AI Damage2004 Mercury Marquis: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Mercury Marquis filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 58% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 33% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 7 complaints (58% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (25% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
There were 355,000 recalls #14v704000, 13v385000 for 205-2011 mercury grand marquise but does not include 2004 marquise, however, my marquise according to my mechanic says the issue with my car is the same. There are over 50 complaints pertaining to 2004 grand marquise.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mercury marquis. In 2014, the vehicle was repaired per an unknown recall regarding the lighting control module. The repair was performed by golder circle ford (1432 us-45 byp, jackson, [ZIP]).
While driving 30 mph and attempting to turn the headlights on, both headlights failed. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v861000 (exterior lighting) and stated that the part needed for the repair was not available.
Headlights go off without warning at various times including after dark and at various speeds. They come on again without warning and without control from the operator. No manipulation of the light controls appears to help or impact this random action.
It felt like the steering wheel locked. What if it happened on the highway at a high speed?????
Lower intermediate steering shaft became corroded at center joint causing steering to bind and stick when steering wheel was released as the vehicle was exiting a turn. This required the driver to make a concerted effort to overcome the binding to return the wheels to a straight position.
This mercury along with countless others has the headlights go out as you drive down the road. If this is not a safety issue I don't know what is. I have to pull off the road and wait till they come back on. I called my lincoln dealer and they said it was $107/hour to diagnose the problem.
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 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Marquis has 16 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 12, below 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.
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 199829 sources
- Marquis 199924 sources
- Marquis 200023 sources
- Marquis 200126 sources
- Marquis 200211 sources
- Marquis 200333 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mercury Marquis?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, steering, electrical system. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (58%), rust, corrosion (8%), steering or power steering problems (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 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.