1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

WITHIN A WEEK OF CHANGING THE TIRES THE BRAKES FAILED. *PH THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT TO REAR BRAKE LINE HAD RUPTURED DUE TO RUST. (SON ON BEHALF OF HIS MOTHER ANNETTE MEYERS). *JB

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COVERS ON THIS MODEL ONLY, FOGS OVER (INTERNALLY) AND LENS CAN NOT BE CLEANED. DEALER INFORMS ME THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT DISCREPANCY IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE PIECE AT A RATE OF ABOUT $500.00.*AK

BALL JOINT ON RIGHT FRONT BROKE AND MADE TIRE GO FLAT.CAR WAS INOPERABLE , AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC. *AK

THE ISSUE IS A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN HEADLIGHT CANDLEPOWER ON THE MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AS THE VEHICLE AGES THAT CAN ONLY BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING INTEGRAL COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLES BODY FOR $500 OR MORE IN COST. THIS IS NOT DUE TO AGING BULBS BUT DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT COVERS. THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVER CLOUDS WITH AGE AND CANNOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING LARGE BODY COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE WILL LEAD TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WITH THE MOST LIKELY TYPE BEING WITH PEDESTRIANS. THE REASON I HIGHLIGHT PEDESTRIANS IS DUE TO THE FACT OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES HAVE LIGHTS THAT WILL HELP GRAND MARQUIS DRIVERS AVOID AN ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, PEDESTRIANS DO NOT HAVE LIGHTS AND THE DIMINISHED HEADLIGHT CANDLEPOWER OF THE GRAND MARQUIS WILL MAKE PEOPLE ON OUR STREETS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND THUS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING STRUCK BY A GRAND MARQUIS. ITS UNREASONABLE TO REQUIRE $500 TO SIMPLY MAINTAIN YOU HEADLIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THIS ISSUE BECOMES MORE OF A PROBLEM AS THE VEHICLE AGES DUE TO THE FACT IT ENDS UP IN THE HANDS OF FOLKS LEAST LIKELY TO HAVE $500 TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE REQUIRES A MANUFACTURER RECALL AND REPAIR DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CONCERNS. *NM

INTAKE MANIFOLD FROM FACTORY FAULTY-MADE OF PLASTIC THAT TENDS TO CRACK WHEN VEHICLE GETS HOT. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON TRAIT IN FORDS 4.6 LITER ENGINES AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO COST EACH CUSTOMER APPROXIMATELY $750.00 TO FIX.

WE HAVE OWNED A 1997 GRAND MARQUIS FOR APPROX 3 YEARS. WE HAVE NOTICED A SHUDDER AND/OR VIBRATION IN THE TRANSMISSION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, RANGING FROM APPROX 27MPH TO 55 OR 60 MPH. IT APPEARS TO DIMINISH UPON ACCELERATION AT EACH POINT, BUT RETURNS LATER. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 45K MILES. IT DIDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN PURCHASED. IS THIS A RECALL SAFETY ISSUE OR MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT? WILL THIS LEAD TO FURTHER, MORE PROBLEMATIC DIFFICULTIES OR DOES IT SMOOTH OUT AFTER INCREASED DRIVING? CAN AN ADDITIVE COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE SHUDDER WITHOUT DAMAGING ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, AND WATER WENT ALL OVER THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED AN ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD.*AK

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS, 81,000 MILES; THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY WITH A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC COOLANT CROSSOVER. THE COOLANT SPRAYED ALL OVER INSIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT FORD RECALLED THESE TYPE VEHICLES FROM FIRE, POLICE AND OTHER SERVICE RELATED AGENCIES. I WONDER HOW MANY CRASHES THIS DEFECT HAS CAUSED? WONDER WHY FORD DOESN'T CONSIDER ITS OTHER CONSUMERS? WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE; I.E., MONEY, EMOTIONAL TRAUMA, LOST TIME FROM WORK, ETC.! WONDER WHERE YOU FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY CLASS-ACTION LAWSUITS? GOING THERE NOW! *CB

BRAKE LINE FAILURE...RUBBING/EXTREME CORROSION FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER 6 YEARS AND IS CAUSED BY ROUTING/RETAINERS/RUBBER INSULATORS/EXTREMELY POOR CORROSION PROTECTION ON THE EUROPEAN METRIC BUBBLE FLARE LINES. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON OUR PREVIOUS GRAND MARQUIS-1993 AFTER 6 YEARS. IN THIS CASE VEHICLE RESIDED IN SYRACUSE ONLY 2 YEARS AND SPENT 4 MORE IN S.E. MASSACHUSETTS. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS TYPE VEHICLE(1990-1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA/MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS) A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED/ISSUED. *CB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS A COMPOSITE ON FORD, LINCOLN, AND MERCURY. IT HAS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT. FORD ALLOWED ALL POLICE VEHICLES, TAXI CABS AND LIMOS REPAIR COVERAGE OF THIS PROBLAM BUT NOT PLEASURE VEHICLES. THE MANIFOLD LEAKS ON A PARTING SEAM FROM THE MOLD OF IT, ON THE FRONT OF THE MANIFOLD, JUST BELOW WHERE ALTERNATOR IS MOUNTED. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE STATED THE AREA IS TOO THIN AND THE STRESS FROM THE MOUNTED ALTERNATOR CAUSES IT TO CRACK. ONE REPAIR MAN SAID HE TAPPED ON IT AND THE PIECE BROKE BECAUSE IT WAS SO THIN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE CAN'T GET THE REPAIRS DONE LIKE THE POLICE, TAXI AND LIMOS WITHOUT COST. THERE 14 COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS IN 2003 THAT ARE ON RECORD, 3 IN 2002 AND 1 IN 2001 ALL ON 1997 CARS. THE REPAIRMAN SAID HE HAS BEEN REPAIRING 2001 AND 2002 POLICE CARS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. I HAVE PHOTOS SHOWING THE LEAK. I SHOULD BE REINBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS AND IF NECESSARY A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD COMPANY. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE MADE A DRASTIC MOVE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WITH ALUMINUM.