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Mercury MilanModel year report

2008 Mercury Milan Problems

Compared with other Mercury Milan years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

28/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
451filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
91,000miles, 252 complaints with mileage
Recalls
42 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.3L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Mercury Milan (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe brake problems, typically a pedal that sinks to the floor with little or no stopping response, and many of those complaints reference the ABS hydraulic control unit recall. A second large share of complaints concerns Takata airbag recalls and a dashboard bulge or separation over the passenger airbag. Brake complaints appear across the mileage range, from roughly 50,000 to over 200,000 miles, and often follow an ABS event on wet, icy, or bumpy roads.

  1. Brakes

    Brake pedal goes to the floor / soft brakes

    • 182 complaints (40%)
    • median 100,500 mi at 9.7 yrs old (157 state mileage)
    • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 13 quotes)
    • filed 2008–2025

    Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking all the way to the floorboard with reduced or no stopping response, sometimes after an ABS activation on wet, icy, or bumpy pavement, and sometimes with no warning at all. Several owners say pumping the pedal restores some pressure temporarily, and some had the master cylinder, pads, rotors, or hydraulic control unit replaced without a lasting fix. Dealers are reported as unable to duplicate the problem, and many owners say they were told the repair parts for the ABS recall were not yet available. Reported across a wide mileage range, roughly 50,000 to over 200,000 miles, often after braking on wet, icy, or bumpy surfaces.

    Recall 19V9040001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether recall 19V904000 has been performed and whether the hydraulic control unit has been replaced. Test the pedal for softness or long travel, and try a hard stop on a quiet road.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving on the highway and had to slam on my brakes to avoid another car that came into my lane improperly. My brakes engage properly at that moment but for the remainder of the thirty minute drive my brakes didn't engage properly. The brake pedal repeatedly went all the way to the floor and would not engage correctly.”

    NHTSA complaint #11119392, filed 2018-08, 60,000 miles

    “Traveling on a two lane road I was stopped in heavy traffic for a red light. When the light turned green after traffic began to move congestion caused traffic to stop again. When I proceeded to brake the brakes didn't engage until the pedal was completely to the floor. I pulled over and parked in a safe area and called for a ride. Once the car sat for several hours it was driven home without incident.”

    NHTSA complaint #11119393, filed 2018-08, 68,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Airbag recalls not completed / no parts

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    A large share of complaints are about Takata airbag recalls: owners describe receiving multiple notices over several years while dealers told them replacement inflators were not available, and some report being offered no loaner vehicle. Several filed complaints simply to record that the recall work was still outstanding. Mostly recorded between 2016 and 2019, at mileages from under 50,000 to over 100,000.

    Recall 21V158000Recall 16V384000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 17V024000 · DO NOT DRIVE4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the VIN against open airbag recalls and ask for written proof that the inflator was replaced, not just that a notice was received.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall: I have rcvd numerous recall warnings however when I took my car to my local dealership they said they hadn't yet received replacement airbags! Now I'm receiving a notice that takata has filed for bankruptcy so I should take action! How am I supposed to take action? Why aren't these airbags available so they can be replaced before a problem?”

    NHTSA complaint #11047754, filed 2017-11, 99,000 miles

    “Takata recall, we have never been contacted to have this item replaced. We received our notice on july 2016. This is a very dangerous situation and causing undue mental anguish to our family while driving this vehicle . We have not traveled far in this vehicle due to this dangerous condition. It is like driving an ied!!!! Why can't the ford motor company get this corrected? Please help in any way you can to move this process to a safe resolution. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10969815, filed 2017-03, 49,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine stalling and electronic throttle faults

    • 32 complaints (7%)
    • median 76,800 mi at 6.8 yrs old (31 state mileage)
    • filed 2008–2020

    Complaints describe the engine stalling without warning at road speed, and in some cases the vehicle failing to restart. One owner was told the electronic throttle body needed repair, and a service bulletin covers throttle-body sludge causing erratic idle and hard starts. Reported around 72,000 to 110,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records on throttle body cleaning or replacement, and note any rough idle or hesitation on a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Milan. The contact stated that whiled driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact mentioned that check engine and battery warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 110,816.”

    NHTSA complaint #10598181, filed 2014-06, 110,816 miles

    “The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Milan. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating and there have been knocking noises coming from the engine compartment. The dealer discovered that there was no oil in the engine and advised they could not assist. The contact stated that there was no warning indication of low oil levels in the vehicle. The engine was replaced and the contact was also advised that the oil pressure sensor had malfunctioned. The failure mileage was 74,000 and the current mileage was 74,253.”

    NHTSA complaint #10355234, filed 2010-09, 74,253 miles

Buying note. Brake behavior is the main thing to verify on this model year: confirm the ABS recall work was completed and test the pedal carefully. Also check for open airbag recalls and any dashboard distortion over the passenger airbag before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 451 consumer complaints for the 2008 Mercury Milan. 252 of the complaints include a mileage, and 15% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 91,000 miles. Of all complaints, 22 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 8 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns (2 marked do-not-drive) and 18 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Mercury Milan model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 28 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Wheels (5), Engine cooling (4), Tires (4), Electronic stability control (3), Exterior lighting (3), Seats (3), Suspension (2).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Takaka recall: still waiting for replacement. Brakes: I was taking my granddaughter home and had to stop at a traffic light. My brake pedal went straight to the floor!! My heart was in my throat. Fortunately no-one was in front of me and I was able to stop after pumping many times.my service center said I needed a new ABS system costing $1500.”

NHTSA complaint #11079866, filed 2018-03, 135,000 miles

Brakes: “I applied my brakes to make a turn on an uneven street and next thing you know I have soft brakes and have to pump my breaks 2 or 3 times to stop. This has been an ongoing problem 2016. How many more complaints are needed before there is a recall on the hcu unit that every one keeps mentioning also...when will the passenger air bags come in for repairs”

NHTSA complaint #10991626, filed 2017-05, 150,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “After I replaced the original battery, I started the engine. I was unable to accelerate above 750 r.p.m. Which is the approximate idle speed of the car. While in gear, I was unable to move forward or back due to lack of power. I had the car towed to the nearest ford dealer in chandler, az. They diagnosed the problem as failure of the throttle body. After replacement, the car is operating normal, although it has only been four days since the service was performed. I do not trust it anymore.”

NHTSA complaint #10575139, filed 2014-03, 68,703 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was driving down the road when my car started running on four cylinders instead of 6. I was able to get it to the dealership via tow truck. They had to replace my powertrain control module (PCM) and a coil that was burnt. They followed the TSB 13-4-17 that related to the 2006-2008 ford/lincoln/Mercury PCM problems. Prior to this event, my car had not shown any signs of malfunction.”

NHTSA complaint #10995598, filed 2017-06, 108,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

15% of the 252 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 65,000 and 120,000 miles.

4%0–103%10–258%25–5020%50–7521%75–10033%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (252 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 91,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’13’16175’19’22’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Mercury Milan. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Milan · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5——5 · 9.2% risk
Milan · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated4 / 4——5 · 9.2% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Mercury Milan version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Milan FWD2.3L 4-cyl5-speed automatic202823$2,900
Milan FWD2.3L 4-cyl5-speed manual202923$2,900
Milan FWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic182621$3,200
Milan AWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Mercury Milan → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 18 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 18 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercury Milan

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201119258,950742563 · TypicalRising
20101,00360,00011—25100 · MoreFalling
200922685,0006—2330 · FewerFalling
200845191,0004—2328 · FewerFalling
200743489,5004—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200621484,0004—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Mercury Milan model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercury Milan?

Owners of this model year most often describe brake problems, typically a pedal that sinks to the floor with little or no stopping response, and many of those complaints reference the ABS hydraulic control unit recall. The issues reported most often: Brake pedal goes to the floor / soft brakes; Airbag recalls not completed / no parts; Engine stalling and electronic throttle faults.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Mercury Milan have?

NHTSA recorded 451 consumer complaints for the 2008 Mercury Milan as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Mercury Milan is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 211 complaints (47% of the total), followed by brakes with 198.

Has the 2008 Mercury Milan been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Mercury Milan get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Mercury Milan (Milan, 2.3L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Mercury Milan reported?

Among the 252 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 91,000 miles and the middle half falls between 65,000 and 120,000 miles; 15% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.