Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
THERE IS A CONSTANT FEELING THAT THE TIRES AND FRONT END ARE BOTH OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND TIRES OUT BALANCE(THEY ARE NOT) CAUSING A CONSTANT ROUGH RIDE ON THE SMOOTHEST PAVEMENT BEGINNING AT 55MPH. DEALER HAS CHANGED TIRES TWICE RE-BALANCED TIRES 4 TIMES AND RE-ALIGNED 3 TIMES. CAN YOU CHECK. *AK
WHEN DRIVING IF PAVEMENT IS A LITTLE UNEVEN THE VEHICLE VIBRATES CRAZY. WHEN RIDING OVER BUMPS THE VEHICLE SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK. VEHICLE WAS AT DEALERSHIP AT LEAST FOUR TIMES FOR REPAIRS WHICH DEALER SAID, THERE IS NO PRIOBLEM.
WHILE PARKED SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPENDED THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING.
DOOR ARE HEAVY BY DESIGN CAUSING THEM TO SHUT EVEN ON A SMALL HILL WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPENED.
HIGH BEAM HEADLAMPS MALFUNCTIONING, DUE TO LOOSE WIRE. *YC
POWER STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY.
CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN COMING TO A STOP. NOT ALWAYS. WEATHER DOESN'T MATTER. NOT DUE TO CROWN ON ROADS OR RUTS. BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. MAKE REPAIRS SUGGESTED BY MANUFACTURER BUT DIDN'T HELP. CONSIDER A SAFTY FACTOR IN MULIT - LANE TRAFFIC. SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTING WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO REPAIR. NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
WAS TRAVELING DOWN A RAMP AT 20-30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF FOR NO REASON. HAD NO WARNING. HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. POLICE OFFICER NOTICED FUEL INJECTION SWITCH IN TRUNK OF VEHICLE & PUNCHED IT TO RESTART VEHICLE. *AK
ABNORMAL WHINING NOISE FROM DIFFERENTIAL AT 50-65 MPH. *AK
FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A CRACK, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK ALMOST DIRECTLY ABOVE THE EXHAUST PIPE . DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK 3 TIMES, DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. CRACK IS ALWAYS LEAKING IN THE SAME LOCATION. *AK *ML
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND DUE TO PIECE THAT IS BROKEN IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
DESIGN OF ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER CAUSES INSTRUMENT PANEL TO GET DARK WHEN THE HEADLIGHT ARE TURNED ON DURING THE DAY AND THE LIGHT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED.
SERPENTINE FAN BELT & IDLER PULLEY / TENSIONER REPLACED DUE TO NOISE. *YC
FLOOR MAT ON PASSENGER SIDE MALFUNCTIONING. *YC
LEFT FRONT DOOR HINGE WON'T STAY OPEN, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *YC
VIBRATION FELT AT SPEED 59-70 ON OCCASSION. YH
ORIGINAL TIRE (MICHELIN SYMMETRY P225/60R16) DEVELOPED LEAKS IN THE SIDEWALL. YH
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND SHUTTERED ON INCLINE AT 10 MPH. YH
CRUISE CONTROL PERIODICALLY FAILED. YH
FRONT END MISSALIGNMENT CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. YH
MICHELIN TIRE (P255/60 R16) FAILED. YH
THE HIGH BEAM INDICATOR LIGHT IS THE SAME COLOR AS THE REST OF THE LIGHT THUS MAKING IT HARD NOTICE WHEN HIGH BEAM ARE ON.
WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD RESULTING IN A FIRE.
THE HORN IS INOPERATIVE WHICH IS A SAFETY FEATURE. CURRENTLY ATDEALER. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN #. *AK
FUEL FILL LIMITING VALVE SENSOR IS HANGING INTO THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING A LOUD CLUNCKING NOISE. TSB FOR DEFECT, NO FIX HAS BEEN ISSUED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT WILL NOT ADMIT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. DEALER CANNOT FIX BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ISSUED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML
VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, AUTOMATICALLY STEERS EASY AND 25MPH AND LOWER. DEALER CONTACTED AND WORKED ON VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT CHANGED AND STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE VEHICLE SITS UNEVEN AFTER THE REAR AIR SPRINGS ARE INFLATED. THIS PROBLEM DOESN'T FALL WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECS.
TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON CAN BE ACTIVATED BY ANYONE UNLESS THE CAR DOOR IS LOCKED. INCIDENT DISTURBS CONSUMER WITH SMALL CHILDREN. IN MANUAL, SHOWS KEY SLOT WITH THE RELEASE IN THE BUTTON WHICH IS NOT THERE IN THIS MODEL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML
LEFT SIDE BRAKE CALIPER WAS MISSING A BOLT, AND THE OTHER WAS FOUND LOOSE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND MADE REPAIRS. OWNER BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH PASSED OVER RUBBLER BARS AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. UPON PASSING A FARMER'S TRAILER, CROSSED OVER A RAILROAD ONTO ON COMING TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO COAST OFF THE ROAD.THIS WAS THE FIFTH TIME THAT THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT DOWN, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO RESET THE SWITCH TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START, AND LOST POWER STEERING. *AK
YOUR FORM IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE FOR A COMPLAINT OF THIS NATURE. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE FLOOR MATS. THEY ARE SO LIGHT WEIGHT THAT THEY TEND TO SHIFT WHEN ONE ENTERS OR DEPARTS THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO SHIFT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, DUE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE FOOT BETWEEN THE BRAKES AND THE GAS. EVEN THE RETENTION POST FOR THE DRIVERS FLOOR MAT FAILS TO KEEP IT IN PLACE. IT TENDS TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT AND MOVE FORWARD TOWARD THE PEDALS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE FLOOR MAT WERE TO JAM EITHER THE BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WHEN DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE 500-600 MILES PER DAY THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK GOT VERY HOT. SEEMS EXHAUST SYSTEM IS TOO CLOSE. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
DESIGN OF TRUNK ALLOWS IT TO BE OPENED BY PUSHING THE BUTTON ON THE DOOR WHETHER THE MOTOR IS ON OR OFF.
ENGINE FIRE. QCAW
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH CONSUMER CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ALL THROUGH THE VEHICLE. ALSO WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST LEAVES DRIVER'S HANDS. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK
HEARD TERRIBLE BUZZING AND RATTLING SOUNDS FROM DASHBOARD AND LEFT DOOR AREA. ALSO REPAIRS WERE ATTEMPTED TO ALIGN LEFT SIDE DOOR. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING THE VEHICLE STALL OUT WITHOUT INDICATIONS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. THE NEXT MORNING, A TOW TRUCK DRIVER CRANKED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SECURED TO THE TOW TRUCK, IT BEGAN TO SMOKE FROM UNDER THE ENGINE AREA AND SUDDENLY IT BURST INTO FLAMES.
THE FRONT LEFT STEERING LINKAGE BROKE OFF, LOSING ALL STEERING CONTROL WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. *AK TIE ROD FEL OFF.
DURING A RAINSTORM THE DOOR WILL HOLD WATER. WILL DRAIN OUT WHICH COULD CAUSE A SHORT, AND LOSS OF POWER WITHIN ELECTRICAL WIRING THAT IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN DOOR ASSEMBLY. DEALER HAS DONE WATER LEAK TEST NUMEROUS TIMES AND REPLACED KEYBOARD ACTUATOR/RIM PANEL, AND DRILLED NEW DRAIN HOLES,ETC. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATED AFTER HAVING SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO PARK, CAUSES VEHICLE TO TAKE OFF WHILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LURCH FOUR TO FIVE BLOCKS, AND LANDED INTO SOMEONE'S FRONT YARD. ONE INJURY WAS SUSTANED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
REAR VIEW MIRROR OBSTRUCTS VIEW WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis → · Every Grand Marquis year → · How the figures are calculated →