2009 Mercury Mariner steering problems

“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 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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”