1995 Mercury Grand Marquis

IN A LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2005, FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FORD) NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WOULD BE CONDUCTING A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM (FORD NO. 04B26) TO CORRECT A REAR BRAKE LINE CHAFING CONCERN IN APPROXIMATELY 44,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA AND GRAND MARQUIS NON-FLEET VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC TRACTION CONTROL THAT WEREBUILT AFTER MARCH 19, 1997.THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REAR BRAKE LINE AND A MASTIC PATCH CAUSING REDUCED CLEARANCE FROM A STIFFENING RIB IN THE FLOOR PAN.ODI?S ANALYSIS SHOWED HIGHER COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY RATES RELATED TO REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURES IN THIS POPULATION THAN IN OTHER SUBJECT VEHICLES AND PEER MID-SIZED PASSENGER CARS THAT WERE EVALUATED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FORD?S PROGRAM WILL HAVE THE REAR BRAKE LINES INSPECTED FOR CONTACT WITH THE FLOOR PAN STIFFING RIB.IF THERE IS CONTACT, BUT NO ABRASION OR LEAKAGE, THE BRAKE LINES WILL BE REPOSITIONED.IF THERE IS ABRASION OR A LEAK IS EVIDENT THE BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPAIRED.IF NECESSARY, BOTH OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES WILL BE REPLACED. THOUGH FORD DOES NOT ADMIT TO A SAFETY-DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE FACTS IN THIS INVESTIGATION SHOW OTHERWISE BECAUSE THE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE IN THE ROUTING OF THOSE BRAKE LINES MAY RESULT IN LEAKS IN THOSE LINES THAT MAY RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.ODI IS DESIGNATING THE CAMPAIGN A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 05V-086).BECAUSE OF THE LOW RATES OF BRAKE LINE FAILURES IN THE REMAINING SUBJECT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THOSE POPULATIONS AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS IN THOSE VEHICLES.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

ODI HAS RECEIVED 40 COMPLAINTS ALLEGING REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, INCLUDING 8 THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED THIS YEAR.AN ADDITIONAL 192 REPORTS AND 478 WARRANTY CLAIMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM FORD.A LEAK IN THE REAR BRAKE LINE CAN CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.A SEARCH OF ODI'S COMPLAINT DATABASE FOR PEER VEHICLE COMPLAINTS, USING THE SAME BRAKE LINE FAILURE CRITERIA AS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE SAME MODEL YEARS (1995-97), IDENTIFIED ONLY 1 COMPLAINT INVOLVING GENERAL MOTORS CAPRICE/IMPLALA/88/98/REGAL VEHICLES AND ONLY 2 COMPLAINTS INVOLVING CHRYSLER LH-CARS.THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE FREQUENCY, SCOPE, AND CAUSAL FACTORS RELATED TO REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.

SEE ATTACHED REPORT.

BASED ON THE LOW RATE OF FIRE INCIDENTS (2.5 INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES SOLD) WHERE FAILURE OF THE SCDS IS INVOLVED AND THE AGE OF THE VEHICLES ? 7 TO 11 YEARS ? A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

MERGING ONTO HIGHWAY SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL /STEERING AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING INJURIES INCLUDING CHEMICAL BURNS

NHTSA ID

10920054

Incident

Oct 14, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING FROM DRIVING AT 70 MPH, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 95V063000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10850144

Incident

Sep 14, 2013

Mileage

77,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651999

Incident

Nov 3, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

TOOK CAR IN FOR SQUEAKING NOISE UNDER CAR; DISCOVERED IT WAS U-JOINT SEAL GOING DRY. HOWEVER, UPON INSPECTION TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED FOUR DANGEROUSLY WORN BALL JOINTS, BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES, AND DANGEROUSLY WORN IDLER ARM. THIS WAS CONFIRMED VISUALLY BY MYSELF. UPPER LEFT BALL JOINT WAS IN THE BEST CONDITION, ALL OTHERS WERE MISSING JACKETS, HAD NO LUBRICATION, AND WORN TO THE LEVEL THAT VERY LITTLE FORCE WAS NEEDED TO REMOVE THE BALL FROM THE SOCKET AFTER REMOVAL, ONE CAME OUT WITH NO FORCE. THE IDLER ARM WAS BARELY CONNECTED, AND OVER 75% OF METAL AT THE LINK WORN AND RUSTED. NOTHING IN THE CAR'S DRIVING BEHAVIOR GAVE ANY INDICATION THAT ANY OF THESE PARTS WERE WORN. STEERING HAD ONLY SLIGHT AMOUNT OF PLAY WHICH WAS STILL PRESENT AFTER THE PARTS WERE REPLACED AND THE CAR ALIGNED. LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN REPLACED ONE YEAR AND 3 MONTHS PREVIOUS TO DISCOVERY. NO OTHER SIGNS OF WEAR WERE PRESENT AT THAT TIME. THE PREVIOUS BALL JOINT REPLACED WAS LEAST WORN, BUT JACKET WAS TORN AND NO LUBRICATION PRESENT. WITH ONE EXCEPTION, THE BALL JOINTS APPEARED TO HAVE ONLY GRAVITY AS THE PRIMARY FORCE HOLDING THE BALLS IN THE SOCKETS. MY CONCERN FOR OTHER DRIVERS IS RELATED TO THE LACK OF INDICATIONS THAT THE FRONT END OF THIS CAR HAD DEGRADED TO THIS LEVEL. THE VEHICLE'S STEERING RESPONSES WERE ASYMPTOMATIC, PERIOD. THIS HAD NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST. POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR ASYMPTOMATIC BEHAVIOR IS UNKNOWN (WEIGHT OF VEHICLE AND GRAVITY?) THE EARLIER PROBLEM (1YR 3MO. EARLIER) WITH THE LEFT TOP BALL JOINT FAILURE WAS ONLY DISCOVERED AFTER IT FAILED AFTER HITTING SMALL POT HOLE COMING FROM PARKING LOT AND THE WHEEL BROKE AND LAYED IN FLAT ON THE ROAD. SPEED WAS UNDER 5MPH. *JS

NHTSA ID

10592190

Incident

Apr 25, 2014

Mileage

157,659 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT SWITCHED ON THE HIGH BEAMS THAT ALSO MALFUNCTIONED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LAMP CIRCUIT WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 07/28/14 MA THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 95V189000. UPDATED 07/29/14

NHTSA ID

10587441

Incident

May 8, 2014

Mileage

76,000 mi

ALL THE BRAKE LINES ON CAR FROM FRONT TO REAR ARE ROTTED. CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10428086

Incident

Sep 26, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE BEGAN INSIDE THE DASHBOARD AREA AND SPREAD TO THE COMPONENTS UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000. UPDATED 6/1/10 *CN UPDATED 06/18/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10323769

Incident

Mar 2, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND HEADLIGHTS FAILED ON HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY BOARD FAILED. THE REPAIR COST WAS ESTIMATED AT $1,000. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,000. UPDATED 06/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/23/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10272363

Incident

May 5, 2009

Mileage

82,000 mi

FORD/LINCOLN MERCURY: CERTAIN 1992-2001 MODEL YEAR CROWN VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS, AND TOWN CAR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF WISCONSIN AND CONNECTICUT UPGRADE MODIFICATIONS FOR HIGH SPEED REAR IMPACTS. *PE

REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT

NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER - SERVICE TIPS. 2003 ESCORT AND SUPER DUTY F SERIES INCLUDED. *TT

NEW SERVICE PART - NUMBER 5 NEEDLE BEARING AND RACE KIT - 4R70W TRANSMISSION - SERVICE TIP. *TT

CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH

LAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ