IllustrationMy wife is driving the car and the power steering quits working several times. Off and on. Speed varies.. Very scary!
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
Steering complaints
167 reportsThe contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. She also stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle due to the failure. The contact called a dealer and was informed that her vehicle was n…
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The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault warning message appeared on the instrument panel. She also stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle due to the failure. The contact called a dealer and was informed that her vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a power steering assist failure. The v…
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The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a power steering assist failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the mechanic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 147,377.
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Marnier. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed and making a turn at an intersection, the vehicle lost power steering assist. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was blank. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…
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The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Marnier. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed and making a turn at an intersection, the vehicle lost power steering assist. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was blank. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was repaired in 2014 under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while his mother in-law was driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver was turning into her work parking lot when the vehicle lost power steering assist with the power steering assist fault message displayed. The driver pulled the vehicle into the parking lot and parked t…
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The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while his mother in-law was driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver was turning into her work parking lot when the vehicle lost power steering assist with the power steering assist fault message displayed. The driver pulled the vehicle into the parking lot and parked the vehicle. After work the driver had the vehicle towed to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
My wife was driving and the power steering failed. She could hardly steer to safety. Turned car off then steering was fine. The next day it happened again so we dropped it off to our mechanic. Today he called and said the entire steering column would have to be replaced. He informed us that there was a recall in 2016 for this pr…
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My wife was driving and the power steering failed. She could hardly steer to safety. Turned car off then steering was fine. The next day it happened again so we dropped it off to our mechanic. Today he called and said the entire steering column would have to be replaced. He informed us that there was a recall in 2016 for this problem with ford and mercury vehicles from 2006- 2011 however our vin was not included. This vehicle has been kept in top shape and only has 70,000 miles. I feel this is definetly a manufacturer defect. We are planning to make these repairs but feel this vehicle should have been included in the recall.
Loss of power steering 90% of driving time
Why was Ford allowed to close out recall 14S05 ? My 2009 Mariner was not included in the recalled VINs - did Ford neglect to include Hybrid Mariners and Escapes that were built at the Kansas City Assembly plant between 2008 and 2011 ? I am looking at a $600 repair for a sensor that should never wear out - when nearly 3/4s of a…
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Why was Ford allowed to close out recall 14S05 ? My 2009 Mariner was not included in the recalled VINs - did Ford neglect to include Hybrid Mariners and Escapes that were built at the Kansas City Assembly plant between 2008 and 2011 ? I am looking at a $600 repair for a sensor that should never wear out - when nearly 3/4s of a million vehicles were recalled for this defective part.
Power steering works or I have to manhandle the wheel to drive. If I turn car off and jiggle the steering wheel while turning it on sometimes it will come back other times it won’t.
Electronic power steering went out 2weeks after purchasing. Dealership said that it could be tork sensor. Had it tebooted 2 times and went back out each time. Recently had it tested again and repair man said that there was an active recall for it
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