1997 Mercury Grand Marquis Owner Complaints

PUT CAR IN PARK, AND IT SHOWED TO BE IN PARK. BUT, IT WAS IN REVERSE, GOING BACKWARD, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11321753

Incident

Apr 18, 2020

Mileage

123,000 mi

THE SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING PROPERLY BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY ABS LIGHT ON STEERING AND SUSPENSION CROSS SIT

NHTSA ID

11256246

Incident

Sep 24, 2017

Mileage

112,000 mi

I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND I SERVICE MANY VEHICLES DAILY. I CURRENTLY OWN A 97 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS AND HAVE NOTICED THAT PRACTICALLY MOST STEERING COMPONENTS ON MY VEHICLE ARE IN NEED OF REPLACING. SPECIFICALLY THE TIE ROD ENDS, CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINS ALL HAVE BLOWN BUSHINGS AND A PITMAN ARM.... THE STEERING SWAYS SO HARD ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTICED THAT CUSTOMER'S VEHICLES THAT I HAVE WORKED ON THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE CROWN VIC, AND THE MARQUIS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF STEERING COMPONENT CONCERN AS WELL. I SEE MORE FORDS WITH STEERING ISSUES THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE THAT I SERVICE. THE VEHICLES ALSO SEEM TO HAVE ISSUES WITH ANYONE SITTING IN THE BACK THAT THE BODY WILL SCRAPE THE TIRES AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I HAVE HAD TO RIG MY VENT DOOR ACTUATOR AND I HAVE HAD TO INSTALL A SHUT OFF SWITCH DUE TO A PARASITIC DRAW THAT I CAN NOT LOCATE EVEN WITH A VOLT METER. AFTER RESEARCHING ON FORUMS AND WATCHING COUNTLESS YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF OWNERS STATING THESE KNOWN ISSUES I BELIEVE THAT IT IS BEYOND MAINTENANCE STANDARDS FOR THESE PARTS ALL TO BE FAULTY FROM THIS CAR MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ID

11254228

Incident

Jun 6, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

RECALL WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS VERY LOOSE AS IF ITS ABOUT TO COME OFF

NHTSA ID

10907042

Incident

Aug 22, 2016

I HAVE TO PUT IT ON NEUTRAL MOST OF THE TIME WITH EMG BRAKE ON. BECAUSE THE GEARSHIFT IS HARD TO PUT IN PARK. MY CAR ONLY HAS 92,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10870613

Incident

Sep 14, 2015

RUSTY BRAKE LINE FAILED. LEAKED BRAKE FLUID RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKING. ALL BRAKE LINES LOOK RUSTY. WHAT HAPPENED TO STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES?

NHTSA ID

10731451

Incident

Jun 13, 2015

Mileage

88,000 mi

I BOUGHT A SET OF 4 BRAND NEW BRIDGESTONE TURANZA SERENITY PLUS 225/60R16 TIRES ON APRIL 26, 2015, AND HAVE THEM INSTALLED ON MY WIFE'S CAR. MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE DRIVING TO PHOENIX ON I-10 ON A CLEAR AND SUNNY DAY ON MAY 9, 2015 TO VISIT A FRIEND. SHE SAID SHE WAS DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH AND WANTED TO PASS A SEMI-TRUCK ON HER RIGHT SO SHE SPEED UP TO PASS THE SEMI-TRUCK. SHE NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY AND SHE HELD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS HARD AS SHE CAN. THEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND IT BEGAN TO SWERVE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SEMI-TRUCK. THE CAR STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE SEMI-TRUCK AND THE WINDOW GLASS ON THE FRONT AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SHATTERED AND ALSO THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED BECAUSE THE ROOF OF THE CAR WAS BENT. AFTER THE IMPACT, MY WIFE'S CAR THEN SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND WENT INTO A DITCH FILLED WITH WEEDS AND BUSHES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY THE CAR DID NOT FLIP AND EVERYONE IN THE CAR WAS OK BECAUSE THEY ALL WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS. THEY WERE SHAKEN UP A BIT BUT THE ORDEAL WAS TRAUMATIZING. THEY WERE ALSO LUCKY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT OR BEHIND THEM AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE POLICE, FIRE TRUCK, AND AMBULANCE CAME AND EXAMINED EVERYTHING. THEY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. FOR INSURANCE SAKE, THE POLICE SAID MY WIFE WAS AT FAULT BECAUSE SHE WAS SPEEDING WHILE TRYING TO PASS THE SEMI-TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL. I BELIEVE SHE LOST CONTROL BECAUSE THE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA TIRE WAS COMING APART AND CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BRIDGESTONE TIRE AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10715575

Incident

May 9, 2015

COOLANT LEAK FROM CRACK IN PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 97,130 MILES ON IT AND WELL CARED FOR. THEY SHOULD NOT BE USING PLASTIC IN THIS APPLICATION - IT SHOULD BE IRON OR ALUMINUM. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM I WAS TOLD WITH THE 4.6 V8 ENGINE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE AND REPLACE AT NO COST TO CUSTOMER. I WILL BE WRITING A LETTER TO FORD IF THE DEALER DOESN'T COVER THIS AS A RECALL. RIDICULOUS TO USE PLASTIC IN THIS APPLICATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10682192

Incident

Feb 2, 2015

Mileage

97,130 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE SUSPENSION COLLAPSED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ID

10643363

Incident

Sep 20, 2014

Mileage

112,000 mi

TWICE THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF I COULDN'T CONTROL THE WHEEL I HAD TO HURRY AND PUT IT ON NATURAL AND START THE CAR AGAIN, AND PUT IT IN DRIVE. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE IT REALLY SCARED ME I WAS ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY OR CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594740

Incident

May 28, 2014

Mileage

178,724 mi

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD IN VEHICLE. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10505053

Incident

Feb 28, 2013

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON INTERSTATE 35 NORTH OF MINNEAPOLIS, MN, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LOST ANTI FREEZE. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AT FOREST LAKE, MN AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO TIRES PLUS IN FOREST LAKE TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED. TOTAL COST FOR TOWING, INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACEMENT AND NIGHTS LODGING CAME TO ALMOST $1500.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10501970

Incident

Mar 4, 2013

Mileage

124,500 mi

MOVING SLOWLY IN PARKING LOT. SHARP NOISE UNDER CAR, GAS TANK HAD FALLEN DIRECTLY ONTO ROAD AND WAS BEING DRAGGED. BOTH GAS TANK STRAPS HAD BROKEN

NHTSA ID

10417427

Incident

Jun 16, 2011

Mileage

198,980 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER I HAD TO SLOW DOWN AND TURN RIGHT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT AND I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR TO GET THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN. I STOPPED AT MY DESTINATION A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER, POPPED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. IT ONLY LASTED A COUPLE OF MINUTES, BUT BURNED UP AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. THE NEXT DAY I HAD IT REPAIRED ACROSS THE STREET AT AN AUTO ELECTRICAL AND MARINE SHOP. THEY SAID IT WAS AT THE SWITCH OR VALVE THAT TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. MY CAR IS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10408860

Incident

Jun 16, 2011

Mileage

114,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 114,000.

NHTSA ID

10390203

Incident

Mar 13, 2011

Mileage

114,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPRESSED AND HELD DOWN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED. IF HE PRESSED GENTLY ON IT AND RELEASED IT, THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE WITHIN THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM OR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

10382605

Incident

Jan 5, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

PURCHASED AN AFTER MARKET INSIDE DOOR HANDLE FROM AN EBAY VENDOR: INSIDE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FOR A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS GS. THE RETURN SPRING ON THE ORIGINAL OEM HANDLE BROKE, BUT THE ORIGINAL HANDLE EVEN THOUGH BROKEN, STILL REMAINED OPERATIONAL. I ORDERED AND INSTALLED A REPLACEMENT AFTERMARKET DOOR HANDLE "DEPO" 330-500006-002 PURCHASED FROM AN EBAY VENDOR. 10 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION, THE REPLACEMENT DOOR HANDLE FAILED AND THE DRIVERS DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR MAKING THIS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD HAD THERE BEEN AN EMERGENCY. OBVIOUSLY THE AFTER MARKET PART WAS NOT PROPERLY TESTED BEFORE SALE TO THE PUBLIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361896

Incident

Oct 14, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SERVICE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED IT STATING THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO THE STRUCTURE. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47025 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47050. UPDATED 11/24/10

NHTSA ID

10349227

Incident

Jul 29, 2010

Mileage

47,025 mi

1997 FORD GRAND MARQUIS - OCCASIONAL INTERRUPTIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER WERE OCCURRING WITH THE RADIO GOING OFF, THE LOW FUEL LEVEL LIGHT GOING ON, AND THE BATTERY METER DROPPING. AFTER REPLACING THE BATTERY THE INTERRUPTIONS CONTINUED UNTIL FINALLY THE BATTERY CABLES CAUGHT ON FIRE. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND BY THIS TIME THE INSULATION ON BOTH THE POSITIVE AND GROUND CABLES HAD COMPLETELY BURNED OFF AND THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO SUPPLY CURRENT. I KNOCKED OFF THE GROUND TERMINAL AND DOSED THE FIRE WITH WATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339645

Incident

Jun 21, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT BROKE WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN SUSPENSION COLLAPSE. THIS BREAKAGE RESULTED IN A IRREFUTABLE TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THERE WAS NOT A CRASH BECAUSE LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEED IN A STREET WHILE THERE WERE NOT OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WHEN I WAS IN THE EXPRESSWAY I AM TOTALLY SURE IT HAD RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC MULTI CAR ACCIDENT. CAR IS IN A REPAIR SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336904

Incident

Jun 17, 2010

Mileage

66,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE INTERIOR CABIN WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FLAMES. THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE VEHICLE. AND THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE CONTACTED. THERE WERE REPORTS FILED BY BOTH ENTITIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,000.

NHTSA ID

10331472

Incident

Mar 15, 2010

Mileage

37,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DOOR INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE DOOR WAS LATCHED CORRECTLY. THE DEALER PROVIDED INFORMATION ON A RECALL FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL FOR THE FAILURE OF THE DOOR LATCH WHICH WAS NOT LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HE CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED A SECOND TIME AND LATER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE DOOR LATCH. REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10322863

Incident

Oct 2, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE COVERED WITH SOME TYPE OF FILM. HE HAD TO USE THE HIGHBEAMS TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 149672.

NHTSA ID

10297399

Incident

Dec 29, 2007

Mileage

149,672 mi

MY 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS JUST EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE OF ITS INTAKE MANIFOLD MADE OF PLASTIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294073

Incident

Nov 30, 2009

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE POSITION OF THE HORN FOR 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS IS PROBLEMATIC. THE HORN IS JUST IN FRONT OF THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND PRONE TO GET WATER SPRAYED BY WHEEL IN RAINING SEASON. THIS WILL CAUSE THE RUST AND FAILURE OF THE HORN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10284082

Incident

Sep 9, 2009

Mileage

180,000 mi