Owners filed 82 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › alternator/generator/regulator. It has been recalled 2 times.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 6 | 0 | 5 | |
| Power Train › Automatic Transmission | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control › Cables | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Electrical System › Wiring | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › Ignition | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags › Frontal | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| Air Bags | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Defect. THE PARK ROD ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A PARK CAM WITH INADEQUATE SURFACE HARDNESS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO PARK DISENGAGEMENT OR NO PARK ENGAGEMENT WHEN THE LEVER IS PLACED IN PARK.
Risk. IF PARK IS NOT ENGAGED AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF, AVEHICLE ROLL-AWAY COULD RESULT.
Remedy. REPLACE PARK ROD ASSEMBLY ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.
Defect. THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.
Risk. INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
Remedy. REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
1991 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE AFTER MARKET ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. *LD THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW STARTER SOLENOID RELAY, BWD SELECT BRAND BY STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS INC., AFTER ABOUT 10 DAYS, IT SHORT-CIRCUITED. DUE TO THIS THE STARTER WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE FLYWHEEL WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. IT MADE A VERY LOUD METAL GRINDING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW STARTER RELAY. *JS
ALTERNATOR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND TURNED OFF. *JB
POWER WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT GO DOWN AT ALL.THE CAR KEEPS KILLING THE BATTERY AND I'VE ALREADY SPENT MONEY ON AN ALTERNATOR USED. BRAKE PEDAL SEEMS STIFF AT TIMES AND DOES NOT GRAB WELL AT TIMES. AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN BLINKING EVER SINCE I BOUGHT CAR BECAUSE OF AIR BAG FAILURE. IT WAS DISCONNECTED BY THE GARAGE THAT THE OWNER BEFORE ME HAD BOUGHT IT FROM.
AFTER PARKING VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY CONSUMER WAS EMPTYING THE TRUNK AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. A FIRE SOON ERUPTED FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE UNDER THE HOOD, AND WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE RESULTS, IT WAS DETERMINED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND THE CABLE HARNESS CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK
V8 CYLINDER ENGINE IS RUNNING 70. 8 CYLINDER IS NOT GETTING OIL, THIS CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. BE ADVISED SHE DIDN'T STRIKE ANY OBJECTS/ A CURB OR TREE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BURNS TO HER BODY.*AK
VEHICLE STARTS AND RIDES FOR ABOUT 20 MILES, THEN IF I HAVE TO STOP FOR SOME REASON THE CAR STALLS ESPECIALLY IF I HAVE TO BACK UP. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST DAILLY. NO ACCIDENTS YET BUT I AM AFRAID I WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH THIS PROBLEM. I THINK MY CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND HAVE THID PROBLEM FIXED. *AK
FORD MOTOR CO. SAID THEY ARE WAITING FOR A JUDGE DECISOIN ON A PROGRAM TO REPLACE. THEY SHOULD JUST RECALL AFFECTED VEHICILES. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
I PARKED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND GOT OUT. THE CAR WAS IN "PARK" AND I WAS STANDING AT MY OPENED DOOR REACHING TO OPEN THE PASSANGER DOOR. THE CAR SHIFTED TO "REVERSE". IT KNOCKED ME DOWN AND RAN OVER ME WITH THE FRONT TIRE. IT RAN OVER MY LEGS AND CHEST. IT THEN SCRAPPED AND DENTED MY WIFE'S CAR, AND WAS HALTED BY RUNNING IN TO THE REAR END OF MY NEIGHBOR'S CAR ACROSS THE STREET. HE IS A POLICE OFFICER AND HE FILED THE REPORT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT COVER ANY MORE OF MY MEDICAL BILLS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE THE ACCIDENT. I HAD JUST HAD KNEE SURGERY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I AM PERMANENTLY DISABLED. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU CAN HELP ME. (910) 452-0222. *AK
FRAME ON CONSUMER'S SIDE IS BADLY RUSTED. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN VEHICLE IS MAKING NOISE . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS MADE REPAIRS, FRAME PLATE WAS WELDED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM HOOD AREA. WHEN TRYING TO PULL TO SIDE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND DUE TO WIRES THAT WERE BURNIG UNDER THE HOOD. THESE WERE THE ALTENATOR WIRES THAT SHORTED OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK THE FIRE FROM THE TERMINALS DAMAGED ALL THE INSULATION AND THE WIRING OF THE ALTERNATOR TERMINALS UNDER THE HOOD. *YH
WHILE IN THE STORE SHOPPING WALKED OUT, AND CAR LOOKED LIKE STEAM COMING FROM IT, FROM THE COLOR OF THE SMOKE. CONSUMER GOT CLOSER AND NOTICED BUBBLING IN THE HOOD AND DISCOLORIZATION. IT WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER FELT THAT FIRE STARTED FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.*AK
THIS PART IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN SAN FRANCISCO IN THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SUPERIOIR COURT. JUDGE MICHAEL BALLACHEY HAS ISSUED A PRELIMINARY DECISION TO ORDER A RECALL ON AS MANY AS 2 MILLION VEHICLES MODEL YEARS 1983-95. UNFORTUNATELY, I COULDN'T WAIT FOR THE RECALL SINCE MY VEHICLE HAD STALLED TWICE IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I FELT I HAD TO PAYFOR A ARTIAL CORRECTION (NEW PART RELOCATED IN THE SAME SPACE) AND WAIT OUT THE RESULTS OF THE LAW SUIT. IF A RECALL IS ORDERED AND IF FORD DOESN'T APPEAL, I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE PART RELOCATED TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE ENGINE SINCE OVERHEATING CAUSES EVENTUAL PART FAILURE. MY MECHANIC DID NOT WANT TO RELOCATE THE PART WITHOUT DIRECTIONS FROM THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DIDN'T DEACTIVATE THE SPEED CONTROL. TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN BACK ON, AND THAT DIDN'T HELP. HAD TO OPEN THE HOOD TO DISCONNECT THE SWITCH. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHEN PUSHING EMERGENCY BRAKE DOWN IT WILL NOT STAY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, AND THIS WILL NOT PROPERLY HOLD VEHICLE. *AK
FUEL INJECTOR NEEDLE VALVES BROKE, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDERS, RESULTING IN LOW ENGINE COMPRESSION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *YC
WAS AT RED LIGHT. NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD & LIFTED HOOD. NOTICED FLAMES AROUND THE ALTERNATOR. ANOTHER MOTORIST SMOTHERED FLAMES WITH BACK PACK. VEHICLE TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC ALTERNATOR & WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE CHANGED TO ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE & MELTED WIRES. *AK
DRIVER TURNED ON IGNITION ,PUT TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKES , THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF IN REVERSE, HITTING 4 VEHICLES, AND THEN WENT FORWARD HITTING A BUILDING. *AK
WHILE PARKED ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. *AK
20 of 82 complaints, reproduced as filed.
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Deaths | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2010 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2009 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2008 | 78 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Fatalities reported |
| 2007 | 96 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2006 | 143 | 3 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2005 | 488 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Above average |
| 2004 | 348 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Fatalities reported |
| 2003 | 362 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Above average |
| 2002 | 78 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 2001 | 157 | 5 | 3 | 2 | Fatalities reported |
| 2000 | 162 | 8 | 5 | 0 | Routine |
| 1999 | 164 | 5 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 1998 | 143 | 7 | 8 | 1 | Fatalities reported |
| 1997 | 316 | 5 | 6 | 0 | Above average |
| 1996 | 239 | 6 | 19 | 2 | Fatalities reported |
| 1995 | 179 | 7 | 5 | 3 | Fatalities reported |
| 1994 | 156 | 3 | 20 | 2 | Fatalities reported |
| 1993 | 144 | 3 | 18 | 0 | Routine |
| 1992 | 255 | 3 | 27 | 1 | Fatalities reported |
| 1991 — this page | 82 | 2 | 14 | 0 | Routine |
| 1990 | 56 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Routine |
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Mar 18, 1991. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.