2009 Mercury Milan Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2009 Mercury Milan carries a Caution verdict, ranked 4th worst of 6 model years, with a complaint index of 40. It has 226 NHTSA complaints, 6 recalls (3 Do Not Drive), and brakes are the top problem area at 51% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #4 of 6 Milan years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 226
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- 3 Do Not Drive
- Crashes
- 12
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 19 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2009 Mercury Milan problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes116 (51%)
- Airbags85 (38%)
- Engine14 (6%)
- Other8 (4%)
- Structure & Body6 (3%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (2%)
- Electrical System3 (1%)
- Fuel System2 (1%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (1%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (1%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brake pedal reportedly traveled to the floor with little or no stopping power, sometimes after braking over a speed bump.
- Owners describe rear-ending or crashing into objects after brakes failed to respond at speeds around 30 to 40 mph.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal crashes, including a head-on collision with a utility pole.
- One owner reported the vehicle caught fire while parked and turned off, with melted plastic near the engine dripping onto fuel lines.
- A driver reported the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into reverse on ignition and accelerated, causing a crash.
- Some owners noted a 'brake fluid low' warning appeared only after braking problems had already caused an accident.
2009 Mercury Milan recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V158000Mar 10, 2021Airbags2,602,668 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
- NHTSA 21V081000Feb 16, 2021Airbags1,067 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.
- NHTSA 19V904000Dec 18, 2019Brakes600,166 vehicles
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
2009 Mercury Milan fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 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 Milan years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Mercury Milan reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 226 complaints for the 2009 Milan with a complaint index of 40, giving it a Caution verdict. It ranks 4th worst out of 6 Milan model years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2009 Mercury Milan?
- Brakes are the top issue, accounting for 51% of complaints (116 of 226), with a median failure mileage of 95,000 miles. Airbags are the second largest concern at 38% of complaints.
- Does the 2009 Mercury Milan have a Do Not Drive recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2009 Milan, and 3 of them are Do Not Drive recalls related to airbags. This is why the year is capped at a Caution verdict rather than being rated purely on its complaint index.
- How does the 2009 Milan compare to other Milan years?
- The 2009 model's complaint index of 40 is better than 2008 (80, Avoid) and 2010 (100, Avoid), but worse than 2006 (0, Caution) and 2011 (20, Caution).
- What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Mercury Milan?
- EPA rates the 2009 Milan at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.