2004 Mercury Grand Marquis: common problems

Owners of the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis filed 348 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 348
involving a crash: 17

What fails most often

1 Exterior lighting 59% of all complaints
2 Steering 19% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
4 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
5 Visibility 3% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
8 Structure 2% of all complaints

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

Exterior lighting: 207 complaints (59% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 65 complaints (19% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 40 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 23 complaints (7% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Visibility: 11 complaints (3% 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 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 348 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights166 · 48%
steering or power steering problems16 · 5%
warning lights, check engine16 · 5%
rust, corrosion15 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire10 · 3%
unintended acceleration7 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise6 · 2%
A/C or heater5 · 1%
windows, sunroof5 · 1%
jerking, harsh shifts4 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Exterior lighting	207	2
Steering	65	4
Electrical system	40	1
Vehicle speed control	23	5
Visibility	11	0
Engine and cooling	10	0
Powertrain	9	1
Structure	8	1
Service brakes	7	1
Air bags	6	4
Tires	5	1
Engine	4	0
Fuel/propulsion system	3	0
Fuel system	3	1

What owners report

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

While driving 60 mph, the headlights failed without warning. As a result, the contact struck the rear passenger side bumper on a guardrail. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and shoulders, which required medical attention. The contact visited her doctor. A police report was not filed.
Exterior lighting · crash · 2017-07-14 · NHTSA complaint #11005406
I have had more problems with my 2004 grand marquis, the lights don't work, headlights go off while driving at night, airbags don't work, electrical, seats, steering, brakes, all of the electrical, catalytic convertor keeps going out, also engine problems, among many other things.
Steering · crash · 2017-07-14 · NHTSA complaint #11005342
I have read numerous complaints online regarding sudden loss of steering with 2004 mercury grand marquis vehicles. Ford issued a recall for the steering column for 2005 through 2011 mercury grand marquis cars.
Steering · crash · 2016-05-10 · NHTSA complaint #10864209
My vehicle's air bags did not deploy. I was wearing my seat and shoulder belts at the time of the collision. I was examined at a nearby emergency room. They said "no serious injury" but my orthopedic surgeon said I have a separation of my left shoulder.
Exterior lighting · crash · 2016-01-23 · NHTSA complaint #10821877
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact was unsure if the manufacturer had not been notified. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Air bags · crash · 2010-11-09 · NHTSA complaint #10365131
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mercury grand marquis. While driving 8 mph the vehicle did not stop when the brake was depressed. He stated that it was approximately 30 seconds before the vehicle stopped. The road conditions were clear. The vehicle was never inspected.
Service brakes · crash · 2007-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #10189039
2004 mercury grand marquis lost control of vehicle due to tire wear. While driving on a wet road the consumer lost control of the vehicle due to worn tires. The vehicle spun off the left side of the road and struck a control wall. The consumer sustained a sore neck and right shoulder.
Tires · crash · 2006-01-17 · NHTSA complaint #10148613
Dt: while the contact's friend was pulling into a parking lot she pressed on the brake pedal and it hesitated while stopping the vehicle. On a separate occasion, while stopping at a stop light the accelerator pedal got stuck. This caused the contact's vehicle to rear end the vehicle in front.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2005-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #10145626

When owners complained

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

20031
200413
200517
20066
20076
20085
200911
201022
201133
201214
201336
201450
201540
201631
201720
201815
20195
20204
20214
20224
20235
20242
20253
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,163 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 348, above average.

What to check before buying

Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, steering, electrical system. Total complaints: 348. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (48%), steering or power steering problems (5%), warning lights, check engine (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 2004 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.