AI Damage1998 Mercury Marquis: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercury Marquis filed 29 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 29
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 10% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 7% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Suspension: 4 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 29 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 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.
While driving approx. 40mph suddenly front wheels kept swerving from side to side. Had no steering control. Went over an embankment & flipped upside down. Had 2 injuries. Emergency rm treatment. The pavement was dry.
The front end is very squeaky loud and when you make hard turns to left or right it makes a loud spring popping sound. The steering is feel lose and cause the car to seem as though it is wobbling side to side and holding it in the road is a little tough.
The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, there was smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the manifold and the thermostat holder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 mercury marquis. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 mph, the cruise control failed. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph steam was noticed coming from under the hood. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined to have a crack in the intake manifold.
Dt: had a blowout on the front left tire, the whole tire came completely apart and the tread had shredded.
Driver heard a grinding noise in the rear. Took vehicle to a mechanic, and mechanic replaced 2 rear rotors and 2 rear brake pads. Also mechanic determined the right rear brakes had a different braking system than the left.
Headlight lenses malfunctioned due to frost on the outside lens. The consumer's vehicle was almost involved in a collision due to lack of visibility. The consumer was unable to see far down the road which would normally be fine and narrowly avoided hitting a parked vehicle and had to use the high beams.
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 6,959 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Marquis has 16 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 29, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
- Marquis 198410 sources
- Marquis 19855 sources
- Marquis 19864 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 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 1998 Mercury Marquis?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, steering, suspension. Total complaints: 29. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (10%), steering or power steering problems (7%), brake failure (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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 2026-11-06.