NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Mercury Mariner Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2009 Mercury Mariner has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 315 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercury dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Mercury Mariner, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2009 Mercury Mariner owner complaints

Owners have filed 315 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Mercury Mariner, describing incidents dated July 1, 2009 to April 9, 2026.

Most-cited components

Steering 167 complaints
Engine 60 complaints
Power Train 44 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 41 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 30 complaints
Electrical System 22 complaints

Of the 315 complaints on file, 9 report a crash; across all 315 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11730562 · Filed April 11, 2026
My vehicle was returned to me following a torque sensor replacement on 4/9/2026 in poor condition (locked steering and a catastrophic gash in the driver-side tire) rendering it undrivable and unsafe. Crossroads Ford of Prince George shop's inspection report claims the tire damage was pre-existing, I…
ODI #11721530 · Filed March 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds on several occasions, the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. The contact added that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality…
ODI #11719580 · Filed February 21, 2026
My steering has been locking while I am driving and causing loss of steering and control of car. I have contacted crossroads dealer and I have not gotten a response as I am now aware there has been a safety recall on this vehicle.

Read all 315 complaints

Owner-reported

2009 Mercury Mariner mileage at failure

250 of the 315 complaints on file for the 2009 Mercury Mariner give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Engine	Median 70,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–90,000 miles	Based on 57 complaints
Power Train	Median 70,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–95,000 miles	Based on 41 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	Median 70,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–95,000 miles	Based on 39 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2009 Mercury Mariner in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP15-001: Loss of power steering while driving
Closed June 14, 2018
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003: Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Closed February 28, 2014

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Front Wheel Bearing has Wrong Dimensions

NHTSA #15E045000 · Suspension — Front — Wheel Bearing · NHTSA notice

Reported June 3, 2015 · Timken Company

Potentially affected: 576 vehicles

Repair completion: 58.24% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified May 20, 2015

Defect description

The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.

Safety consequence

Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist

NHTSA #14V284000 · Steering — Electric Power Assist System · NHTSA notice

Reported May 29, 2014 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 740,878 vehicles

Repair completion: 72.29% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14S05 · Owners notified July 18, 2014 · Vehicles built August 18, 2006 – September 11, 2010 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2009 Mercury Mariner 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

20% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

2 investigations

315 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Mercury Mariner.

Steering; Wheels

ODI #11730562

Incident: April 9, 2026 · Filed: April 11, 2026

My vehicle was returned to me following a torque sensor replacement on 4/9/2026 in poor condition (locked steering and a catastrophic gash in the driver-side tire) rendering it undrivable and unsafe. Crossroads Ford of Prince George shop's inspection report claims the tire damage was pre-existing, I have conclusive evidence to the contrary: Virginia State Inspection: My vehicle passed a Virginia state safety inspection on 2/27/2026. Per state law, any tire with a gash or sidewall crack is an automatic failure. This legally certifies the tire was intact immediately prior to their service. Recent Tire Service: I replaced my rear tires at OK Tire and Auto on 3/30/2026. At that time, a full tread and sidewall inspection of my front tires confirmed they were in good condition. The timing of the dealership's communication confirms the damage occurred while in their care: I arrived for my 9:30a appointment around 9:25a. No damage was noted during the initial intake. I was in their facility when I watched a mechanic drive to the other side of the service parking lot without being informed of a "catastrophic" safety issue. I was only notified of the gash at the end of the day when the vehicle was scheduled for return. Their staff now deems the vehicle "unsafe to drive" for their own employees. If this gash were present at 9:30am, it would have been told to me before I left the dealership. The locked steering is a direct result of an improper torque sensor installation (which is the reason why I was dropping my car off to be serviced). My car was in driving condition as I drove it to the dealership for my appointment with no issues. I received a call from advisor Sade Gregory at 11:03 informing me that I would need a steering column now that is on backorder. At 11:13am I received a confirmation for car delivery to me then at 1:06pm confirmation that my car will arrive at my house at 1:15. At 1:20 Sade Gregory says my car can't be delivered now because its unsafe for them.

Steering

ODI #11721530

Incident: February 15, 2026 · Filed: March 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds on several occasions, the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. The contact added that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, but the vehicle regained power steering functionality shortly afterwards. The "Power Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed on one occasion. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,900.

Steering

ODI #11719580

Incident: December 5, 2025 · Filed: February 21, 2026

My steering has been locking while I am driving and causing loss of steering and control of car. I have contacted crossroads dealer and I have not gotten a response as I am now aware there has been a safety recall on this vehicle.

Steering

ODI #11714546

Incident: January 22, 2026 · Filed: January 30, 2026

The power steering stopped working. A note did appear to let me know it wasn’t working. I took it in to the mechanic and he confirmed the power steering wasn’t working.

Suspension; Structure; Wheels

ODI #11674297

Crash

Incident: July 9, 2025 · Filed: July 17, 2025

Drivers rear shock rusted off the wheel well causing wheel to snap and metal frame to hit the ground while I was traveling 40 mph. At this time the other wheels locked up and started squealing causing loss of control of vehicle shooting me across lanes and hitting curbs on both sides. This was heard all the way inside a church and they came running out. If I had not been able to gain control it would have flipped. The vehicle is available for inspection. It has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service other than the tow truck attendant telling me that the car need to be junk because it could not be repaired. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, or insurance company as it only has liability insurance. A police officer did show up on seen to direct traffic around vehicle and did see the issue but no report was taken. There was absolutely no indication that this was an issue until a few seconds before it snapped and that was the wheel started to wobble.

Steering

ODI #11668925

Incident: June 23, 2025 · Filed: June 24, 2025

Vehicle notification stating Power Steering Assist Fault. Power steering locked up on highway going 60 mph while a child was in vehicle and vehicle was extremely hard to get off the highway. Parkway Ford of Pampa, Tx would not honor recall as VIN was not pulling up a recall. But a different auto mechanic repair shop did verify it was a recall.

Steering

ODI #11663096

Incident: May 26, 2025 · Filed: May 27, 2025

Power steering failure on may 26th and 27th upon start up. Had to disconnect battery terminal to reset torque sensor

Steering

ODI #11646320

Incident: March 2, 2025 · Filed: March 4, 2025

The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Steering

ODI #11634365

Incident: February 5, 2022 · Filed: January 6, 2025

The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while attempting to drive out of the driveway, the vehicle stalled and lost power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was then driven to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with electric power steering failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 233,812.

Steering; Lane Departure

ODI #11628708

Incident: December 3, 2024 · Filed: December 3, 2024

Unknown

Other Mercury Mariner model years

Check your 2009 Mercury Mariner VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercury Mariner at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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