1997 Mercury Grand Marquis: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis filed 316 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 316
involving a crash: 11

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 39% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
4 Suspension 8% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
6 Steering 7% of all complaints
7 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
8 Visibility 4% of all complaints

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

Engine and cooling: 124 complaints (39% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 35 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 32 complaints (10% of all).
Suspension: 26 complaints (8% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 24 complaints (8% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.6 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 8 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 316 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

overheating, coolant loss26 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire24 · 8%
headlights and tail lights13 · 4%
rust, corrosion11 · 3%
brake failure10 · 3%
vibration10 · 3%
windows, sunroof9 · 3%
warning lights, check engine8 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles6 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise6 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	124	1
Service brakes	35	3
Fuel system	32	0
Suspension	26	0
Vehicle speed control	24	3
Steering	22	1
Exterior lighting	19	0
Visibility	13	0
Electrical system	12	0
Powertrain	12	0
Seat belts	6	0
Structure	6	1
Latches, locks, linkages	5	0
Equipment	4	0

What owners report

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

She noticed the steering wheel began to vibrate violently and she held on the steering wheel as hard as she can. Then she lost control of the car and it began to swerve in the direction of the semi-truck.
Tires · crash · 2015-05-11 · NHTSA complaint #10715575
During a head-on collision passenger's side airbag deployed, releasing a liquid that burned passenger. Passenger was suffered facial burns and bruises to upper body also sore from impact.
Air bags · crash · 2002-04-02 · NHTSA complaint #8006842
Frame separated from the vehicle while going 55-60mph. The vehicle like it was shifting in a different direction than it was being steered in. The consumer had to pull due the vehicle being inoperative.
Structure · crash · 2002-03-12 · NHTSA complaint #8005483
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. Upon impact, airbags deployed, causing chemicals to leak out. The chemichals injured and burned the driver. Dealer and manufacturer have been notified.
Air bags · crash · 2000-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #860959
Coolant leak from crack in plastic intake manifold. This car only has 97,130 miles on it and well cared for. They should not be using plastic in this application - it should be iron or aluminum. This is a common problem I was told with the 4.6 v8 engine. Ford needs to recall these and replace at no cost to customer.
Powertrain · 2015-02-09 · NHTSA complaint #10682192
While driving home on interstate 35 north of minneapolis, mn, the intake manifold cracked and lost anti freeze. Pulled off the highway at forest lake, mn and had to be towed to tires plus in forest lake to have the car repaired.
Engine · 2013-03-07 · NHTSA complaint #10501970
I stopped at my destination a couple of minutes later, popped the hood and there was a fire under the hood. It only lasted a couple of minutes, but burned up an electrical connector. The next day I had it repaired across the street at an auto electrical and marine shop.
Vehicle speed control · 2011-06-25 · NHTSA complaint #10408860
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 approximately 114,000.
Engine and cooling · 2011-03-15 · NHTSA complaint #10390203

When owners complained

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

19978
199820
199927
200016
200122
200239
200339
200449
200529
200613
20076
200822
20095
20106
20114
20132
20142
20153
20162
20192
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,272 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Marquis has 117 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 316, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, fuel system. Total complaints: 316. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), headlights and tail lights (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 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 1997 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 1997 models

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.