repaired · 2018 Q3
Exterior lighting: headlights
Risk. A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
2004 Mercury Grand MarquisProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 348 owner complaints about the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-861 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 24, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis has problems
348 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
207Exterior lighting3 crash/fire/injury
65Steering4 crash/fire/injury
40Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
23Vehicle speed control
10Engine and engine cooling
9Power train
8Structure
7Visibility
6Air bags
4012 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 207 | 3 |
| Steering | 65 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 40 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 23 | 6 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 10 | 1 |
| Power train | 9 | 1 |
| Structure | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility | 7 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 4 |
| 12 other systems | 40 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2004 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.
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 exterior lighting problems start?
86kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 168 exterior lighting complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.
10under 30k miles109under 100k miles59100k 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.
Exterior lighting
18 owners mentioned a cost$700median
Middle half: $503 – $700
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
2004 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
2004 Mercury Grand Marquis safety ratings
2004 Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. w/SAB 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
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, and the recalls they led to.
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADNo recall
- Loss of headlamp/exterior lightingNo recall
- LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTIONNo recall
- Steering Column Shaft ObstructionNo recall
- Loss of headlightsLed to recall 15V-861
In owners' words
What Grand Marquis owners report
Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a local Police Officer stopped the vehicle and made the contact aware that both taillights were inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be…
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights were flickering and became inoperable. Occasionally, the headlights operated as designed. There were no warning…
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, he became aware that the headlights were not functioning properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle…
Own a 2004 Grand Marquis?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.