Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was driving my vehicle at a low rate of speed on a city street on 10/16/15 and as I turned a corner, about to pull into a driveway, there was a complete loss of power steering ! The vehicle was very difficult to control and it took all my strength in both arms to complete the turn and pull into the driveway safely. The vehicle was towed to crest Ford dealership in flat rock, mi and the diagnostic code they detected indicates they need to replace the entire steering column and is supposed to be covered under Ford's recall 14s05. Dave in their service department took what he described as "the first step" by sending an email to request that this repair service be performed under the recall. It was denied by Ford because a different code, also covered by this recall, was addressed by liberty Ford in brunswick oh on 5/11/15 (at which point they updated the power steering control module). …
I was driving 65 MPH on the freeway when my engine stalled. I costed to the side, turned off my car, and restarted the engine. My SUV ran normal for the next 5 miles before the same problem occurred. This time I was at a light and was able to stop and restart the engine. The engine started, but was running slow and the gas pedal was non responsive. I coasted to a side street where I turned off the engine. Once I tried to restart the engine, it took about four times longer to start than normal. I put the SUV in drive and it jumped slowly at a costing past with every fluctuation of the engine RPM pace. I would have had an accident if this would have occurred on my way home from work in traffic. Thankfully it was during the day with little traffic. The dealership seems to think it is a problem with an electronic throttle body. …
When the weather is hot (close to 100 degrees or more) and I am driving with the a/c - my vehicle on 3 occasions will not start after parking the vehicle and trying to restart it. The red padlock sign blinks and it won't start. At first it is trying to turnover but then will continually sound worse and all other warning lights go haywire. I leave the car alone for half a day and it starts up again like nothing happened. On the fourth occasion, the car stopped while driving, just a quiet shutdown and the car glided. This time it did not work for over 24 hours and then started up again like nothing happened. Multiple mechanics and also the dealership cannot figure out the problem because by the time i have it towed to shop, it works again. They did a full check on the car and cannot find anything wrong and there were no diagnostic codes. …
Me and my wife purchased a vehicle from a private seller to use for personal commute. A month later we started to notice more issue were occurring with the car then stated from the seller. I took it to an auto body shop to get it inspected and possibly serviced and upon that inspection the clerk stated that there was a milage adjustment done to the vehicle. We contacted the seller to try and return the vehicle and receive our money back, but the dealer refused and requested us to resell it.
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that the key was hard to insert into the ignition switch. The power steering assist fault message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was due to the ignition housing. The contact called the local dealer who informed her the power steering was repaired in 2014 under NHTSA Campaign Number 14V284000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 198,725.
My SUV was part of a recall due to the electronic power steering failing. My SUV was allegedly repaired by the cheapest of the three available options (computer reset or some such process). I bought my SUV in 2020. The electronic power steering slowly started going out intermittently and then more frequently over time, but is now completely out. The dealer tested my SUV and stated that the entire steering column needs to be replaced. They claim that the problem has nothing to do with the recall, but I don't believe them. My issue is the exact same issue that prompted the recall in the first place. I should not have to pay for a failed recall repair. I think it's possible that the original dealership faked the repair, or simply chose the cheapest (but not proper) option to save themselves time and money. My shoulder is now damaged due to driving without power steering for so long. …
My parents purchased a 2008 Mercury Mariner this last spring, and just started to notice that the electric power steering is cutting in and out. We took it to our local garage who diagnosed the problem (error code that came up was b1342-2f) and recommended we replace the steering column. Since that is a large expense ($800) I decided to do some research and called the local Ford dealer. They looked up our VIN and told me that there was a recall on the electric power steering and that the work for the recall on the power steering was already done. (Ford's recall number for this is 14s05) my question is since we are experiencing the same failure (meaning the fix didn't seem to last) is there any recourse for us to have Ford fix the problem now? Also, how long are these 'fixes' supposed to last? The date the recall was published by NHTSA is 2014-06-05, and we are only in September of 2015. …
In March 2018, I noticed the steering wheel would shake when coming to a stop sign or stop light and make a grinding sound. It continued to do this every time for a couple weeks. Then toward mid March, I was backing out of a driveway and the power steering totally went out.it stated on panel "power steering default assist." it took extreme effort to steer the wheel to the side as the steering wheel was extremely rigid. Because it is a safety hazard to drive, it has only been driven to move car in apartment parking lot. I got this vehicle in June 2017 from a car dealer with no warranty. Ford says this VIN # is not included in recall for torque problem with power steering failure. As this is a manufacturing defect and a safety hazard, I want this vehicle VIN added to recall list. If I drive it on open road, it will surely cause injury to my family. I can't even maneuver the steering wheel.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Mariner years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (29), 2008 (27), 2009 (22), 2005 (10) and 2007 (7) model years. Electrical complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Mercury Mariner electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for any Mercury Mariner model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercury Mariner electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles; 22% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the ignition (5 mentions), followed by the ignition › anti-theft › control module (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.