1997 Mercury Grand Marquis complaints

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. PLASTIC MANIFOLD WAS CAUSING THE BURNING, AND DAMAGING WIRE AND ALTERNATOR. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SPLIT, CAUSING COOLANT TO ENTER INTO CYLINDERS AND APPEARS MAY ALSO HAVE CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK-SEEMS FORD & CO COULD CARE LESS-THIS VEHICLE HAS OTHERWISE BEEN EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVERY 2000 MILES. *AK

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD RUPTURED CAUSING COOLANT TO FURTHER ENTER CYLINDERS AND MAY HAVE CAUSED CRACK IN ENGINE BLOCK-THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY WELL CARED FOR INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EACH 2000 MILES-FORD & CO HAVE ESSENTIALLY SAID I'M ON MY OWN-THIS INTEGRAL PART SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO A GREATER AND NOT A MINIMAL STANDARD. *AK

COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD . DEALER CONTACTED. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD PIECE WITH A METAL PART. *YH

INTAKE MANIFOLD ON ENGINE CRACKED WHILE BEING DRIVEN 60 MPH, PRODUCING SMOKE FROM REAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAD 86,715 MILES ON IT. SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE I NOTICED THE ENGINE WOULD SPARK KNOCK ANYTIME THE CAR WAS PUT UNDER A LOAD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN HIGH GEAR AND IN OVERDRIVE. DUE TO MY SCHEDULE I DID NOT TAKE THE CAR IN FOR THIS PROBLEM UNTIL THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL DOWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROLL IT DOWN. AFTER SPENDING 741 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THOSE PROBLEMS I DROVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AND STEAM CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER EVALUATED THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BROKEN. I WAS ADVISED THE REPAIR COST WAS $893.75 INCLUDING TOWING. IWAS ADVISED BY BOTH THE DEALER AND THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE 1-800-392-3673 THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL OR WARRENTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. BY FINDING THIS WEB SITE I HAVE FOUND 16 OTHER SIMULAR CONPLAINTS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING HEARD NOISE COMING FROM WHEEL. MECHANIC STATES THAT FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET THAT HOLDS WHEEL ON TO FRAME WAS IMPROPERLY WELDED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD OVERHEATED, WHICH CREATED AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED AND WAS REPLACED WITH A METAL ONE. THE BILL AND THE LETTER SENT TO RDA GROUP AND MERCURY IS ATTACHED, REGARDING THE FAULTY PART AND THE REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS PLASTIC, NEW PART HALF CAST ALUM(FRONT SECTION)ONLY CALLED FORD DEFECT WAS CHANGED IN YR.2000 BUT NOT A RECALL, ?? WHY DEALER SAID HAS REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THESE FORD MICH. SAID THE SAME THING BUT NO RECALL WHY!!!!!. *AK

CONSUMER STATES BECAUSE OF A DESIGN DEFECT, HEAT BUILDS UP IN A PLASTIC MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A CRACK. CONSUMER IS SUGGESTING THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH AN ALUMINUM-REINFORCED MANIFOLD. *YD

COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD REQUIRED REPLACING. IT HAD SPLIT ACROSS THE FRONT SEAM CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO SPILL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. OUR VIN NUMBER IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH OTHERS OF THE SAME MAKE ARE. THE SPLIT WAS ACROSS THE FRONT SEAM OF THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD. NEW ONES HAVE ALUMINUM LINERS IN THEM, WHICH MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THE COMPANY KNOWS THAT IT`S A CURRENT PROBLEM.*AK

FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECOGNIZES SEVERAL VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION, INCLUDING THE CROWN VICTORIA, MUSTANG, LINCOLN TOWN CAR, AND MERCURY COUGAR, ALL WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE BUILT WITH A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, YET FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GRAND MARQUIS. FORTUNATELY, OUR EXPERIENCED FAILURE OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MILES PER HOUR) AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING INTO OUR SUBDIVISION. HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF STEAM (WHICH SHE IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT WAS "SMOKE") CAUSED HER TO PANIC AND NEARLY FLEE THE VEHICLE. HAD THIS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN TRAFFIC, THIS FAILURE SURELY COULD HAVE CAUSED A POTENTIALLY HARFUL, EVEN FATAL INCIDENT. FORD HAS ADMITTED THE FAILURE, BUT EVIDENTLY DOES NOT CONSIDER IT OF NOTEWORTHY CONCERN FOR MOST VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THIS POPULAR AND WIDELY USED ENGINE PACKAGE. (SEE FORD DOCUMENT #97M91) IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS A KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE IN QUESTION. THIS IS A COSTLY AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL, IF NOT POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING DEFECT. THE SUPER-HEATED STEAM PRODUCED BY THE RUPTURE AT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE (RIGHT BEHIND THE FAN, NO LESS) BILLOWED OUT IN A PLUME OF STEAM THAT MADE ROAD-VISION NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE, NOT TO MENTION CAUSING A DEFINITELY DISTRACTING PANIC SITUATION! I HAVE CONTACTED FORD, INCLUDING MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP (MOYER FORD, FOLEY ALABAMA), THEIR CUSTUOMER SERVICE "HOTLINE" AND JONATHAN GRIMM AT FORD WHQ. ALL HAVE REPEATED THE

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MECHANIC, PLASTIC ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKING AT THE SEAM.*AK *TT

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE RECALLS ON THE FORD WITH THE SAME ENGINE. NO INJURIES. *AK

I PUCHASED MY VEHICLE NEW IN 1997. THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD TWO MAJOR CRACKS WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE CRANK SHAFT WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE HAD ONLY 68000 MILES AND WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO EXAMINED MY VEHICLE EXPLAINED HE HAD NEVER SEEN SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE IN ALL HIS YEARS OF REPAIRING VEHICLES. SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT, ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS IS A SEVERE MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IF THIS ENGINE HAD EXPLODED, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE INJURY TO THE DRIVER.*AK

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, RELEASING A LIQUID THAT BURNED PASSENGER.*AK PASSENGER WAS SUFFERED FACIAL BURNS AND BRUISES TO UPPER BODY ALSO SORE FROM IMPACT. *YH

FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE GOING 55-60MPH. THE VEHICLE LIKE IT WAS SHIFTING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN IT WAS BEING STEERED IN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL DUE THE VEHICLE BEING INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND INSURANCE COMPANY AND IT WAS STATED THAT AN ACCIDENT HAD TO CAUSE THE SEPARATION.. CONSUMER WILL ADD MORE INFORMATION. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS A CRACK, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER STATED THAT SOME 1997 AND 1998 WERE MODELS WERE RECALLED; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

FORD WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT HELPFUL. $893 REPLACEMENT COST FOR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ISNT FAIR. MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES DEFECT BUT WONT OFFER HELP. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

IN STEERING COLUMN BOLTS TO THE SHIFT INDICATOR FELL OUT. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO MANEUVER AND THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF WHICH GEAR VEHICLE WAS BEING SHIFTED TO. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL CAME OFF AT 30 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THIS PART IS MADE OF PLASTIC. PLASTIC IS AN UNSUITABLE MATERIAL FOR A MAJOR COMPONENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO FREQUENT HEATING AND COOLING, VIBRATION, AND AGING. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART OCCURS SUDDENLY AND CATASTROPHICALLY. THE DRIVER RISKS TOTAL LOSS OF POWER FROM THE ENGINE AND CONTROL OF THE CAR IF THEY CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS ARE AT RISK TO DEATH AND INJURY IF THIS PART FAILS IN UNSAFE AREAS, IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, OR AT NIGHT. THIS DEFECT IS A "NO BRAINER" WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE LONG HISTORY OF SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF AUTOMOBILES WITH INTAKE MANIFOLDS MADE WITH CAST IRON OR CAST ALUMINUM.*AK

THE VEHICLES INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A 4 1/2 INCH CRACK AT THE FRONT EDGE. THIS CRACK CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL COOLANT. *JG

TWO CATALYTIC CONVERTORS HAVE BURNED OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER.*AK *YH

WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO FREEWAY, NOTICED COOLANT ODOR; WATCHED HEAT GAUGE CAREFULLY AND DROVE TO MECHANIC. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED ACROSS THE FRONT AND ALL COLLANT WAS LOST. COSTLY REPAIRS FOLLOWED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE FORD MOTOR CO. AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM AT THIS TIME.

HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF AUTOMATIC CONTROL, TURNED LIGHTS ON MANUAL. RESET THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL ON AND LIGHTS STAYED ON. PREVIOUSLY (TWO DIFFERENT TIMES) THE HEAD LIGHTS HAVE COME ON WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.*AK

STOP LIGHT CONNECTOR WAS OVERHEATING AND BURNING UP WIRING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS TO BE STARTED UNDER THE EMERGENCY START, IF STARTED IN PARK IT WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK, CONSUMER STATES ALSO WHILE DRIVING THERE ARE NO STOP LIGHTS. *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHIVLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE TIRES WORE PREMATURELY AT 24K MILES (MICHELIN XW4). NLM

CONSUMER STATES STEERING GEAR WAS EXCESSIVELY WORN, WHEN DRIVING AND STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE.*JB

REMOTE ENTRY CONTROL, PANIC ALARM, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, 4-WAY FLASHERS AND AUTOMATIC TRUCK CONTROL FAILED. THE ABOVE CONDITIONS HAVE CAUSED UNSAFE AND STRESSFUL HEALTH CONDITIONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

WHENEVER USING CRUISE CONTROL BRAKES GO OUT. ONCE CONSUMER SLID AND LANDED IN A DITCH. *AK

RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE, ON THE FIRST START UP DUE TO THE OILFEED BACK FROM LACK OF OIL TO THE TAPPETS AND LAST SEVERAL MINUTES, THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS ARE NOT HOLDING THEIR OIL PRESSUSRE OVERNIGHT,CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS DESIGN. *JB

ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE PROCEEDING ACROSS A BUSY INTERSETION, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART ENGINE WHILE STILL ROLLING AND CONTINUED ON,ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD STAY ON, CONSUMER HAD AARM REMAN SENSOR ASY-ENGINE ELEC. REPLACED, AND ALSO PCM REPROGRAMMED. *JB

WHEN DRIVING NO MORE THAN A BLOCK CONSUMER NOTICED TEMPERATURE GAUGE GO UP. ALSO, STEAM WAS COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ALL COOLANT WAS LOST. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTICED INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED REPLACING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES SIMILAR YEAR AND MODELS HAD A RECALL AND THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *YH

THE VEHICLES INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING STEAM TO START COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. NLM

THE FRONT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE ENGINE CAUSING A LOT OF STEAM.*AK

THE MICHELIN TIRES ON THE VEHICLE PERFORM POORLY WHILE DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP DURING WET WEATER THE TIRES SLID AND THE CAR ENDED UP HALF A CARS LENGTH BEYOND THE WHITE STOP LINE ON THE PAVEMENT (MICHELIN XW4 WHITEWALLS). NLM

THIS PLASTIC PART SPLIT ALONG THE SEAM. IT'S A PRICY REPAIR THAT LOOKS LIKE A WANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH AND STEEPING ON THE BRAKES, PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOORBOARD. DEALER REPAIRED METAL BRAKE LINE AND ADDED BRAKE FLUID. AK *SLC REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

WHILE DRIVING 40MPH & WAS COMING TO A STOP NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALERSHIP & MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE REGARDING CRACKED MANIFOLD. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. *AK

OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH POWER WINDOWS. THREE OUT OF FOUR WINDOWS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. FIRST WINDOW IN 1998, SECOND WINDOW IN 1999, AND THIRD WINDOW A FEW DAYS AGO. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35MPH VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL, , AND CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART CAR.*AK

MY WIFE DRIVING, COME TO NARROW WITH APPROACHING CAR, HIT BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN WHERE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO PASS ON BRIDGE WITH OTHER CAR, HER CAR SLOWED, NOTHING SEEM WRONG WITH BRAKES, BUT SOME MILES LATER, COMING UPON A CURVE, HIT BRAKES TO SLOW TO MAKE CURVE, NO BRAKES. SHE BOUGHT FLUID, AS FLUID WAS GONE, DROVE ABOUT 20 MILES BACK HOME. WHEN I CAME IN, NO FLUID IN RESVERE, PUT SOME IN, PUMPED BRAKES, FLUID POURED OUT ON CONCRETE UNDER FRONT DRIVERS DOOR. HAD TOWED TO DEALER, THE LINE HAD RUBBED WHOLE IN LINE UP AGAINST FRAME. THEY REPAIRED IT, REFLUIDED IT AND CHARGE ME ALMOST 82.00. I DID CALL MERCURY CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY GOT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO BRING IT TO THE PRICE STATED. FIRST PRICE WAS OVER 100.00. MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER WHO IS 8 MONTHS WITH CHILD WAS IN THE CAR WITH MY WIFE. *AK

DEALER (BOB SIGHT FORD) TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD AND MERCURY AND THAT FORD HAS RE-DESIGNED THE FRONT-END COMPONENTS. THIS REPAIR COST ME $966. FORD HAS STILL NOT OFFERED A RECALL DESPITE MANY FAILURES OF THESE PARTS.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40/50 MPH VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING AND SMOKING BECAUSE OF A CRACK IN THE INTAKE VALVE WHICH CAUSED ANTI FREEZE FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THIS WAS FOUND AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK