IllustrationAS PER RECALL I TOOK MY CAR TO FORD DEALER (2200 S. WALNUT BLOOMINGTON, IN 47401) TO UPGRADE MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SOFTWARE. LESS THAN 30 DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED AND POWER STEERING ASSIST IS NO LONGER OPERABLE WHILE DRIVING.
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
What owners actually said
315 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS ANO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER CLICKING SOUND A FEW MINUTES LATER AND THE STEERING WHEEL OPERATED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND LUNGED FORWARD AS THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON AND DROVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO WEE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND LUNGED FORWARD AS THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON AND DROVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN RESPONSE TO A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE POWER STEERING. I HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF THE ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGAIN SERVICED THE VEHICLE. A FEW WEEKS LATER I AGAIN BEGAN HA…
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I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN RESPONSE TO A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE POWER STEERING. I HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF THE ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGAIN SERVICED THE VEHICLE. A FEW WEEKS LATER I AGAIN BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE STEERING. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET INTO THE SERVICE AGAIN, AND NOW FORD TELLS ME I NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN BUT THAT IT IS TOO LONG AFTER THE ORIGINAL SERVICE AND IS NOW CONSIDERED A NEW INCIDENT NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE INITIAL "REPAIR." THEY REFUSE TO BACK OUT THE SOFTWARE CHANGES AND REFUSE TO FIX THE CURRENT ISSUE. FORD CASE NUMBER CAS-8718390-Z4C4M7
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 04/19/16*LJ *JS
PROBLEM STARTED IN DECEMBER 2015, AND GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ENGINE WOULD NOT START WHEN IGNITION SWITCH WAS TURNED TO THE START POSITION. HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT IT, AND APPLY DOWNWARD FORCE ON THE KEY UNTIL THE NECESSARY CONTACT WAS MADE. ONCE STARTED IT SEEMED TO RUN NORMAL. FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A…
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PROBLEM STARTED IN DECEMBER 2015, AND GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ENGINE WOULD NOT START WHEN IGNITION SWITCH WAS TURNED TO THE START POSITION. HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT IT, AND APPLY DOWNWARD FORCE ON THE KEY UNTIL THE NECESSARY CONTACT WAS MADE. ONCE STARTED IT SEEMED TO RUN NORMAL. FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE "IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER HOUSING". THEY REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE, PART NUMBER 9L8Z*3511*A. ENGINE STARTS NORMALLY NOW. TOTAL COST TO ME $527.74.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 207,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
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.
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