1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

A REAR BRAKE LINE ON OUR 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS TOTALLY FAILED. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE CAR JUST BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND NOT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW IN NOVEMBER 1996 AND HAD ONLY 47,441 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. AN INSPECTION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES SHOWED THEY WERE BOTH EXTREMELY CORRODED ALONG THEIR ENTIRE LENGTH. THE MERCURY DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE AND FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY ($1223) ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. THE FINAL COST TO REPAIR THE LEAKING BRAKE LINE WAS $1901. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THIS RELATIVELY SMALL MERCURY DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED THEY DO THIS REPAIR ABOUT ONCE A MONTH ON MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AND LINCOLN TOWN CARS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM RESULTING FROM MERCURY EITHER SPECIFYING OR USING AN INADEQUATE MATERIAL FOR THIS CRITICAL SAFETY PART. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT NHTSA IS CONDUCTING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF THIS BASIC PROBLEM (ACTION# EA03-012) AND CONTACTED MERCURY CUSTOMER RELATIONS PRIOR TO MAKING THE REPAIR. THEY POLITELY SAID THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT IS MY PROBLEM NOT THEIRS. I SUSPECT THAT THE 710 BRAKE LINE FAILURES LISTED IN NHTSA ACTION# EA03-012 FOR 1995-1997 GRAND MARQUIS, TOWN CAR AND CROWN VICTORIA VEHICLES IS JUST THE SURFACE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE MOST REPAIRS LIKE MINE ARE MADE OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT REPORTED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON. COULD HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED.*AK

AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 40/50 MPH DUE TO A CRACK IN THE BAG, PER DEALERSHIP. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE COMPRESSOR MALFUNCTIONED, AND VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE, BECAUSE IT SWERVED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.*AK

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NOT ANTIFREEZE IN THE VEHICLE AND COULD SMELL COOLANT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLES PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE MANUFACTURER MADE SMFE FINIANCIAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR SOME VEHICLESS BUT NOT FOR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. *AK *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CONSUMER HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND THE FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT. *AK

WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. FOUND ON NUMEROUS WEBSITES THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH SEEMS TO HAPPEN FREQUENTLY. HOWEVER, THE RECALL FOR THE PART IS ONLY FOR SERVICE VEHICLES AND DOES NOT COVER PRIVATE VEHICLES. THE PART NUMBER IS THE SAME FOR BOTH VEHICLES AND IS A HAZARD ON THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS COMMERCIAL OR NOT. PRIVATE VEHICLES SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL.*AK

I HAVE A 1997 GRAND MARQUIS WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED JULY 14, 2003 WHILE RETURNING FROM A WEEKEND VACATION. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD SON, 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND 4 MONTH OLD PUPPY. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS A OVER 95 DEGREES. WE HAD A LONG TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. FORD HAS RECALLED ALL POLICE AND FLEET VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM - INDIVIDUALS DO NOT RANK FOR THE RECALL. (DISCRIMINATION? I BELIEVE MANY WOULD THINK SO!) FORD HAS ADMITTED A PROBLEM BY RECALLING POLICE AND FLEET VEHICLES. IF THEY WON'T DO A FULL RECALL FOR US "REGULAR FOLKS", THEY SHOULD AT LEAST REIMBURSE US FOR THE REPAIRS AND, IF APPLICABLE, TOWING AND CAR RENTAL COSTS.*AK

WHILE ENTERING ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM A SERVICE ROAD, SMOKE/STEAM BEGAN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, AND WE BEGAN TO SMELL THE ANTIFREEZE AS IT BURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND MANIFOLD. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE GUAGE BEGAN TO RISE RAPIDLY. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A NEARBY FORD DEALER. THE REPAIR GUY LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND WITHOUT CLOSE EXAMINATION TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE'S BASE WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THAT IT HAD FAILED AND BEGAN LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT. THE LEAK WAS RIGHT BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR. HE SAID THAT IT IS A "COMMON" PROBLEM AND THAT HE HAD SEEN FIVE SUCH INCIDENTS IN RECENT MONTHS. HE DID EXPLAIN THAT FORD RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND HAD COME OUT WITH A REPLACEMENT PART WITH AN ALUMINUM BASE. THE TOTAL REPAIR BILL WAS $816.56 - NO OFFER TO REPLACE N/C BECAUSE OF A KNOWN DEFECT. THE REPAIR GUY DID SAY IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.*AK

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS - 76,000 MILES - CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSING COOLANT TO BE DUMPED, ENGINE TO OVERHEAT RAPIDLY AND WITH NO WARNING. NOT KNOWN YET IF ENGINE HAS BEEN DAMAGED. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE THROUGH FORD MOTOR COMPANY OR THROUGH LITIGATION. *AK