Most common 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis problems
Share of the 316 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercury Grand Marquis complaints by model year
Best Grand Marquis years: 2011, 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2005, 1997, 1996, 2003. Compare all years →
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis recalls (4)
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket driver's seat belt assemblies that were sold by Ford parts departments from January 1, through June 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from January 1 through June 13, 2000.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket front passenger side seat belt assemblies that were sold by Ford parts departments from January 1, through June 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from January 1 through June 13, 2000.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 7 possible defects involving the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis:
Post rear end collision fires
There is no summary currently available
Rear brake line failure
Odi has received 40 complaints alleging rear brake line failure in the subject vehicles, including 8 that have been received this year.an additional 192 reports and 478 warranty claims have been received from Ford.a leak in the rear brake line can cause extended stopping distance.a search of odi's complaint database for peer vehicle complaints, using the same brake line failure criteria as for the subject vehicles…
Ball joint separation
See attached report.
Rear brake line failure
In a letter dated February 25, 2005, Ford motor company (Ford) notified odi that it would be conducting a customer satisfaction program (Ford no. 04b26) to correct a rear brake line chafing concern in approximately 44,000 model year (my) 1997 Ford crown victoria and grand marquis non-fleet vehicles equipped with electronic traction control that werebuilt after March 19, 1997.these vehicles have an additional rear…
Speed control deactivation switch fires
Based on the low rate of fire incidents (2.5 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold) where failure of the scds is involved and the age of the vehicles ? 7 to 11 years ? A safety-related defect trend has not been identified and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Fuel-fed fires
The fars data shows that the risk of fire from impact in all directions in the subject vehicles is the same as all other sedans.the subject vehicles are not over represented with respect to the risk of fire in real-world high-energy crashes.a further discussion of issues related to post crash fires in the subject vehicles is set out in the closing report for sq 01-014 and that report is in the docket for this…
What 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis owners say
Engine & cooling all 126 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving at speeds of 10 MPH, the contact observed smoke coming from under the hood and within seconds, the interior cabin was filled with smoke and flames. The vehicle occupants were able to safely exit the vehicle. And the fire and police department were contacted. There were reports filed by both entities. The vehicle was destroyed. The dealer advised there were no recalls for the vehicle and the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. The failure and current mileages were 37,000.
Coolant leak from crack in plastic intake manifold. This car only has 97,130 miles on it and well cared for. They should not be using plastic in this application - it should be iron or aluminum. This is a common problem I was told with the 4.6 v8 engine. Ford needs to recall these and replace at no cost to customer. I will be writing a letter to Ford if the dealer doesn't cover this as a recall. Ridiculous to use plastic in this application.
Brakes all 35 →
Tl contact owns a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis. While idling at a red light, the vehicle began to lunge forward. The contact's vehicle tapped the preceding vehicle's bumper. While he and the owner of the other vehicle were arguing, the contact's vehicle lunged forward a second time. As a result, his passenger side door struck the other vehicle's driver's side rear panel. The contact's vehicle was pushed onto a side street where it will be towed. The vehicle is able to be driven, but there is no braking ability. The contact stated that the rear brake line failed. He referenced a customer satisfaction program (ea03012 service brakes hydraulic). The dealer informed him that the program expired in 2007. The failure mileage was 163,000.
A rear brake line on our 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis totally failed. When I stepped on the brake pedal, it went to the floor resulting in a puddle of brake fluid under the car just behind the driver's seat. Fortunately this happened when the car was in our driveway and not while driving to work on the highway. We purchased this car new in November 1996 and had only 47,441 miles on it at the time of the failure. An inspection of the rear brake lines showed they were both extremely corroded along their entire length. The Mercury dealer had to replace the entire brake and fuel line assembly ($1223) on the left side of the car. The final cost to repair the leaking brake line was $1901. The service department at this relatively small Mercury dealership estimated they do this repair about once a month on Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln town cars. …
Fuel & propulsion system all 32 →
I purchased this vehicle which had 86,715 miles on it. Shortly after the purchase I noticed the engine would spark knock anytime the car was put under a load when the transmission was in high gear and in overdrive. Due to my schedule I did not take the car in for this problem until the drivers side window fell down while attempting to roll it down. After spending 741 dollars to repair those problems I drove the car approximately 50 miles and steam came from under the hood. The car was towed back to the dealer. The dealer evaluated the problem and advised me that the intake manifold was broken. I was advised the repair cost was $893.75 including towing. Iwas advised by both the dealer and the Ford customer service line [phone] that there was no recall or warrenty for this problem. By finding this web site I have found 16 other simular conplaints.
Consumer notice coolant smell inside vehicle while traveling soon after notice temperature gauge rising with indication light flashing. Consumer pull vehicle over look under hood and notice coolant under hood and ground vehicle was service intake manifold need to be replace. Mr the consumer states that Ford acknowledges this problem to fleet owners and has a recall, but aren't addressing the problem. The consumer states that he has made the repairs with parts purchased from the Ford dealer. (cracked along the seam, dumped coolant all over the upper engine and onto the ground)
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis a good car?
Based on 316 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Grand Marquis rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Grand Marquis at the same age. It is one of the Grand Marquis years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis?
The engine & cooling — 126 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe. Next are the brakes (35) and fuel & propulsion system (32).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, the most recent from February 4, 2008 (cruise control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercury Grand Marquis?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 1997, 1996 and 2003. See the full Mercury Grand Marquis years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 81,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.