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1997 Mercury Grand MarquisProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 316 owner complaints about the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

35
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.8× the Grand Marquis median · #5 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints31626 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage80kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 21, 2020. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis has problems

316 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling1246
Service brakes, hydraulic323
Fuel system, gasoline320
Suspension260
Vehicle speed control246
Steering222
Exterior lighting191
Power train121
Visibility120
12 other systems475

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

1997 Mercury Grand Marquis recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control: cruise control

Recall 08V-051 · Feb 4, 2008 · 225,000 vehicles

Risk. AS A RESULT, THE FUSE IS LOCATED IN THE OUTPUT CIRCUIT RATHER THAN IN THE INTENDED INPUT POWER FEED CIRCUIT, AND MAY NOT OFFER THE INTENDED PROTECTION IN THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: anchorage

Recall 00V-157 · Jun 12, 2000 · 1,167 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THESE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT RESTRAIN AN OCCUPANT INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: anchorage

Recall 00V-157 · Jun 12, 2000 · 1,129 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THESE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT RESTRAIN AN OCCUPANT INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercury.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

80kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 76 engine and engine cooling complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 39% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles61under 100k miles15100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

22 owners mentioned a cost

$775median

Middle half: $606 – $1,075

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1997 vs. every other Grand Marquis year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Grand Marquis median. How we score

'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1997 Mercury Grand Marquis safety ratings

1997 Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
7 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL-FED FIRESDP02007 · closed Dec 4, 2002
    No recall
  2. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  3. SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FIRESEA02025 · closed Jun 30, 2004
    No recall
  4. REAR BRAKE LINE FAILUREEA03012 · closed Apr 11, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-086
  5. BALL JOINT SEPARATIONRQ03002 · closed Jun 3, 2003
    No recall
  6. REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURERQ03004 · closed Jul 25, 2003
    No recall
  7. POST REAR END COLLISION FIRESSQ01014 · closed Oct 3, 2002
    Led to recall 02I003000
In owners' words

What Grand Marquis owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE…
Complaint 10390203 · Mar 15, 2011 · 114,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SERVICE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED IT STATING THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO THE STRUCTURE. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT THE…
Complaint 10349227 · Aug 13, 2010 · 47,025 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE INTERIOR CABIN WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FLAMES. THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE VEHICLE. AND THE FIRE AND POLICE…
Complaint 10331472 · May 20, 2010 · 37,000 miles

Own a 1997 Grand Marquis?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.