2004 Mercury Grand Marquis Engine Problems

While driving, I came to a stop light and suddenly, the car idled high and lurched forward while my foot was on the brake, luckily, I was stopped well away from the vehicle in front of me. The car idled high and seemed to have a mind of it's own. I took the back roads home and backed into our garage. The car smelled hot, and I though I had smoked my brakes, trying to keep control of it. Later that night, I told my husband about the car's actions and he did not believe me, though my daughter who was with me at the time confirmed that the car had indeed accelerated on it's own. My husband started the car and it did idle high and get hot once again, although only parked with no one in it. He thought he knew what the problem was and we turned off the car and closed the hood and went inside to order the part. A few minutes later, we heard a couple popping noises and I opened the door that led into the garage from the basement. Smoke was coming into the house and my husband said that a flame shot over my head. The car had caught on fire under the closed hood. We called the fire department, but by the time they arrived, a good portion of the basement was on fire. The house was a total loss. My husband though that the pvc elbow under the hood was sticking closed, so that is the part we were going to order. Unsure, if that was the real cause or not. The car did not have any warning lights or any other indications of a problem before this incident.

NHTSA ID

11482417

Incident

Sep 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that she noticed a leak underneath her vehicle with the check engine and coolant warning lights illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that coolant had been leaking from a crack in the intake manifold. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11441976

Incident

Nov 22, 2021

Mileage

150,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45MPH ON A COUNTY ROAD IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY AS POWER OF VEHICLE SLOWED WHILE MAKING A RATTLE TYPE NOISE AND CAB SMELLED STRONGLY OF GAS. I ROLLED WINDOWS DOWN PULLED OVER WITHIN A BLOCK TO A NAPA STORE. THE EMPLOYEE TOLD ME THEY DO NOT RUN DIAGNOSTICS AND I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE. I DROVE SLOWLY TO A 2ND AUTO PARTS STORE 1 MILE AWAY TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS. ONCE DONE, DIAGNOSTICS IDENTIFIED A MISS-FIRE ON SPARK PLUG #2. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO HOME AND TOOK 'HELI-COIL' OFF AND SPARK PLUG CAME OUT WITH IT DAMAGED. THE HELI COIL WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THE THREADS OF SPARK PLUG WAS FLATTENED THREE THREADS FROM BOTTOM. CONTACTED AUTO PARTS STORE AGAIN WHERE THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT FORD HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THERE TRITON SPARK PLUGS BLOWING OUT ON THE 5.4L ENGINES THAT THEY ONLY SCREW IN 3 THREADS INTO THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE AND THERE WERE PENDING LAWSUITS. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED FORD DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH THE ACTING SERVICE MANAGER. "HE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT AND I SHOULD CALL CUSTOMER CARE OF FORD: 800-392-3673. I DID AND REP. TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL AND MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AT 101,100.MI. THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IN THE EVENT THERE WERE TO BE A RE-CALL TO SAVE MY RECEIPTS AND FORD WOULD REIMBURSE ME. I READ ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS WERE OR HAD HAD REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A FEW VEHICLES LEAKING GAS WITH THE PROBLEM. THIS IS ALL HAPPENING WHEN THE CARS, TRUCKS AND SUVS EXCEEDS 100,000MILES. I FEEL THIS IS NOT ONLY POOR MANUFACTURING OF AN INFERIOR ALUMINUM CASING AND SPARK PLUG AND ALSO NOT ENOUGH THREADS TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUG IN SAFELY. TO HAVE IT JUMP OUT ALLOWS GAS TO ALSO BE EXPELLED ONTO THE CARS REMAINING PARTS AND VAPORS COULD IGNITE CAUSING THE CAR TO POTENTIALLY CATCH FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11058590

Incident

Jan 3, 2018

Mileage

101,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE. THE COOLANT WAS REPLENISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10877175

Incident

May 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLAMPS INDEPENDENTLY FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS WOULD SPORADICALLY WORK AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,794.

NHTSA ID

10822470

Incident

Nov 27, 2015

Mileage

96,794 mi

THE LEFT HAND (DRIVER SIDE) HEAT SHIELD THAT COVERS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AT THE BOLTING POINTS CAUSING THE COVER TO DISLODGE AND DRAG AGAINST THE STEERING SHAFT . SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TURNING AT INTERSECTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS, THE STEERING WOULD TEMPORARILY LOCK UP FOR A FEW SECONDS MAKING TURNING EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. ONCE I ALMOST STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO THE STEERING BEING LOCKED WHILE TURNING. I INITIALLY SUSPECTED LOW POWER STEERING FLUID BUT FLUID CHECKED CORRECT AND PUMP SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE. I DID NOT NOTICE THE RUSTED COVER PINNED BETWEEN THE STEERING SHAFT AND MANIFOLD UNTIL I REMOVED THE ENGINE COVER AND AIR INTAKE TUBING TO ACCESS THE SPARK PLUGS. I REMOVED THE RUSTED SHIELD AND THE CAR TURNS JUST FINE NOW. I HAVE THE RUSTED SHIELD AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID

10643753

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

176,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT THE PART WAS MODIFIED FROM PLASTIC TO METAL. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE LEAKS BEFORE THE PART WAS MODIFIED TO METAL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. REMAILED 08/18/14*LJ UPDATED 9/18/14*CN UPDATED 02/11/2015*JS

NHTSA ID

10592375

Incident

Oct 5, 2013

Mileage

85,000 mi

I HAD WHAT SEEMS TO BE A SIMPLE COOLANT LEAK BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. PUTTING A PLASTIC PART ON TOP OF A MOTOR SEEMS TO ME A FAILURE OF ENGINEERING ON THE PART OF FORD. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY CALL BACK FOR THIS PART. I DID SOME SEARCHING ON THE WEB AND FOUND THAT MANY FORD OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I PLAN TO CALL FORD COMPANY ON MONDAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFO FOR ME ON THIS SUBJECT. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10434319

Incident

Nov 5, 2011

Mileage

98,116 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DISPLAYED A HOT LEVEL READING WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE COOLANT WARNING INDICATOR. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID

10372638

Incident

Dec 18, 2010

Mileage

107,000 mi

2004 MERCURY MARQUIS 4.6 L ENGINE. SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING, CREATING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER AND PRESENCE OF COMBUSTIBLE GASOLINE FUMES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! *TR

NHTSA ID

10334762

Incident

Jun 3, 2010

Mileage

108,090 mi

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A PLASTIC COMPONENT WHICH IS NOT DESIGNED FOR COLD WEATHER CLIMATES. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME (SECOND CAR) THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252549

Incident

Dec 21, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

CRACK INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAUSE IT'S PLASTIC. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND I WAS NOT AT FAULT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102292

Incident

Jul 12, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *LA *TS

NHTSA ID

10082165

Incident

Jul 17, 2004

Mileage

3,300 mi