1999 Mercury Grand Marquis: common problems

Owners of the 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis filed 164 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 164
involving a crash: 17

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 16% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 12% of all complaints
3 Suspension 11% of all complaints
4 Steering 10% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Tires 7% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 7% 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: 26 complaints (16% of all).
Exterior lighting: 20 complaints (12% of all).
Suspension: 18 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 16 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 15 complaints (9% of all).

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 3 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 164 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights17 · 10%
seat belts8 · 5%
stalls while driving7 · 4%
tires: bulges, blowouts7 · 4%
warning lights, check engine7 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise6 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss5 · 3%
vibration5 · 3%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 2%
hesitation when accelerating3 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	26	0
Exterior lighting	20	0
Suspension	18	0
Steering	16	1
Electrical system	15	0
Powertrain	12	4
Tires	12	1
Vehicle speed control	12	5
Service brakes	8	3
Engine	7	0
Seat belts	7	2
Structure	7	0
Visibility	6	0
Air bags	5	5

What owners report

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

My significant other and I were in an accident on the interstate. The airbags deployed and the seat belts failed to lock in place.
Seat belts · crash · 2023-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #11532067
I was coming to a stop when the brake pedal started vibrating and going lower and lower to the floor and the car did not stop resulting in an accident. I was told by the ford mechanic that the computer tests did not show any problem with the antilock system but I think there is a problem when you apply your brakes and…
Service brakes · crash · 2012-05-05 · NHTSA complaint #10457575
The driver side seatbelt retractor failed to lock, causing the contact's head to hit the steering wheel, which resulted in an injury. A police report was filed and a complaint was filed with the manufacturer.
Seat belts · crash · 2006-07-21 · NHTSA complaint #10163032
While sitting in traffic accelerator cable snapped, causing consumer's vehicle to strike the vehicle in the front. ......central collision centor of new lenox, inc [address], new lenox,[ZIP] replaced the cable, an dnot the dealer. Consume rhas the old parts.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2004-12-13 · NHTSA complaint #10103676
The consumer was involved in a minor fender bender driving at 5 mph when the two front air bags deployed. Contacted dealer. Mr
Air bags · crash · 2002-10-09 · NHTSA complaint #8020477
While driving at 65 mph air bag on the driver's side deployed for no apparent reason, hitting driver in the face. Driver lost control of vehicle, ran off the road, and hit a ditch. Vehicle was totalled.
Air bags · crash · 2000-08-31 · NHTSA complaint #869231
Also, dual airbags did not deploy. But, cover came off, resulting in a broken hip and pelvis. Prior to this accident consumer was complaining about transmission. But, dealer stated it was not important.
Powertrain · crash · 2000-04-10 · NHTSA complaint #859937
Driver was involved in an accident , dual airbags had a delayed deployment which caused driver to smash against windshield with head and even with seatbelts worn.
Air bags · crash · 1999-11-01 · NHTSA complaint #852328

When owners complained

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

19982
199921
200037
200116
200217
20033
20046
200510
20064
20075
20082
20093
20104
20117
20122
20133
20143
20153
20164
20175
20183
20192
20201
20221
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,447 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Marquis has 117 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 164, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, exterior lighting, suspension. Total complaints: 164. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (10%), seat belts (5%), stalls while driving (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.