1983 Mercury Grand Marquis: common problems

Owners of the 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 7

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 43% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
3 Equipment 29% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
8 Visibility 14% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 3 complaints (43% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (29% of all).
Equipment: 2 complaints (29% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (14% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

A/C or heater1 · 14%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 14%
won't start1 · 14%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 14%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 14%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Powertrain	3	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Equipment	2	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

While the vehicle was stationary, the air conditioner emitted a powdery substance. Worldwide ford in pensacola, florida was made aware of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vin was invalid. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Electrical system · 2018-05-10 · NHTSA complaint #11093170
Tl* the contact owns a 1983 mercury grand marquis. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the gear lever needed to be shifted into neutral in order for the overdrive to activate. In addition, the contact stated that the gear lever was unable to engage into park. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Powertrain · 2014-12-22 · NHTSA complaint #10667662
The engine dies whenever it gets hot (not overheat), when it cools down it starts. During warm months april-sept. This problem occurs on a daily basis. In the winter, it happens if the car sits at idle for 15-20 minutes. Usually it happens one of two ways. 1. Pull car up to a stop sign or traffic light and it dies. 2.
Electrical system · 2001-04-03 · NHTSA complaint #742844
Stated and ran a few times and now it will not start at all. I need to know what I should do. Please help. Thank-you I hope.
Powertrain · 2000-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #721584
Parking gear does not engage even though the gear shift lever is placed in the park position. Vehicle not included in recall number 83v028000.
Powertrain · 1999-05-12 · NHTSA complaint #836795
Vehicle fire started under the hood due to a fuel leak, fire consumed (3) other cars as well. P
Fuel system · 1995-06-30 · NHTSA complaint #968028

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19952
19991
20001
20011
20141
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Marquis has 117 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, equipment. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (14%), fuel system, fuel smell (14%), won't start (14%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1983 models

Mercury Lynx 1983

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.