2003 Mercury Marauder: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 60 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is exterior lighting (21% of complaints); the 2004 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2006
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I'm having issues with the headlights. When you try to use the bright lights the headlights go out. It seems my issue would fit under the lcm recall for 2003-2005 mercury grand marquis. When you enter the VIN it shows no recalls. I'm hoping this is an oversight since the marauder is a version of grand marquis.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2017
“Driving along 2 lane highway at about 7pm 1/6/2016 head lights stopped working will not come back on had to drive without head lights or taillights I was informed there is a problem with this year 2003 mercury marauder head lights etcand ford is aware of this hazardous problem”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Jan 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury marauder. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v861000 (exterior lighting); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer (levittown ford llc, 3195 hempstead turnpike, levittown, ny 11756) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Dec 2015
Show 7 more owner reports
“15s39 this vehicle recall has been on my cat for almost a year. According to this website safercar.gov the remedy is available but when you take it to ford it is not. This vehicle has had this recall with no remedy for a year! This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed. It has destroyed the value of the car. Its unsafe to drive at night since the headlights are not working. Ford is either lying about the recall remedy or it was misreported”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2015
“The steering became jerky and had to overcorrect to keep in traffic lane. Making turns there was a loud cracking sound. The dealer said rust had seized the lower steering shaft and it was replaced. *tr”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury marauder. The contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the headlights suddenly failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage and VIN was not available.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Apr 2014
“Was traveling about 20 mph in my 2003 mercury marauder and was hit from behind at ~45 - 50 mph. During the impact the driver's seat back failed and fell backwards. Luckily my daughter (5 yrs old) was not in the booster seat that is directly behind me. If she had been with me, she most certainly would have had serious injuries. When the seat fell back, my instinct was to try to stay upright. This caused significant neck strain. When I then came into contact with the vehicle in front of me, I slid under the seat belt and my knee made hard contact with the dash. *js”Owner report · Seats · Sep 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury marauder. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by the contact. The contact replaced unknown wiring underneath the driver seat, but the light still remained illuminated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercury marauder. The contact stated while driving the headlights would suddenly shut off. The contact also indicated that while operating the high beam lights the light switch would not remain in the on position causing the lights to shut off. The contact notified the dealer and was advised that the defect was caused by a faulty lcm (light control module). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 110,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2013
“Headlights, turn signals, side markers, fog lamps all died unexpectedly when driving down the road twice on friday night. Faulty 'lighting control module' (part number 3w7z-13c788-aa on my specific vehicle) to blame. Previous investigation by NHTSA closed (pe08066), but problems remain - *all* 2001-2004 panther platform vehicles will have this problem eventually if they haven't already due to the relay being sized to small and eventually burning out. Massive safety issue with losing your lighting while driving at highway speeds on dark backroads. *tr”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2011
When filing, owners marked a crash in 4 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.
Remedy: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
How other years compare
Check your exact Marauder by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mercury Marauder reliable?
NHTSA has 60 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2003 Mercury Marauder. The most complained-about area is exterior lighting (21% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2003 Mercury Marauder problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 50,009 miles or less.
Does the 2003 Mercury Marauder have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.