2005 Mercury Grand Marquis Brakes Problems

My wife has a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. This vehicle has what I believe is an extremely unsafe placement of the brake and accelerator pedals. The pedals are extremely close together, closer than I have ever seen on any other vehicle. My wife has depressed the accelerator while pressing the brake pedal on more than one occasion. We went recently for an oil change. The technician pressed the accelerator while pressing the brake pedal while putting the vehicle into reverse. The vehicle lunged into the parking lot. Fortunately, there were no vehicles behind my vehicle. If the technician had been shifting from neutral into drive, he would have driven into the building. The technician said that he has had similar experiences with Ford vehicles and that one of his relatives has a Ford and that this is a frequent experience with that vehicle. I am a disabled Veteran with a below knee amputation of the right leg. I have had no problem driving vehicles before this one. I have stopped driving this vehicle because I believe it is a crash waiting to happen. I have asked numerous people to sit in the vehicle and see if they feel that the pedals are too close together. To date, all have said that they feel that the pedals are too close together and that they would not drive the vehicle in question because they also feel that this vehicle and no doubt other Ford vehicles with this pedal arrangement are crashes waiting to happen. I request that NHTSA look into the pedal arrangement of this vehicle and all Ford vehicles as I believe this arrangement is a safety hazard that is on the highways of America and may have contributed or directly caused numerous crashes since at least 2005.

NHTSA ID

11686834

Incident

Sep 8, 2025

On [XXX] I was driving this recently purchased Grand marquis . On [XXX] here in San Antonio around ten at night I hit the brakes and something under the hood compartment blew up and it cocked the car . I was trapped inside and when I finally was able to get my seatbelt released I had to break the window with my head . The previous week I reached out to ford and they told me they would address the issue and that they would call me back and that was to no avail. i reached out to ford and at first I was told I would be helped and then a man came on the phone yelling that my vehicle . I need help with resol this issue . My car is totaled and I’m hurting and it’s because of a car with recalls that are a fire haz and dangerous to be put on the road Thank you and God Bless . was not under any recalls The car had been parked for over ten years beca when the orig owner bought it it had issues with the cruise control and the brakes and the engine and the lights . I investigated about and hazards the car was demonstrating and upon further consideration my instinct told me this car was defected and was a big problem waiting to happen INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11624137

Incident

Nov 5, 2024

When i hit the brake pedal,4 times in past month car accelerated briefly then quit. no warning signs no one can tell me what's wrong i read there was a class action lawsuit file years ago for this problem.

NHTSA ID

11579479

Incident

Mar 22, 2024

I had a flat tire well my insurance company sent someone to come and fix it when they got here my car was shut off and in park position, he asked me to press on the parking brake which I did I got out of car shut the door he jacked the car up and the parking brake didn’t hold and the car came down almost on his. I had to get cylinder blocks and put them under the tires while he jacked up the car to fix my flat. Very dangerous

NHTSA ID

11553991

Incident

Nov 7, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV FOR AWHILE AND THEN THE RPMS SLOWED DOWN TO A NORMAL LEVEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SYMPTOMS DISAPPEARED ON THEIR OWN AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED WITHOUT ANY FAILURES SINCE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000. *BF *TR

NHTSA ID

11210796

Incident

May 9, 2019

Mileage

79,000 mi

VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN FOOT BRAKE WAS APPLIED. WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. DRIVING ON A MAIN ROAD, PASSING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE AND APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. I HIT THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE DAMAGE OCCURED.

NHTSA ID

10957971

Incident

Feb 28, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL INSTEAD. THE CONTACT CRASHED AGAINST ANOTHER VEHICLE AS A RESULT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO HOW CLOSE THE PEDALS WERE POSITIONED TO ONE ANOTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 18,000.

NHTSA ID

10462292

Incident

Jun 16, 2012

Mileage

18,000 mi

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) [XXX] 4/21/2010 2005 MERCURY MARQUIS ON APRIL 17TH 2010, AT APPROXIMATELY 1 PM, AS I HIT THE BRAKES APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKE FAILED AND THE ENGINE RACED, WE TRAVELED ABOUT 14 FEET THROUGH THE STOP SIGN, THE BRAKES WORKED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE DIED DOWN. HAD THERE BEEN A CAR IN FRONT OF ME OR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP ON THE SAME DAY, THEY DIAGNOSED IT AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ON THE 19TH WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER WHO ALSO DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY HAD NO SUGGESTIONS FOR SOLVING THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO I HAD THE SAME THING OCCUR, HOWEVER, IT WAS NO MORE THEN 1 OR 2 SECONDS AND I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND A NUMBER OF CASES OF THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE MERCURY AND SOME OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND MUST BE REMEDIED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326834

Incident

Apr 17, 2010

Mileage

36,000 mi

BOTH FRONT INNER BRAKES NOT PROPERLY CONTACTING ROTOR. ONLY A 1 INCH WIDTH OF INNER BRAKE PADS HAVE EVER CONTACTED ROTOR. BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF RUST AND PITTING OF THE NON CONTACT AREA OF THE ROTORS IT APPEARS THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE NEVER CONTACTING PROPERLY. IN ALL MY YEARS OF SERVICING VEHICLES I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF DEFECT BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292275

Incident

Nov 15, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRACKING CONTROL LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING. THE OWNERS MANUAL INDICATED THAT THE CONTROL TRACKING BUTTON WOULD DEACTIVATE IT; HOWEVER, THE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE COULD DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39450 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39500. UPDATED 10/5/09 *CN UPDATED 10/07/09.

NHTSA ID

10281211

Incident

Aug 16, 2009

WHILE SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT, PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED BECOMING UNCONTROLLABLE. COLLIDED WITH A PICK UP AHEAD ,WHICH WAS PUSHED INTO A SMALL COMPACT AHEAD OF IT. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD EXPERIENCED SLIGHT ACCELERATION ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION, WHICH WAS DISCUSSED WITH MY MECHANIC. ( HAD ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM ON MY 1999 RANGER WHICH WAS RESOLVED BY REPLACING IAC MOTOR.) VEHICLE CURRENTLY IN DEALERS SHOP, WHERE SERVICE PERSONNEL ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE OCCURRENCE NOR FIND SOURCE OF PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DISCLAIMS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM ALTHOUGH MANY SEVERAL SIMILAR EVENTS INVOLVING THIS MODEL YEAR ARE WELL DOCUMENTED. VEHICLE IS WELL WITHIN WARRANTY PARAMETERS BUT LITTLE, IF ANY, ACTION IS ONGOING. I AM RELUCTANT TO RESUME OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE WHILE CONDITION PERSISTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227879

Incident

May 1, 2008

Mileage

300,200 mi

EMAIL FROM CONGRESSMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REGARDING PROBLEMS CONCERNING ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON MERCURY AND LINCOLN VEHICLES. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED 3 BRAKE FAILURES ON 2 LINCOLN/MERCURY VEHICLES. THE FIRST VEHICLE WAS HIS OWN PERSONAL 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AND THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS A RENTED 2006 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DROVE HIS PERSONAL VEHICLE 3-4 DAYS WITH NO PROBLEM. THEN ONE TIME WHEN BRAKING FOR A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SLOWED MOST OF THE WAY DOWN TO STOP, THEN THE CONSUMER LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE, AND ENDED UP STOPPING 10-20 FEET AFTER WHAT HE INTENDED. THE CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN THE INTERSECTION. THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CANCELLED THE SALE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES ON THE RENTAL CAR, THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP IN A CONTROLLED MANNER. THE SECOND TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *JB THE CONSUMER WANTED TO OFFER HIS OPINION ON THE TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEM. UPDATED CONGRESSIONAL LETTER. 09/07/10

NHTSA ID

10221678

Incident

Mar 3, 2008

2005 GRAND MARQUIS PARKING BRAKE FAILED DROPPING CAR INTO REVERSE. RUNIING OVER DRIVER AND CRASHING INTO PARKED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187199

Incident

Apr 3, 2007

Mileage

21,200 mi

2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS BRAKE FAILURE. **CC THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SLOWED MOST OF THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP, THEN THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ENDED UP STOPPING 10 TO 20 FEET OF WHERE HE INTENDED TO STOP. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A SERIOUS BRAKE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTRACT WAS CANCELLED. THE CONSUMER STATED A RENTED A 2006 LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND IT EXHIBITED THE SAME BRAKE FAILURE TWICE IN A SHORT TIME. THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN A CONTROLLED MANNER. *JB SEE ALSO 10184790. *DSY

NHTSA ID

10177497

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT LOW SPEEDS, A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE SQUEAKING NOISE WAS NORMAL, AND THAT WAS THE WAY THE BRAKES WERE DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10175582

Incident

Dec 8, 2006

Mileage

15,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SURGED IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND THE TACHOMETER ROSE QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER, THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO DRIVER ERROR AND WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE SHE INADVERTENTLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL. UPDATED 09/11/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166704

Incident

Aug 26, 2006

Mileage

5,500 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE THE BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL INTERMITTENTLY GOES TO THE FLOOR. MOST OFTEN THIS OCCURS WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING IT IN GEAR. ON ONE OCCASION A POWER BOOSTER WAS REPLACED ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THERE WAS A PEDAL PRESSURE TEST PERFORMED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PRESSURE WAS A LITTLE LOW, BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

10154740

Incident

Apr 6, 2006

Mileage

11,000 mi

DT: WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE THE PEDAL GOES PAST THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR, MOST OFTEN THIS OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING IT IN GEAR. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS EASY TO HIT THE GAS PEDAL AS WELL WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE. THIS CAUSES THE TIRES TO SQUEAL AND THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD. HAS BEEN TO A DEALER WHO SAID HE WOULD HAVE A SERVICE MANAGER CALL THE CONSUMER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT HE NEVER RETURNED THE CALL. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NOTED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. NO REPAIRS OR CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10129725

Incident

Feb 12, 2005

Mileage

200 mi