We bought vehicle in Jan, 2018 from a private party, as a work vehicle for my husband, who is a usps rural route carrier. Two weeks after purchase, the anti-lock brake light went on, and the car would not stop when it was supposed to, which was very dangerous in winter. We believe the prior owner knew about this. The light would just go on & off with no pattern. About 1 1/2 months later, he was driving on a 2 lane hgwy (55 mph) delivering mail. He went to pull forward but the car made a brief noise and then everything just stopped working. The car wouldn't start, no electrical or lights, he could not even roll the vehicle by himself to a safe place w/out help. The electrical and propulsion simply stopped working; period. We ended up dragging it home. Dealership gave est. Amt of repairs around $18K. I found the recall in 2014 (14S19) for the same thing. The mec pump was replaced in 2014, with a "supplemental" fix in 2015 same issue. This is the exact same issue as the previous recall, which neither Mercury or any dealership wants to honor. I'm guessing there are more hybrid mariners w/ similar issues, but not enough to issue a follow-up recall. So here we are stuck in car repair purgatory. I do believe they should honor the recall now and fix the pump and replace the hybrid battery. Not sure about the brakes, but I have seen a lot of complaints about them as well - again, not enough for a recall, which again. Purgatory. My husband was very lucky. Had it been a diff time of day there would have been much more car & semi-truck traffic on the hwy (speed limit is 55) and with him literally just stopped dead in his tracks, there surely would have an imminent risk of a serious rear-end collison, with potentially deadly injuries. I am looking for help, assistance, guidance and anything else from any source possible to resolve this issue. We are at our witts end!!

- Columbus, WI, USA

Stop safely now chimes and displayed on dash followed by no acceleration until vehicle stalls and stops.starts right back up but continues to happen especially in la rush hour traffic. Very dangerous! had recall work done on the mecs 3yrs ago but problem has continued. This happens while in motion on the 110 freeway in downtown los angleles, ca. Could be the electric throttle body or rear actuator. Or any other component that works with the electric motor and battery.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

Car has been rock solid reliable up until 3 weeks ago. Driving normally on city streets the car abruptly shut down the hybrid and ice propulsion units. Steering froze up and it was like putting the brakes on it stranded me in the middle of traffic causing delays for other drivers and a dangerous obstruction. The car has no limp mode to allow for safely getting out of traffic. It had to be towed. Ford dealer has had car for 3 weeks and are still uncertain as to what caused the unsafe shutdown.

- Ogden, UT, USA

The power torque sensor for the power steering was already recalled and had the system updated before I got the car in 2014. The cars steering wheel starts shaking a little then all of a suddle the steering wheel locks up and the power steering stops working, so you can't hardly turn it. I came inches from getting in a wreck. You can update the system but it will only work for about 1 or 2 years.

- Tonganoxie, KS, USA

Quits running while caution with explanation in middle light appears and wrench light appears. Then notification to stop at once safely. This has happened on freeway. After 15-20 minutes car will crank again but may only go a few feet and stall again, near death experience.

- Hendersonville, NC, USA

2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid was going 20mph on electric motor in traffic when triangle warning light came on and the stop safely now sign displayed. The vehicle gas engine did not come on and I had to pull over to the side. I place the car in park and turn off the engine. I restarted the engine and the warning light disappeared. I took it to the Ford dealership and they ran a diagnostic on it. They indicated it was the throttle body on the car that needs to be clean or replaced, and the PCM needs to be reprogrammed. I replaced it. This is after I took it to the Ford dealership to fix the two recalls for this vehicle - electric steering control and electric coolant pump for the hybrid battery. I don't know if this will fixed the stalling issue since other vehicle owners indicated this problem persists, only time will tell. If this is a persistent problem please issue a recall since losing propulsion in traffic is not safe.

- La Puente, CA, USA

Experienced the second of two in-traffic drive-train shut-downs as dangerous as the G.M. ignition switch malfunctions (see ODI#: 10683675) our initial stopping place - in a "reverse gore-point" between the N/B freeway lanes of the I-405 freeway in santa ana, ca and an outside transition road was unsafe in the full-darkness of a non-illuminated high-speed intersection; with traffic zooming by on both sides, with the flashers still active, I res-started the engine -- all dash warnings cycled on then off normally; on a distinct up-grade, I revv'd the engine against the service brakes, and watched for a suitable gap in traffic over-taking us on our right side. Seeing such a gap, I released the service brakes and accelerated to 30 mph towards the outer shoulder...but only made it part-way across the 2 lanes when the second shut-down occurred...the same "check engine" light...the same squealing enunciator tone... the same worthless "stop safely now" message and again, thanks to courteous and alert over-taking drivers, I was able to coast to a relatively broad shoulder section beside a `disappearing' right travel lane. It was now 7:55pm. We were on our cell phone to the aaa when a highway patrol officer stopped behind us to check our situation, and provide additional protection until a tow-truck could arrive on-scene. This is the second of our family's fomoco hybrids to experience such in-use drive-train shut-downs that provide the driver with no usable warnings of impending doom - not even "limp-away power"... the "after-it's-too-late" message-panel might as well display "kiss your a$$ goodbye". the idiot fomoco engineers who decided to "protect" the hybrid battery by "stalling" the vehicle on the freeway obviously never considered what a freeway-speed rear-end impact would do to their precious battery...or to the "replaceable" living occupants of the vehicle.

- Studio City, CA, USA

Experienced two in-traffic drive-train shut-downs as dangerous as the G.M. ignition switch malfunctions... traveling in 60mph-70mph night-time valentine's night freeway traffic on the I-405 in santa ana, ca. In the #3 lane of 5 lanes, the check engine warning light suddenly flashed on - accompanied by the `screech' of the `check gauges' tone - and the drive-train lost all power -- along with the absolutely worthless text "stop safely now". with no power steering, and limited brake booster reserves, I activated the hazard flashers - and thanks to alert and courteous traffic, was able to stop in a "reverse gore-point" between the freeway lanes and an outside transition road. Things could have come out far-worse if overtaking drivers had been inattentive - or we had to cross the path of a big-rig with limited braking- or steering capabilities. As an accident reconstructionist, this is unacceptable. This is the second of our family's fomoco hybrids to experience such in-use drive-train shut-downs that provide the driver with no usable warnings of impending doom - not even "limp-away power"... the "after-it's-too-late" message-panel might as well display "kiss your a$$ goodbye". the idiot fomoco engineers who decided to "protect" the hybrid battery by "stalling" the vehicle on the freeway obviously never considered what a freeway-speed rear-end impact would do to their precious battery...or to the "replaceable" living occupants of the vehicle.

- Studio City, CA, USA

When decelerating down hill the brakes became seemed to have no power to stop the car and required extreme force to stop the car. Afterwards the electronic motor disengaged from the engine and the automobile runs on combustion engine only without the hybrid electric motor assist.

- Germantown, MD, USA

Just after starting my car and driving down my street at ~5mph, there was a warning symbol (red triangle) and then message saying "stop safely now." The vehicle then lost power steering, and power to the engine. I restarted the car and made it ~100ft and the same thing happened again. This also happened several times previously on the highway traveling ~65mph and with the same message "stop safely now" message appeared and immediately lost all power to steering and the engine. I went to the Ford dealership and was told to replace the hybrid coolant pump and blend doors and this fixed the problem for several months until today. I had also just taken the vehicle into the dealership for a recall on the power steering. This loss of power and ability to steer is extremely dangerous! this needs to be recalled!

- Boulder, CO, USA

While my wife was driving our 2008 Mercury hybrid mariner on a highway at a speed of approximately 45 mph, a warning light appeared on the dash (red triangle with and exclamation point) and the vehicle began slowing down in a manner that prevented her from controlling the speed of the vehicle. My wife, fortunately, was able to pull to the side of the highway without incident. The Ford dealership's diagnostic test revealed a faulty electronic throttle body and the dealership recommended immediate replacement for safety reasons. I understand that as a result of similar issues with Ford escape and Mercury mariner models, through a customer satisfaction program, Ford voluntarily has extended warranty work for some escape and mariner vehicles. The VIN for our 2008 Mercury hybrid mariner, however, was not included in this program. I spoke with a representative and with a supervisor from Ford customer service (800-392-3673), and the supervisor reported that Ford is not in a position to address the issue with respect to my vehicle, because there is not enough data to include my vehicle within the voluntary customer satisfaction program.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

The car shuts off without warning on the highway at speed causing fear, danger and a potential for disaster. Still doing this most recent incident was June 25, 2014. Ford refuses to do anything about this recurring problem I have, as do may other owners of Ford hybrid vehicles.

- Venice, FL, USA

While traveling down the interstate at approximately 70 mph on a Friday evening a red triangle shaped warning light came on saying "stop safely now", as the light came on the vehicle started loosing power going slower and slower, eventually slowing to 20 or 30 miles an hour, there was no safe place to pull over off the interstate. This was not safe at all. After pulling over, then pressing system reset buttons, turning off the vehicle and waiting a few minutes then restarting the vehicle it ran fine for the rest of the day and the following day. Then on Sunday (a day and a half later) I was traveling down the interstate and it did the same thing, the light came on and I lost power. I repeated what I did the previous time, but it did it again while on the interstate, it did it several times. When I got back on the interstate the last time I kept my speed around 60 mph and was able to make it home. This is not the first time the vehicle did this the same thing occurred about 6 months ago several times on the interstate. I assumed what ever the problem was it was it worked itself out because it had been so long since it occurred. I do not know what the source of the problem is and from what I have read I am leery of bringing it in for repair because Ford doesn't even seem to know the source of the problem from everything I have read, and the owner ends up paying a lot of money for repairs that may or may not be the source of the problem.

- Covington, LA, USA

Around Oct 2009. My sensor went bad and had to be replaced then again in October 2010 or 2011 with around 60000 miles going down I-75 around 70 miles an hour a red triangle came on telling me to pull over safely now. I need a mecs pump something about a pump to cool the battery after again another costly bill on my way to work this spring the red triangle came on again. This time instead of taking this car to the dealership I took it to my mechanic it saved me around $100 on the replacement of the cooling pump. I was driving in construction August 22, 2013 and the red light came on again telling me to pull over safely I did have my air on and I was stuck in traffic so I pulled over. In the heat I have not had my air on again and it has not happened in the last couple of days but I do not trust my car and I now need to go to my mechanic and have it checked out..

- Clinton Twp, MI, USA

I was traveling West at about 70 mph in the left lane on I-66 out of Washington, DC with four people in the car. Suddenly, the engine died and we were left with only the electric motor on the hybrid and a dash warning of a red triangle and the statement "stop safely soon." The car quickly lost power to about 30 mph and we struggled to get across the four lanes to the shoulder. The electronics in the car still operated (radio, dash lights, etc.), but the gas engine stalled. Once on the shoulder, we stopped. The Ford owner's manual told us to turn the car off and try to re-start. We did this and the car re-started. We started to drive, but the car did the same thing after about 5 minutes. The car did the same thing on about 5 different occasions until we could get to an exit that had businesses. The Ford dealer in this area (away from my home) states that the electronic cooling pump needs to be replaced. Although I understand that parts fail, my complaint is that Ford should not tell owners to re-start the car and try to proceed on. It is dangerous when it continues to fail and you don't know where the next failure might occur (on a bridge, in a construction zone, on a busy, fast interstate). Moreover, having reviewed complaints on this site and elsewhere on the internet about Ford hybrids, I know that many others have experience this situation where the car engine stalls at highway speeds due to various problems (e.g., the electronic cooling pump, bad sensors, or a corrupted PCM).

- Athens, WV, USA

This would be the third total engine power shut-down at freeway speeds with no limp-away option after exiting the freeway, realized that we were in an unsafe neighborhood [so not a good option to stop and call for tow], tried mapping surface street route to safer area, but nav system showed the only surface street route to take us back home put us on a steep, narrow winding section of laurel canyon - no safe exit if another shut-down. Also realized we couldn't use riverside thru griffith park which is locked after dark.. so zig-zagged North and West about 5 miles below 40 mph keeping to lighted streets hoping for safe place or unremembered route. Engine remained stable once more, drove towards I-5 again on los feliz (past the griffin bar ' and a topless club).. remembered los feliz ahead had a long, separate entrance ramp to N/B I-5. the drivetrain accelerated smoothly to ~50 mph, then warnings / drive train died again at the bottom of the on-ramp.. hazards ' again.. but with less momentum, harder to find a wide-enough spot on the N/B outer shoulder across from S/end griffith park golf course. When minimal spot found stopped / parked / shut down and restarted again, engine started and idled smoothly, no warning lights remained on. Now about 10:15pm. With hazards on, rolled below fwy speeds along shoulder until it ran out just as adequate opening appeared in outside lane. Accelerated cautiously to below 50 mph, limped off at odd freeway appendix which leads East - merged right onto san fernando, turned left (North) at next signal and started working way about 12 miles back West on surface streets from the moorpark area never exceeding 45 mph. No additional drivetrain issues before we reached studio city home ~ 11:10pm. This was the third total engine power shut-down at freeway speeds with no `limp away' option.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

This would be the second un-warned total loss of power on a freeway. Having coasted out of traffic on the first unwarned engine / propulsion system shut-down in fast-moving freeway traffic, managed to find wide-enough section of outside shoulder to come to a stop. But being stuck in 10pm darkness on a narrow shoulder was too dangerous to consider remaining there. Once stopped, I shifted the transmission to park, cycled ignition off then to start " engine restarted, dash warning lamps came on- then cycled off normally, engine ran smoothly. Note: The only way to attempt to restart the hybrid drivetrain is to shift the transmission into park.. it doesn't work in neutral.. and there was no way I was going to try to put the trans in park in 72-75 mph freeway traffic in 10pm darkness. Accelerated moderately into merging lane, entering gap in N/B traffic to re-enter I-5 traffic ? hoping to get past sr-2 to more-familiar exit ? within 2 minutes, and at speed ~ 55 mph " drive train died again (same warning tone and light...and same "too little too late" stop now warning text). Again had to hunt for a wide-enough section of outside shoulder to stop and take stock of dangerous situation. Shut off engine, moved trans into park tried restart - again, engine started and settled to normal operation - no warning lights remained on. Able to re-enter traffic and transition off I-5 fwy.. but only escape was to another freeway (sr-2). Kept speed below 45mph on that freeway until able to exit freeway. This was the second un-warned total loss of power on a freeway.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

The engine abruptly stopped while I was traveling 65 mph. The car was towed to a Ford dealer who diagnosed the problem as the "motor electronics cooling pump." The part was replaced but was not covered by the warranty. Ford issued a technical service bulletin in November 2008 concerning this problem, so Ford has been aware of this danger for years.

- West Chester, PA, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid. The contact was driving 10 mph when the ABS and brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the electrical hydraulic braking system failed. The dealer informed him that there were no recalls for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 58,034. Updated 05/05/11 the dealer infoemed the consumer the electronic control unit was bad. Updated 08/18/11

- Gainesville, FL, USA

Vehicle's gas engine shut off on the freeway at 65 mph without warning leaving only the electric motor to power it. The reduced the maximum speed to 25 mph. Dealer said failure of the motor electronics cooling pump caused the loss of power.

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA