YearToAvoid

2009 Mercury Mariner Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2009 Mercury Mariner has 315 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 100, the highest of all 7 model years, ranking it worst overall. Steering problems dominate, making up 53% of complaints, and the year carries an Avoid verdict.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
100/100
#1 of 7 Mariner years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
315
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
3
Top issue
Steering
Best nearby year
2011
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18.5 city / 25.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2009 Mercury Mariner problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering167 (53%)
  2. Engine84 (27%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain44 (14%)
  4. Fuel System30 (10%)
  5. Electrical System23 (7%)
  6. Brakes18 (6%)
  7. Other16 (5%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (3%)
  9. Airbags4 (1%)
  10. Structure & Body4 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Steering suddenly seizes at low speed during turns, sometimes causing another vehicle to strike the car.
  • Power steering assist cuts out intermittently, forcing drivers to manhandle the wheel, occasionally reset by turning the car off and jiggling the wheel.
  • Brakes lose pressure and produce a soft pedal after working normally for a short period, with reports of repeated repair attempts.
  • Engine revs abnormally and responds poorly to throttle input during low-speed maneuvers like parking.
  • Transmission slips with excessive vibration and high RPM at highway speed, with minimal response when the accelerator is pressed.
  • Fuel system leaks gas when the tank is topped off.
2009 Mercury Mariner complaints: complaints filed per quarter282009 Q32012 Q22014 Q32016 Q42019 Q12021 Q22023 Q32026 Q1
315 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2026 Q2; peak 2013 Q3 (28).

2009 Mercury Mariner recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V284000May 29, 2014Steering740,878 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    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.

    Risk: 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.

2009 Mercury Mariner fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
25.5 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Mariner years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008200920102011
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Good033220
2008Avoid83461320.5
2009Avoid100315121
2010Caution67270221.5
2011Good3387221.5

All Mercury Mariner years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Mercury Mariner reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Mariner has the highest complaint index (100) among the 7 model years covered and ranks worst overall, earning an Avoid verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2009 Mercury Mariner?
Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 167 of 315 complaints (53%), including reports of steering seizing during turns.
Does the 2009 Mercury Mariner have a steering recall?
Yes. Recall 14V284000 covers 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles built August 2006 through September 2010 for a steering torque sensor issue; the remedy is a software update to the power steering control module.
How does the 2009 Mariner compare to other years?
The 2009 model's complaint index of 100 is higher than the 2008 model's 83, the 2010 model's 67, and well above the 2006, 2007, and 2011 models, which all rate Good.
What mileage do 2009 Mariner problems typically appear at?
The median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 97,000 miles, though steering complaints show a higher median of 119,588 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.