2009 MERCURY MARINER Complaints

THE 2009 MERCURY MARINER IS SPORADICALLY LOSING POWER STEERING. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES NOW, TYPICALLY AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN MAKING 90 DEGREE TURNS. ENTERING THE VIN ON FORD'S SITE SHOWS NO RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, NEWS ARTICLES FROM 2014 SHOW SOME MERCURY MARINERS BETWEEN 2008 AND 2011 IN NORTH AMERICA WERE RECALLED: HTTPS://WWW.NBCNEWS.COM/BUSINESS/AUTOS/FORD-RECALLING-ABOUT-1-1-MILLION-ESCAPES-MERCURY-MARINERS-N117786 - I'M AFRAID OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF I LOSE POWER STEERING LIKE THIS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS.

THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR LEAVES YOU WITH NO BRAKES. THIS IS DUE TO THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL MODULE FAILING SAME AS OTHER ONES IN FORD AND MERCURY'S BEING RECALLED. THIS IS TERRIBLE AND DANGEROUS AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP EVEN THOUGH THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH MARINERS AND ESCAPES ARE HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. DOES MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY RECALL THESE? THIS HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH. TERRIBLE AND DANGEROUS.

SUDDENLY THE STEERING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS IN A STATIONARY POSITION AND THEN TRIED TO TURN. FORTUNATELY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

PAST 30 DAYS WHILE DRIVING HEARD WARNING CHIME LASTING ABOUT 2 SECONDS. NO MESSAGE VISIBLE ON DASHBOARD. ON 12/18 WHILE PARKING CAR WARNING CHIME AND MESSAGE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE." STEERING ASSIST COMPLETELY FAILED. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE CAR HOME (ABOUT 2 MILES) - WITH DIFFICULTY WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND THAT OTHERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR SOME CARS OF MY YEAR AND MODEL DEALING WITH EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND AM AWAITING A CALL FROM THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT (I HAD THE A/C SYSTEM SERVICED ON NOV 11 THAT APPEARS UNRELATED). IF THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL - IT SHOULD BE. THE STEERING IS SO DIFFICULT WITHOUT THE ASSIST THAT HIGHER SPEED WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE LED TO A CRASH. RIGHT NOW, THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE.

WHILE DRIVING A BUZZER GOES OFF ON THE CAR (USUALLY INDICATES THAT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD FOR AN EXPLANATION, E.G. LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING). THE POWER ASSIST FOR THE STEERING IMMEDIATELY CUTS OUT AND I HAVE TO STEER WITH SIGNIFICANT EFFORT. THIS IS NOT A BIG DEAL IF I AM GOING STRAIGHT, A VERY BIG DEAL WHEN I AM TURNING WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ALMOST EVERY EVENT. THIS EVENT LAST 2-3 SECONDS AND THE ASSIST RECOVERS. THERE IS NO WARNING MESSAGES ON THE DASHBOARD. IT REQUIRES BOTH HANDS TO CONTROL THE CAR FOR THIS SHORT TIME - HOWEVER AT 30 MPH THE VEHICLE TRAVELS 50+ FEET DURING THIS EVENT. THIS HAPPENS EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. . THE DATE LISTED BELOW IS THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I.E. TODAY WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 10 MPH AND LAST 3 SECONDS - ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE TURN USING BOTH HANDS. *JS

POWER STEERING ASSIST IS UNRELIABLE. IT WOULD STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY A FEW DAYS AGO AND NOW IT DOESNT WORK EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST START OF THE DAY AND I'VE HAD IT LOOKED AT SHOP HERE IN TOWN IT THREW A CODE THAT A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TOLD ME WAS THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED REPLACING. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THAT MY MARINER DIDN'T HAVE THE RECALLED PARTS REPLACED BUT THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL ISSUED BY FORD MOTOR CO.

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO FAULTY BRAKES. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE REPAIRS AT THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS, THE LAST TWO BEING AT FORD. THE FIRST TWO SHOPS COULD NEVER GET THE BRAKES RIGHT. FORD FINALLY GOT THEM TO WORK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. FORD HAD THE CAR FOR ANOTHER MONTH- IT TAKES MONTHS EVERY TIME. PAID ANOTHER $2445. AND STILL NO BRAKES. HAVE CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP OR GIVE ME DOCUMENTATION TO THAT EFFECT. FORD CASES ARE CAS-28178357 AND CAS-27857368. I HAVE TWO OTHER MARINERS AND THIS ONE JUST ISN'T RIGHT. PLEASE ADVISE MY OPTIONS. I DON'T WANT TO SELL OR TRADE THIS WITH A PROBLEM THAT COULD POSSIBLY HURT OR KILL SOMEONE. THANKS!

OUR SON IS DRIVING THIS CAR WIT 90K MILES ON IT. HAD 1200 OF BREAK WORK DONE AFTER FEELING LIKE THE PEDAL WAS GOING DOWN TOO FAR AND HE COULD NOT STOP WELL AND THEN IT ENDED UP NEEDING A NEW EHCU TO THE TUNE OF 2600$. THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL COMPONENT AND FROM WHAT I READ, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. IT SHOULD NOT FAIL AND FORD AS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. I CALLED FORD TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE ANY ASSISTANCE AND THEY SAID NO. GOOD CARS ARE BEING JUNKED FOR THIS REASON AND IT IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE.

WHEN USING THE BRAKES THERE'S A LOSS OF ABOUT HALF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND MOST LIKELY THE ABS SYSTEM. THE PART RETAILS FOR $1,747.32. THE PROBLEM FROM TALKING TO MECHANICS AND SEARCHING IS APPARENTLY STICKING VALVE(S) WHICH IN TURN MAKES THE BRAKE FLUID BY-PASS HALF OF THE SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS YOU ONLY HAVE THE USE OF PART OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. OUR CAR HAS 170K MILES BUT THAT'S ~ 90% HIGHWAY MILES, WE BOUGHT IT ~6YRS AGO WITH 15K MILES, WHICH MEANS THE BRAKES DON'T GET THAT MUCH USE. THE REAR SHOES WERE JUST REPLACED FOR THE 1ST TIME @ 170K AND THE FRONT PADS HAVE BEEN DONE ONCE. FORD CARES SO MUCH ABOUT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE DRIVING THEIR CARS THAT THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THE SAME PART (MODULATOR VALVE - FORD (9L8Z-2C346-C)) WITHOUT ANY ENGINEERING CHANGES/UPDATES, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS CAR LINES AND EVEN TRUCKS. THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL, #19S54 FOR SELECT 2006-10 FORD FUSION, MERCURY MILAN AND LINCOLN MKZ VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THE SAME ISSUE, "A NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE INSIDE THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT MAY STICK OPEN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.". AN INTERESTING POINT IN THE RECALL IS THIS: "THE SYSTEM WILL BE PRESSURE-FLUSHED WITH DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID AND THE DOT 3 RESERVOIR CAP WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW DOT 4 CAP." OUR VEHICLE HAS A DOT3 CAP, IS DOT3 WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM WITH "STUCK OR SLOW-RESPONDING VALVES" PER RECALL, AND DOT4 KEEPS VALVES FROM STICKING OR BECOMING SLOW ACTING BECAUSE OF THE VISCOSITY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2? FROM AMSOIL "DOT 3 IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE USED IN CARS AND TRUCKS TODAY. DOT 4, HOWEVER, IS GAINING POPULARITY DUE TO WIDESPREAD USE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS AND TRACTION CONTROL, WHICH BENEFIT FROM DOT 4 FLUID?S LOWER VISCOSITY." THIS: "AS OF 2006, MOST CARS PRODUCED IN THE U.S. USE DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID." EXCEPT FOR FORD APPARENTLY.

LAST YEAR IN APRIL I GOT THE CAR , DIDN'T HAVE IT FOR A WEEK THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT . I GOT IT FIXED . HERE IT IS 2020 OF AUGUST , THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CAME ON . THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME . I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP REPLACING THIS SAME PART . I LOOKED INTO THE RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE . I SEEN A COUPLE , CALLED A NUMBER I SEEN THEY SAID THE RECALL EXPIRED. SO I'M BACK TO SQUARE ONE . I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PART I NEED .