2008 Mercury GRAND MARQUIS: complaints, problems and recalls

WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKE, MOTOR RACED UP TO 5000 RPM. ( LIKE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGING. HAD TO GO TO NEUTRAL PUMP THE ACCELERATOR TO BRING RPM DOWN. IN A PARKING LOT WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE IT PUSHED ME 5 FEET BEFORE I COULD GET IT UNDER CONTROL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204160 at NHTSA ↗

FALSE ACCELERATION OF 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. ON OCT. 9TH, MY WIFE AND I AND TWO FRIENDS (FROM PA AND DE) WERE IN VEHICLE HEADED FOR DINNER. CRANKED VEHICLE AFTER SETTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 22 HOURS. ENGINE REVVED UP TO AN ESTIMATED 4000 RPM CREATED LOUD RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATED VEHICLE. I WAS TOO FRIGHTENED TO LOOK AT TACHOMETER. TURNED SWITCH KEY OFF. MADE 3 ATTEMPTS TO START ENGINE. FINALLY REMOVED KEY FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 SECONDS, CAR STARTED AND SEEMED NORMAL. PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED, HOWEVER MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE VEHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208094 at NHTSA ↗

JUST BOUGHT THE 2008 GRAND MARQUIS, FIRST DAY, RADIO DID NOT WORK, (STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY). TOOK THE CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE 2500 MILES, ALSO ASKED THEM TO CHECK OUT A NOISE THE CAR WAS MAKING. I WAS JUST INFORMED YESTERDAY I NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY THE DEALER SAID IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AT FIRST THE REPLACED THAT PART AND STILL HAD THE NOISE. I WILL NEVER OWN A FORD PRODUCT, AND THEY WONDER WHY THEY ARE LOSING MARKET SHARE!!! BY THE WAY, THIS IS MY 9TH GRAND MARQUIS, I JUST TRADED AN 2005 TO GET RID OF IT, IT TOO HAD…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208185 at NHTSA ↗

UPDATE ON ODI NUMBER 10208094. ON THE DAY THE MERCURY THAT I OWN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER TO SOLVE THE SAFETY PROBLEM, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 10 MILES OF MY HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS A LATE MODEL LINCOLN TOWN CAR. ONE PERSON WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL AND THE DRIVER DIED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOTE FROM THE NEXT DAY BREVARD COUNTY FLORIDA LOCAL NEWSPAPER (FLORIDA TODAY). ?THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF WICKHAM ROAD AND LAKE ANDREW DRIVE WAS BEGINNING TO HUM WITH THE RUSH OF FRIDAY EVENING TRAFFIC WHEN…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208468 at NHTSA ↗

THE FIRST TIME I CHANGED THE OIL IN MY 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE THERE WAS A LOUD MECHANICAL NOISE FOR A FEW SECONDS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND TOLD HIM TO CHANGE THE OIL AND LISTEN FOR THE NOISE WHICH THEY HEARD AND WAS TOLD ALL 2008 GRAND MARQUIS DO THIS .ALSO I NOTICE THE ENGINE IS NOISY IN THE MORNING WHEN I START IT. I THINK FORD HAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES IF THEY ALL DO IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10208663 at NHTSA ↗

WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE CRASH ON JUNE 22, 2008. WE BELIEVE IT WAS DUE TO A DEFECT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. WE WERE ENTERING A PARKING LOT WHEN WE COULD NOT STOP THE CAR FROM SPEEDING UP. WE EVENTUALLY HIT THE SIDE OF A BUILDING BEFORE WE GOT STOPPED. WE OWN A MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 2008. I AM AFRAID WE WILL BE KILLED OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. MY HUSBAND COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232449 at NHTSA ↗

AVIS RENTAL CAR (CAR # 5102064) FROM DENVER INT'L AIRPORT. (CAR REGISTERED # AYH296 OK) INCIDENT LOCATION: LAKEWOOD, CO 80401. PARKING LOT OF PRIVATE OFFICE. I COINCIDENTLY BACKED OUT OF PARKING SLOT AS OFFICE WORKER BACKED OUT OF HERS. REAR BUMPERS TAPPED--NON-EVENT. ON SHIFT (AUTO. TRANSMISSION) INTO DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARD OUT OF THE WAY, THE CAR ROCKETED UNEXPECTEDLY SEEMINGLY AT FULL-THROTTLE, TIRES SCREECHING. I SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. (5 YARDS BETWEEN ACCELERATING AND BREAKING TIRE MARKS.) IN THOSE 5 YARDS THE RENTAL CAR STRUCK THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234065 at NHTSA ↗

2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS HAD AN ELECTRICAL OUTAGE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRUNK LID WOULD NOT OPEN USING THE REMOTE CONTROL OR BY PUSHING THE BUTTON. ALL OF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AS WELL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,992 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247069 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-06-26 (June 26, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY MAY FRACTURE DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT.

Consequence: IF A HUB FRACTURES, IT MAY POTENTIALLY DETACH FROM THE WHEEL KNUCKLE, RESULTING IN THE WHEEL BEING RETAINED ONLY BY THE BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT, THE WHEEL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLIES AND REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 2013-08-29 (August 29, 2013)

Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate.

Consequence: If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If the steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.

Reported: 2014-11-05 (November 5, 2014)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed.

Consequence: Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.