IllustrationCharcoal canister and purge valve defective stuck at open. Check engine light, dropped fuel economy. Forced vehicle to shut off engine and no power, stop on freeway at full speed.
2009 Mercury Mariner
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Mariner years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Mercury Mariner are substantially higher than the model-year median of 63.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mariner 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
160–25K
2125–50K
4450–75K
5275–100K
82100–150K
36150K+
251 reports with mileage · 64 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.
- Steering. Review the 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
15 reportsON OCTOBER 18, 2018 I RECEIVED THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE ERROR ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN TURNING ON MY VEHICLE. I HAD DRIVEN IT EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT ISSUE. PREVIOUSLY I HAD THE OCCASIONAL WARNING NOISE AND QUICK FLASH OF AN ERROR (TOO QUICK FOR ME TO READ ALL THE WAY) AND WOULD HAVE MOMENTARY DIFFICULTY TURNING. …
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ON OCTOBER 18, 2018 I RECEIVED THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE ERROR ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN TURNING ON MY VEHICLE. I HAD DRIVEN IT EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT ISSUE. PREVIOUSLY I HAD THE OCCASIONAL WARNING NOISE AND QUICK FLASH OF AN ERROR (TOO QUICK FOR ME TO READ ALL THE WAY) AND WOULD HAVE MOMENTARY DIFFICULTY TURNING. THIS ISSUE MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY A MALFUNCTIONING TORQUE SENSOR. I REACHED OUT TO FORD AFTER LEARNING OF RECALLS FOR THE 2009 MODEL YEAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. FORD WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS IN ANY WAY. THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO KEEP THE RECEIPT ON THE SLIM CHANCE THAT THE RECALL WOULD BE EXPANDED. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. HAD I BEEN ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. THIS REPAIR WILL COST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $1000 OR MORE. I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE AT A DEALERSHIP TO ENSURE THE REPAIR IS DONE CORRECTLY AND THAT FORD WON'T GIVE ME REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES SHOULD THE RECALL BE EXPANDED. THIS OCCURRED LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE FUEL INLET VALVE FAILED ON THE VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND RENDERING IT UNABLE TO BE STARTED. THE REAR HATCH HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE OPENED FOR OVER THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE WITH THE LATCH. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM AND WELL. THERE WERE ISSUES WITH AIR CONDITIONING WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (APRIL 2015). THE ISSUES WERE NOT APPARENT PREVIOUS TO PURCHASE BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AT THE TIME. WITHIN A MONTH THE WEATHER WARMED UP. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE A/C IT WAS ONLY BLOWING HOT AIR. THE DEALERSHIP WAS WILLING TO FIX THE ISSUE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS OCCURRING AGAIN EVEN AFTER HAVING AN A/C RECHARGE PERFORMED.
THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN WHILE OPERATING ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 65-75 MPH. THERE IS NO WARNING AND IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR. AFTER WAITING FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES THE ENGINE CAN BE RESTARTED AND ALL SEEMS TO OPERATE, UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN.
WHILE UNIT IS RUNNING ON ROAD ENGINE STILL RUNNING CAR STOP FOR ABSENT OF POWER BUT ENGINE KEEP RUNNING, PRESSING GAS PEDAL WILL DO ANYTHING , YOU HAVE TO TURN ENGINE OFF WAIT AND TURN ENGINE ON BACK IN ORDER TO KEPT DRIVING , THIS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HAY WAY AT ANY SPEED , PLEASE CONSIDER A…
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WHILE UNIT IS RUNNING ON ROAD ENGINE STILL RUNNING CAR STOP FOR ABSENT OF POWER BUT ENGINE KEEP RUNNING, PRESSING GAS PEDAL WILL DO ANYTHING , YOU HAVE TO TURN ENGINE OFF WAIT AND TURN ENGINE ON BACK IN ORDER TO KEPT DRIVING , THIS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HAY WAY AT ANY SPEED , PLEASE CONSIDER A RECALL WE ALMOST GET KILL BY A REAR IMPACT IF WE DID REACT FAST . UPDATE DOES NOT FIX SITUATION, THIS A TROUBLESHOOTING FROM FACTORY AND THEY NOW THIS VERY CLEAR. THIS HAPPENS IN HAY WAY 147 GOING NORTH TO SOUTH AT 9.10PM ON 06/13/2018 WHERE WE WERE DRIVING SPEED LIMITS OF 55MPH.
TOOL LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR LOSES POWER IN TRAFFIC, VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. DEALERSHIP UPDATED WITH COMPUTER BUT VEHICLE IS STILL DOING IT. PLEASE DO A RECALL FORD.
WHILE IN MOTION THE CAR WILL STALL CAUSING ME TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS EVERY 10-15 MILES AND ITS REALLY UNSAFE! I BELIEVE IT IS A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP BEFORE I CAN CONTINUE DRIVING IT.
MY 2009 MERCURY MARINER STALLS WHILE ITS IDLE, AT A INTERSECTION OR JUST WAITING. IT STALLS THEN I STARTED UP RIGHT AFTER IT STALLS.
ON 1/1/2016 I WAS DRIVING ON 495 W IN QUEENS, NY HEADING BACK TO MANHATTAN WHERE I LIVE. OUT OF NOWHERE THE CAR BEGAN JERKING, A WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASH PANEL CAME ON (WHICH I NEVER SAW BEFORE) AND I COULD TELL THE CAR WAS DECELERATING. I TRIED HITTING THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD JERK, THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT WA…
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ON 1/1/2016 I WAS DRIVING ON 495 W IN QUEENS, NY HEADING BACK TO MANHATTAN WHERE I LIVE. OUT OF NOWHERE THE CAR BEGAN JERKING, A WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASH PANEL CAME ON (WHICH I NEVER SAW BEFORE) AND I COULD TELL THE CAR WAS DECELERATING. I TRIED HITTING THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD JERK, THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT WAS BARELY MOVING. I KNEW I HAD TO PULL OVER AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM A CONFIDENT DRIVER, HOWEVER, A LESS CONFIDENT OR TIMID DRIVER MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE PANICKED AND GOTTEN INTO A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS COLLISION.
DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS, CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING, COULD PUSH THE ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND GET NO POWER. ENGINE DID NOT STALL OUT, BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE POWER. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF CAR, THEN TURN BACK ON, AND PROBLEM WAS GONE. AFTER ANOTHER 15 MILES OR SO IT HAPPENED AGAIN.…
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DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS, CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING, COULD PUSH THE ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND GET NO POWER. ENGINE DID NOT STALL OUT, BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE POWER. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF CAR, THEN TURN BACK ON, AND PROBLEM WAS GONE. AFTER ANOTHER 15 MILES OR SO IT HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS A BAD THROTTLE BODY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
THIS ACTUALLY FIRST OCCURRED ON FRIDAY. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE THRUWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH WHEN THE CAR FELT ALMOST LIKE IT DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN I TOTALLY LOST ACCELERATION AND THE WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH. I LIMPED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR JERKED AND SPUTTERED BEFORE I SHUT IT OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I RESTARTED…
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THIS ACTUALLY FIRST OCCURRED ON FRIDAY. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE THRUWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH WHEN THE CAR FELT ALMOST LIKE IT DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN I TOTALLY LOST ACCELERATION AND THE WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH. I LIMPED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR JERKED AND SPUTTERED BEFORE I SHUT IT OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS FLOODED AT FIRST THEN IT TURNED OVER NORMALLY. I WAS AN HOUR FROM HOME AND MADE IT BACK WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND IT DID NOT SHOW ANY CODES. THEY SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE PURGE VALVE, AND AS I HAD A BUSY WEEK OF WORK RELATED TRAVEL SCHEDULED I WENT AHEAD AND HAD THEM DO IT FOR $120. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. RIGHT? TODAY I GET AN HOUR FROM HOME AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I CALL MY DEALER AND THEY SUGGEST I FIND THE CLOSEST FORD DEALER AND TAKE IT THERE IMMEDIATELY. CLOSEST FORD DEALER COULDN'T TAKE ME FOR 2 WEEKS!! I WAS AN HOUR FROM MY DESTINATION, SO I DECIDED TO CHANCE IT. I DROVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. SAME EXACT SCENARIO. I STARTED IT AGAIN, GOT BACK ON THE ROAD AND DROVE 10 MINUTES AND AGAIN, EXCEPT THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. I AM 2 1/2 HOURS FROM HOME AND DRIVING A RENTAL. GARAGE WILL DIAGNOSE AND HOPEFULLY FIX TOMORROW. SERVICE TECH SAID IF HE HAD TO DIAGNOSE WITHOUT A CODE HE WOULD SAY THROTTLE BODY! IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS NOT COVERED BY MY 5 YEAR/60K WARRANTY EITHER. WITH ALL OF THE SIMILAR STORIES I HAVE READ ONLINE FORD NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO DO A RECALL AND REIMBURSE US ALL FOR OUR EXPENSES. *TR
Official recalls
114V284000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System
May 29, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
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
2DP15001 · Loss Of Power Steering While Driving
Opened Apr 1, 2015 · Closed Jun 14, 2018
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System
On May 27, 2014, amended June 2, 2014, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving in approximately 746,067 model year (MY) 2008 through 2011 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with electric power assisted steering (NHTSA 14V-284, Ford 14S05). Ford's DIR described the defect condition as a poor signal to noise ratio [SNR] in the torque sensor within the Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system [which] does not allow the PSCM to determine the driver's steering input. When the system detects this fault condition, it transitions the EPAS system to the fail-safe/manual steering mode.Ford's DIR indicates that loss of power steering assist while driving would require higher steering effort at lower vehicle speeds, which may result in an increased risk of a crash.Ford's remedy instructs dealers to check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) to determine the proper repair procedure. If no DTCs are present, dealers are to update the PSCM and instrument cluster module software. The updated PSCM software changes the torque sensor fault strategy so that the SNR condition does not result in a loss of power steering assist while driving.In addition, audible and visual warnings are provided for torque sensor faults.If DTCs indicating faults in the torque sensor, PSCM or Power Steering Motor (motor) are present in the initial recall inspection, the dealer performs the following repairs: 1) replaces the torque sensor for torque sensor faults (DTC B2278); or 2) replaces the steering column for faults related to the PSCM (DTC B1342) or motor (DTC B2277).Continued in attachment pages
PE13003 · Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Opened Feb 21, 2013 · Closed Feb 28, 2014
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
On February 21, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 to investigate allegations of electronic throttle body (ETB) failures resulting in sudden reduction of engine power in model year (MY) 2009-2013 Ford Escape, Fusion, Mariner and Milan vehicles. During this investigation, Ford identified a condition in subject vehicles equipped with 2.5L and 3.0L engines that may result in a sudden reduction of engine power.According to Ford, the ETB internal motor contacts may develop a high resistance material buildup condition on the commutator, resulting in intermittent electrical connectivity and reduced engine power. When this condition occurs, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or Wrench light will illuminate and the vehicle may enter a limited limp home mode.Ford?s trade name for the feature is Failure Mode Effects Management (FMEM) mode.In this mode, engine power and vehicle speed are reduced, while full function of the power steering, power braking, lighting, and climate control systems are maintained.ODI?s complaint analysis indicate that the predominant failure mode involved reduced motive power associated with the limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Analysis of warranty claims provided by Ford identified 59,807 claims related to ETB replacements and approximately 50 percent of claims are associated with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed.Ford described several factors where the ETB motor may fail resulting in DTCs P2111 or P2112 but the failure is not an existing stuck open or closed ETB valve position.According to Ford, the ETB control strategy provides the driver with three FMEM modes that allow varying degrees of vehicle mobility depending on the severity of the fault detected.DTCs associated with stuck open or closed throttle valves are designated the highest failure severity resulting in engine speeds limited to high idle corresponding to the limited limp home mode.Vehicles are not likely to unexpectedly stall as a result of this condition, but drivers may characterize the reduced functionality as a stall, even though their vehicle may still has motive capability.Other FMEM limp modes may result in reduced engine performance but will maintain vehicle speed above 20mph. During this investigation, Ford and its suppliers, Delphi and Igarashi, updated the powertrain control module (PCM) software to include a throttle body motor cleaning cycle during key-on and modified the ETB internal motor components design, surface finish and material composition to improve durability. Additionally, Ford developed a remedy procedure and issued a special Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) 13N03 extending the ETB warranty coverage and instructing dealers to update the powertrain calibration to improve vehicle performance in the event that intermittent electrical connectivity of the throttle body motor contacts occurs. The program extends the coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, all vehicles are eligible for the program through January 31, 2015 regardless of mileage.Owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted by mail to take their vehicle to a Ford dealer who will reprogram the PCM to the latest calibration. The bulletin was sent to dealers on January 17, 2014 and the owner letter mailing began on January 27, 2014. See the investigative file for copies of Ford's bulletin and owner letter. This preliminary evaluation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that