1996 Mercury Grand Marquis Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE ABRUPTLY PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FELL INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE SECOND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

NHTSA ID

10351534

Incident

Aug 13, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN DRIVING 55-60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. THE VIBRATION ALSO OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO ADD WATER TO THE ANTIFREEZE RECEPTACLE EACH DAY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT WOULD HEAR A RUSTLING SOUND AS IF SOMETHING WAS RUBBING TOGETHER. IN ADDITION, THE REAR WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WOULD GO DOWN, BUT WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL. THE BLINKERS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND CRUISE CONTROL HAVE FAILED. SHE ALSO RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE POWERTRAIN AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,647 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

NHTSA ID

10220703

Incident

Dec 7, 2006

Mileage

73,000 mi

2 BRAKE LINE FAILURES METAL BRAKE 1996 GRAND MARQUIS WITHIN A YEAR..THIS IS A MIDWEST CAR BUT SPENT HALF OF ITS WINTER IN AZ..BRAKE LINES SEEM TO RUST MUCH FASTER THAN OTHER VEHICLES WE HAVE OWNED..FAILURE FOUND DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIR PARTS FROM SECOND REPAIR COULD BE AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219346

Incident

Feb 27, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE AND THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE VALVE MELTED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,021. THE DEALER STATED 1 SET OF DISC PADS, 2 NEW ROTORS, AND CLUTCH FAN. UPDATED 09/25/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10202134

Incident

Sep 6, 2007

Mileage

89,021 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINE BLEW AND BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING DUE TO A HOLE ON THE BRAKE LINE. THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ANTI-LOCK. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE RESULTING IN THE WHOLE BRAKE LINES BEING REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED REIMBURSEMENT BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD FROM THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THEN. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174688

Incident

Aug 29, 2006

Mileage

45,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 25 MPH ON A SUBURBAN STREET, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. ALTHOUGH FIRM, CONSTANT BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED FORWARD UNTIL THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINES FRACTURED AND BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 11/21/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10168979

Incident

Aug 1, 2006

Mileage

42,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND LOWERED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT USED THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUPTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE BRAKE LINES WERE BADLY RUSTED. THE REAR END HOUSING WAS ALSO BADLY RUSTED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166870

Incident

Aug 29, 2006

Mileage

42,000 mi

DT: WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE LINES FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE OWNER CAME OUTSIDE AND SAW THE BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND AND REALIZED THAT THE BRAKE LINES FAILED. THE OWNER DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH NO BRAKES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED IT. THEN THE OWNER REALIZED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED.*AK THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE WIPER MOTOR, WIPER SWITCH, DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR SWITCH AND ROTORS WERE ALL REPLACED. THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, DRIVER WINDOW SWITCH , TAIL LIGHT , CATALYTIC CONVERTER WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BALL JOINTS AND SHOCKS WERE BAD. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133902

Incident

Aug 4, 2005

Mileage

90,473 mi

BRAKE FAILURE, REPLACEMENT OF LINE. BRAKE LINE HAD CORRODED. *BF THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE BRAKE WAS ALMOST ON THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS LEAKING WHERE THE CORROSION WAS. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10105502

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

Mileage

78,251 mi

REAR BRAKE FAILURE.REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND SPRUNG A LEAK LOSING ALL BRAKE FLUID AND THE BRAKES TO BE ABLE TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082852

Incident

Jul 27, 2004

I PURCHASED A PRE-OWNED,LOW MILEAGE 1996 GRAND MARQUIS MERCURY LS[XXX] FROM A LOCAL CAR DEALER IN JANUARY 2000. THE CAR WAS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION WITH ONLY 57800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. NOVEMBER,2003,WHILE DRIVING THE CAR,I LOST ALL BRAKING.MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FIXED THE PROBLEM[BRAKE LINE FAILURE].WHILE AT MY STATE INSPECTION IN MARCH,04,THE BRAKE LINE "BLEW" OUT AGAIN WHILE THE TECHNICIAN WAS TESTING THE BRAKES. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY FACTOR. I VALUE MY LIFE AND I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RE-CALL ON THIS PROBLEM. SO FAR,REPAIR BILLS TOTAL OVER $500. THIS IS A GREAT AUTOMOBILE EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING. *AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10063927

Incident

Nov 10, 2003

Mileage

62,819 mi

CONSUMER STATED WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND DID NOT STOP EVENLY. TS DEALER MACHINED WARPED REAR AND FRONT ROTORS AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS. *TT

NHTSA ID

8022314

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

Mileage

8,179 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A COOLANT LEAK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. CONSUMER IS AWARE THERE IS POSSIBLY A RECALL RELATING TO THE CONDITION, HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE POSSIBLE RECALL. DEALER FOUND A CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, INTAKE GASKETS AND PLUG WIRES WERE REPLACED. *TT *CB

NHTSA ID

566751

Incident

Jun 25, 2002

THIS ALMOST LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

753710

Incident

Oct 19, 2001

REAR CROSS OVER LINE SEVERE WEAR TO DIFFERENTAIL RUBBED THROUGH BRAKE LINE POOR DESIGN ON LINE MOUNTING THIS HAPPENED IN THE REAR RIGHT WHERE LINE IS ROUTED TO THE LEFT BRAKE. SOME ONE HAS MAYBE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THIS POSSIBLEY BEING OVER LOOK AT AN ACCIDENT.*AK REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

NHTSA ID

742635

Incident

Mar 14, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

735269

THE BRAKES ARE NOISY DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER, FIVE REPLACEMENT BOOSTER HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, HOWEVER CONTINUE TO FAIL. *MJS

NHTSA ID

554556

Incident

Aug 17, 1998

THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN SEPTEMBER, 1996. THE CAR NOW HAS 31,066 ORIGINAL OWNER DRIVEN MILES ON IT. ON 11/27/99, I TOOK THE CAR INTO A LOCAL SHOP (EXPRESS OIL CHANGE) FOR BRAKE INSPECTION. THE CAR NEEDED FRONT BRAKE PADS AND WHEN THE FRONT WHEEL BRAKE ROTORS WERE TURNED, ALL THAT WAS LEFT ON THEM WAS .965 IN USEABLE METAL. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ROTORS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON MY NEXT BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT. I WALKED ACROSS THE STREET TO VULCAN LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP AND ASKED MR. MARSHALL AVERY (SERVICE ADVISOR) WHY THE PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ROTORS ON MY AUTOMOBILE, AND HE STATED THAT FORD WAS NOT USING THE SAME METAL THICKNESS ONCE USED IN MANUFACTURE OF BRAKE ROTORS WOULD BE HIS GUESS. WHY DOES AN AUTOMOBILE WHICH IS MINIMALLY DRIVEN TO AND FROM WORK NOT HAVE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS LARGE ENOUGH IN THICKNESS TO ALLOW MORE THAN ONE TURNING? IT WOULD SEEM THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS REDUCED THE THICKNESS OF ITS BRAKE ROTORS TO A DANGEROUSLY THIN LEVEL. THIS IS A RIP-OFF OF THE AUTOMOTIVE CONSUMER IN THAT ONLY 31,000 MILES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH A PAIR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND ON THE NEXT BRAKE REPLACEMENT THE ROTORS MUST BE DISCARDED AND NEW ONES PURCHASED. IN ADDITION, IT IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEREAS A SET OF ROTORS WHICH IS TURNED ONCE NOW IS BELOW THE MINIMUM DOT REQUIREMENT (.974) FOR THICKNESS. I HAVE SENT A NOTE VIA E-MAIL TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO THEIR CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS SITUATION HAS COME ABOUT. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN AN ALARMING ISSUE IN MY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM FOR MY CAR. THIS SITUATION CONCERNS ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY WIFE ALONE USES THIS CAR, AND I AM NO LONGER SURE OF THE SAFETY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IT IS MY PERSONAL THINKING THAT THE USE OF A SPECIFIC FRONT BRAKE PAD WHICH IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE ROTOR THICKNESS HAS CAUSED UNDUE AND EARLY ROTOR WEAR ON THIS SIZE AUTOMOBILE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

NHTSA ID

715405

CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN DEPLOYMENT OCCURS THE BRAKES SHOULD AUTOMATICLY LOCK TO PREVENT A RUNAWAY CAR.

NHTSA ID

709533

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED THE BRAKES WOULD MOMENTARILY WORK, THEN THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY TO KEEP THE AUTOMOBILE STOPPED WAS TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. I HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL BECAUSE OF THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE RELEASE MECHANISM. ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAS ONLY 21K MILES ON THE ODOMETER THE 36 MONTH WARRANTLY EXPIRED TECHNICALLY ON 23 MAY 1999. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER ON 28 MAY 1999 AFTER HE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS DISABLED FOR MOST OF THE MONTH OF MAY. I ASKED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY ASSISTANCE NUMBER (800) PERSONNEL TO COVER THIS BRAKE FAILURE BECAUSE THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE FAILED IN THE 36 MONTH WARRANTLY PERIOD HAD THE CAR NOT BEEN IN THE REPAIR FACILITY SO LONG. THEY REFUSED. I HAD TRONCALLI LINCOLN MERCURY COMPLETE THE REPAIR OF THE BRAKES WHICH THEY DETERMINED TO BE A DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

NHTSA ID

707423

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

TIRE BLEW OUT.

NHTSA ID

604404

BRAKES MAKES NOISE.

NHTSA ID

602927

BRAKES MAKE NOISE.

NHTSA ID

514335

GEAR INDICATOR WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION VEHICLE SURGED BACKWARDS, BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD NOT OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A HOUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

805070

Incident

Nov 13, 1996