AI Damage1986 Mercury Marquis: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Mercury Marquis filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 25% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
Why are the gas tanks rotting out when years ago gas tanks lasted a lifetime and more. Either the gas has an addative that is doing it or the mfgs' of gas tanks are using poor quality materials.
Left rear wheel came off, causing accident. (ohio state police report)
While driving on icy pavement vehicle accelerated wide open for no apparent reason. Had to turn off ignition to stop vehicle. Please describe details. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Marquis has 16 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
- Marquis 198410 sources
- Marquis 19855 sources
- Marquis 19874 sources
- Marquis 19889 sources
- Marquis 198910 sources
- Marquis 19906 sources
- Marquis 19919 sources
- Marquis 199224 sources
- Marquis 199323 sources
- Marquis 199430 sources
- Marquis 199520 sources
- Marquis 199631 sources
- Marquis 199753 sources
- Marquis 199829 sources
- Marquis 199924 sources
- Marquis 200023 sources
- Marquis 200126 sources
- Marquis 200211 sources
- Marquis 200333 sources
- Marquis 200412 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Mercury Marquis?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, fuel system, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Mercury 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 1986 Mercury 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 1986 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.