2001 Mercury Marquis

DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN IN 2001, THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE INSPECTED BY FORD DEALERSHIPS USING A TEST TOOL THAT WOULD DETECT A DEFECTIVE FRONT SEAT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.APPROXIMATELY ONE MILLION VEHICLES PASSED THE INSPECTION TEST FOR ONE OR BOTH FRONT BUCKLES.SUBSEQUENT TO THE RECALL SERVICE ACTION, ODI RECEIVED 15 CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING THAT A PASSED INSPECTION BUCKLE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO LATCH OR INADVERTENTLY UNLATCHED DURING USE.IN ADDITION, FORD HAS IDENTIFIED 543 OWNER AND FIELD REPORTS ALLEGING BUCKLE FAILURE SUBSEQUENT TO PASSING THE INSPECTION TEST.FORD TESTED AND EXAMINED OVER 100 WARRANTY-RETURNED BUCKLES AND FOUND THAT 44% OF THE BUCKLES HAD NO PROBLEM OR A CONDITION NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL INSPECTION (NON-LATCH RELATED BUCKLE DAMAGE OR FOREIGN CONTAMINATION).WARRANTY CLAIMS WERE HIGHEST DURING THE 18-MONTH PERIOD AFTER THE START OF THE RECALL (JULY 2001) AND HAVE BEEN DECLINING DURING THE PAST 24 MONTHS.OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, FORD HAS RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 12 WARRANTY CLAIMS PER MONTH OUT OF A VEHICLE POPULATION OF ABOUT ONE MILLION.COMPLAINTS COUNTS ARE ALSO DECREASING.DURING THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, ODI HAS RECEIVED ONLY TWO COMPLAINTS. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

GRINDING NOISE IN STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING AND ESPECIALLY WHILE SITTING STILL. STEERING IS NOT AS RESPONSIVE AS IT USE TO BE. THIS HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME WHILE BEING USED FOR THE LAST YEAR, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT.

NHTSA ID

11144991

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

186,300 mi

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UNLATCHES FREQUENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. MY HUSBAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ONE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND HAS IGNORED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I AM DRIVING THE CAR ON A DAILY BASIS NOW AND I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS AND RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY VIN. HELP!! WHY IS THIS PROBLEM A SAFETY HAZARD AND RECALL ON SOME CARS AND NOT OTHERS???? IT IS TERRIBLY UNSAFE ON ANY CAR! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449532

Incident

Feb 5, 2002

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT INDEPENDENTLY BECAME LOOSE FROM AROUND THE CONTACT. HE REFASTENED THE SEAT BELT AND PROCEEDED DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHOUT WARRANT. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,952 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

NHTSA ID

10335273

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

131,952 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY MARQUIS. WHILE SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SOUND THE HORN, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. A CRASH OCCURRED, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HORN IN THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE DIFFICULT TO FIND. THE CONTACT WANTS TO KNOW IF THE HORN IS LOCATED UNDER THE HORN SYMBOL OR UNDER THE AIR BAG. HE HAS TO REMOVE HIS HANDS FROM THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO BLOW THE HORN, WHICH TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT. HE FEELS THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT THE HORN DOES NOT WORK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,414.

NHTSA ID

10251492

Incident

Apr 14, 2008

Mileage

28,000 mi

I TRADED A 1999 GRAND MARQUIS IN ON A 2001 GRAND MARQUIS ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO. A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE 99 WAS THAT THE DASH LIGHTS KEPT BLOWING FUSES. NOW THE 2001 IS DOING THE SAME THING, THERE IS ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214547

Incident

Jan 11, 2008

Mileage

53,000 mi

WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF EXPIRING WARRANTY, 3 COILS FAILED ONE AFTER THE OTHER RESULTING IN VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR COST. WITHIN YEAR 4TH COIL FAILS. TRIED TO GET WARRANTY TO COVER AFTER 1ST FAILURE; FELT LIKE MANUFACTURER DEFECT. STILL THINK SOME SORT OF DEFECT. AM JUST PRAYING THAT I WON'T BE ON THE ROAD ON A LONG DISTANCE TRIP WHEN #5 FAILS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202726

Incident

Jun 9, 2004

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER HYDRAULIC UNIT FOR THE ABS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SELLS THE PART. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS LOCATED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10200982

Incident

Jul 14, 2007

Mileage

110,000 mi

I AM REPORTING THE FAILURE OF THE BUCKLE ON THE FRONT SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. IT APPEARED TO CLICK"CLOSED BUT UNEXPECTEDLY POPPED OPEN WHEN I DRIVING. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER . WHO SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE VIN.. HOWEVER, NHTSA SITE SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE VEHICLE FOR JUST THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT RECALLS WERE TYPICALLY ASSEMBLY PLANT RELATED AND THAT THIS VEHICLE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE SIMILARITY WAS TOO GREAT TO IGNORE ,AND I WISHED TO REPORT THIS MATTER TO YOU. PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED BUT THE HAZARD TO MY SAFETY WAS CONSIDERABLE. I WILL REPLACE THE FAULTY PART AT MY OWN EXPENSE IN THE MEANTIME BUT URGE YOUR AGENCY TO FURTHER REVIEW THE POSSIBILITY THAT NOT ALL THE VEHICLES SO IMPAIRED HAVE BEEN RECALLED. LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON APRIL 7 BUT WAS PRECEDED BY MANY MORE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187777

Incident

Apr 7, 2007