAVING ERRATICALLY. IRREPARABLE CLEAR COAT AND PAINT DAMAGE: SEVERE AMOUNT OF CLEAR COAT DAMAGE TO NEARLY 100% OF THE VEHICLES EXTERIOR. ALTHOUGH A FEW SURFACE SCRATCHES MIGHT BE EXPECTED WITH ANY NEW VEHICLE, THE VOLUME AND SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE TO THIS VEHICLE IS BEYOND ANYTHING I COULD HAVE IMAGINED IN A NEW CAR. HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTO IMAGES ARE ATTACHED WHICH DEPICT ALL DEFECTS DESCRIBED BELOW. TEN OR MORE DEEP, IRREPARABLE, CONCENTRATED BURN MARKS, CAUSED BY OVER-BUFFERING, ARE LOCATED ON THE HOOD, DRIVERS DOOR, AND THE DRIVER?S-SIDE REAR DOOR, RIGHT-FRONT QUARTER PANEL, ETC. TWO ADDITIONAL BURN MARKS ARE CLEARLY PRESENT ON THE TRUNK LID LIP AND TRUNK SURFACE AS WELL. THESE SWIRL MARKS RANGE IN DIAMETER FROM A FEW INCHES TO MORE THAN A FOOT. THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN METALLIC PARTICLES ARE IRREPARABLY EMBEDDED INTO PAINT ALONG ALL LOWER BODY PANELS. A SMALL TEST AREA OF THE DAMAGED SURFACE WAS TREATED WITH A CLEAR COAT-SAFE POLISH, YET DEMONSTRATED NO VISIBLE IMPROVEMENT AS A RESULT.

NHTSA ODI #10070258

2,205 miles · Jan 15, 2004
StructureSuspensionUnknown Or Other

PAINT FLAKING AND THE BUFFING MARKS APPEAR ON HOOD AND FENDERS THE HOODS SHAKES SIDE TO SIDE AND THE TRIM IS COMING APART AROUND THE SIDE WINDOWS THE FRONTEND MAKES NOIES AT SLOW SPEEDS LIKE SOMTHING IS NOT PUT TOGEATHER OR THEY FORGOT TO TIGHEN THE NUTS

NHTSA ODI #10069508

4,348 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

I HAVE HAD 17 WARRANTY REPAIR ITEMS. OVERDRIVE PROBLEM ON MARCH 24. VALVE BODY AND TEMP SENSOR REPLACE. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 24 DAYS. PURCHASED NEW ON FEB. 8, CAR IS CURRENTLY IN ARBRITATION. I HAVE ASKED FOR A BUY BACK. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX LOOSE CARPET IN REAR FLOOR.

NHTSA ODI #10069200

4,900 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingExterior LightingUnknown Or Other

EVERY 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.

NHTSA ODI #10069063

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2003
Unknown Or OtherCrashInjury

WHILE TEST-DRIVING A 2003 MERCURY MARAUDER, MY FOOT BECAME ENTANGLE WITH A DRIVER-SIDE COCKPIT LOWER PANEL THAT TRAPPED MY FOOT ONTO THE THROTTLE AND PREVENTED ME FROM ACCESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASH. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10018914

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2003
Unknown Or Other

THE FIREWALL PLASTIC CASE WAS TO LOW TO THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL. WHICH MADE IT HARD TO REACH THE PEDAL IN TIME. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10014688

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.