2011 Mercury Grand Marquis: common problems

Owners of the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 9

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
2 Steering 22% of all complaints
3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
4 Fuel/propulsion system 11% of all complaints
5 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
7 Tires 11% of all complaints
8 Visibility 11% of all complaints

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

Electrical system: 3 complaints (33% of all).
Steering: 2 complaints (22% of all).
Air bags: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Seat belts: 1 complaints (11% 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 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 22%
windows, sunroof2 · 22%
airbag warning light1 · 11%
A/C or heater1 · 11%
seat belts1 · 11%
warning lights, check engine1 · 11%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	3	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Air bags	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0
Seat belts	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Tires	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.

225/60R17 tire purchased new started going flat in the first week. Walmart tire said there was no warranty. Receipt says otherwise. P&M tire of Blackwell, OK found defects in the interior sidewall and told us the tire had manufacturing defects.
Tires · 2026-03-10 · NHTSA complaint #11723310
There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the gear shifter failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The failure persisted, and the vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired.
Steering · 2025-07-28 · NHTSA complaint #11676660
Driving on humid day, closed windows and turned on a/c. Controller failed to close defroster vents, causing window to quickly fog up, restricting forward vision. Previously had same problem on 2006 grand marquis which I had repaired by ford dealer.
Electrical system · 2019-04-02 · NHTSA complaint #11194012
My 2011 mercury grand marquis ultimate edition, was very great however it caught on fire due to the malfunction of the windshield wipers...they would come on automatically while I was driving, my windshield wiper switch would be on the off position...
Electrical system · 2018-11-26 · NHTSA complaint #11154071
The air bag light remains on all the time. My mechanic says that car's computer is generating a code indicating a problem with a sensor in driver's side seat belt. He says that the entire seat belt assembly must be replaced at a cost of $500. The car only has 70,000 miles on it.
Air bags · 2017-09-21 · NHTSA complaint #11024863
I was driving on the highway I smelled a weird smell coming from the passenger side when I turned to look towards the direction of the passenger side front door it was smoking so I immediately pulled over to the side of highway as I was doing so the passenger front door caught fire.
Electrical system · 2016-04-29 · NHTSA complaint #10862281
Driving on freeway with dash display indicating 60 miles remaining on fuel supply when car ran out of fuel. Tank totally empty dash display still indicated 60 miles before empty. Fuel gage has been regularly deceitful.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2014-05-20 · NHTSA complaint #10592867
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mercury grand marquis. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v385000 (steering). The manufacturer was contacted and advised that the part was not available for repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The vehicle was not repaired.
Steering · 2013-11-21 · NHTSA complaint #10553195

When owners complained

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

20132
20141
20161
20171
20181
20191
20251
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Marquis has 117 complaints (34 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Fuel/propulsion 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 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, steering, air bags. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (22%), windows, sunroof (22%), airbag warning light (11%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.