When accelerating through an intersection, my vehicle lost acceleration power and the power brakes failed. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was slowly moved to a side street, backing-up traffic on the busy street. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealership and the diagnosis was that throttle body needed replacing. The service cost me $503 plus tax. *tr
2010 Mercury Mariner cruise control problems
moderate 50 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
50
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
When does it fail?
Of the 50 cruise control complaints filed for the 2010 Mercury Mariner, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 6 model years of Mercury Mariner we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 50.
Owners have filed 50 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report sudden, intermittent loss of engine power and acceleration response while driving at speeds ranging from 25 to 70 mph. The vehicle engine remains running but will not respond to throttle input, forcing drivers to pull over, shut off the engine, wait briefly, and restart to regain drivability. This pattern repeats unpredictably—some owners experience it multiple times in a single day or mile, others with longer intervals. Warning lights commonly appear: a yellow wrench symbol (limp mode indicator), check engine light, or powertrain warning light, though some incidents produce no warning at all. The vehicle often enters "limp mode," limiting speed to 2–45 mph depending on the event.
Owners identify the electronic throttle body as the source and cite diagnostic codes P2111 (Throttle Actuator Control Performance), P2112 (Throttle Actuator Control Stuck Closed), and P2119 (Throttle Actuator Control Range/Performance). Throttle body replacement costs reported range from $180 to $600+. Multiple owners note the part was on national back order, delaying repairs for weeks. One owner cleaned the throttle body with temporary success before symptoms returned months later. Owners describe this as extremely dangerous—occurring on expressways, during turns, in traffic intersections, and near heavy truck traffic, with several reporting near-miss collisions. Ford extended warranty coverage for some vehicles, but others discovered their factory warranty had expired days before diagnosis, leaving them responsible for full repair cost.
Same Mercury Mariner cruise control reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Electronic throttle body loss of power/acceleration
The electronic throttle body intermittently fails to respond to accelerator input. Engine remains running but vehicle loses power and enters limp mode, forcing driver to shut off and restart to regain drivability.
When: Occurs at various mileages (24,400 to 100,595 reported); timing is unpredictable, from single incident to repeated failures within same day or mile
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of acceleration response; Engine remains running but no throttle response; Vehicle enters limp mode, limiting speed to 2-45 mph; Yellow wrench light (limp mode indicator) illuminates, often accompanied by check engine or powertrain warning light; Rough idle or violent shaking/bucking before power loss; Uncontrollable speed decrease while driving at highway speeds
Codes mentioned: P2111 - Throttle Actuator Control Performance, P2112 - Throttle Actuator Control Stuck Closed, P2119 - Throttle Actuator Control Range/Performance
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement required. Costs reported: $180–$600+ depending on parts source and labor. Part DS7Z9E926A and DS7Z9E926D cited. Multiple owners report part was on national back order, delaying repairs 2–8 weeks. One owner reported throttle body cleaning provided temporary relief but symptoms returned within months.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford issued extended warranty coverage for some vehicles post-2011. Dealerships initially blamed fuel quality or recommended maintenance items unrelated to throttle body. Some owners reported Ford stated it was unaware of the issue despite NHTSA complaints. One owner noted Ford extended warranty instead of issuing recall, leaving owners unable to safely drive to dealership for repair.
Synthesized from 50 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Was at stop light completely stopped. When the light turned green, I stepped on the accelerator and my car did not accelerate. The engine light and another light came on. I tried multiple times to move the car and nothing happened. I powered my car down and restarted it, at this time the car started moving again when I pressed on the accelerator. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 mercury mariner. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled twice and without warning. The contact stated that the power train warning light illuminated on the instrument panel after the failure occurred. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current…
Driving from columbus to cincinnati around 1:00 am with my daughter, son and 15 month old granddaughter. The car lost all power leaving us stranded on the side of the road. As I pulled over the car began to shake, almost like there was water in the gas line. I turned the car off, waited a few minutes and then restarted. The car reset itself and luckily we made it the rest of the way home.…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2010 Mercury Mariner?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2010 Mercury Mariner?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 50 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 49 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 42,000 and 72,000 miles, with the median around 52,170. A quarter of owners report trouble before 42,000; a quarter make it past 72,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Mercury/Mariner.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.