Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2010 | 2 | 8% | 75,000 miles |
| 2009 | 6 | 23% | 20,000 miles |
| 2008 | 10 | 13% | 53,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 6% | 1,000 miles |
| 2006 | 12 | 8% | 22,000 miles |
| 2005 | 18 | 4% | 21,000 miles |
| 2004 | 7 | 2% | 162,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 2% | 18,000 miles |
| 2002 | 6 | 8% | 8,000 miles |
| 2001 | 16 | 10% | 35,000 miles |
| 2000 | 18 | 11% | 59,000 miles |
| 1999 | 9 | 5% | 42,000 miles |
| 1998 | 7 | 5% | — |
| 1997 | 35 | 11% | 88,000 miles |
| 1996 | 23 | 10% | 63,000 miles |
| 1995 | 30 | 17% | 70,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
An SUV crashed into an apple store in Hingham Mass. The driver told police his foot became stuck to the gas pedal. More likely his foot became hooked under the brake pedal as he tried to quickly shift his foot from the gas pedal up and to the left onto the brake pedal. This has happened to me several times after accelerating and then having to make a 'panic' stop. I had to quickly wiggle-foot from under to the top of the brake pedal. Brake pedals should be changed from a T shaped to a 7 shaped configuration. This would eliminate the hook. T configuration-the 'stem' is attached under the center of the brake pedal 7 configuration-the 'stem' is attached under the right edge of the brake pedal
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond when the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by switching to the park position. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, but the contact was unaware of the diagnosis. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,000.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving 65 MPH on a two lane road, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact rear ended the preceding vehicle. The contact was injured. The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt did not tighten. The failure and current mileages were 17,000. Remailed 12/10/08.
Thank goodness, there wasn't an accident. Rather, I heard that you should check your emergency brake cable every 50,000 miles. However, my car is so low mileage for its age that I decided I should have the cable checked anyhow. Then, I heard that many of the aftermarket emergency cables are defective. Thankfully, my son, [redacted] , knows someone who can check the cables. We tested cables from two auto parts retail stores. One failed to hold pressure. The other cable exploded rather dramatically. Fortunately, the people my son knows make emergency cables. From outward appearance, the cable they made was definitely superior. More importantly, when they tested the cable, it held pressure without dropping at all. My son once picked up his car from an auto repair shop (about eight years ago) after having the brakes done. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle surged forward until heavy pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken directly to an authorized dealer and the transmission linkage was repaired. Approximately three years later, the contact was informed that the master cylinder was leaking during a routine inspection. The inspection was being performed by an authorized dealer. The dealer replaced the master cylinder. Approximately two years after the master cylinder failure, the contact experienced a complete braking loss. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, he applied the brake pedal and the pedal depressed to the floor. The contact was able to successfully coast to a stop. The contact added brake fluid to the vehicle and towed it to an independent repair shop. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis. When the brake pedal was depressed the accelerator pedal also depressed. This failure caused the vehicle to both brake and accelerate simultaneously. The contact stated that the pedals were too close together. The dealer and manufacturer stated that nothing could be done about the failure due to lack of complaints. The failure was noticed while driving 35 MPH. The current and failure mileages were 800.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving at an unknown speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The rear brakes locked when the failure occurred. The contact was unable to stop the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The front seat passenger was injured and received medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 38,000.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward when the brakes were depressed. The failure felt as if the brake and accelerator pedals were being depressed simultaneously. The contact's wife also attempted to depress the brakes once and she struck a stop sign. There were no injuries. The vehicle has not been serviced as of yet. The current and failure mileages were 21,800. * updated 12/12/07 the consumer stated the brake pedal was designed too close to the accelerator pedal. The consumers wife hit a stop sign causing damage to the front bumper. Updated 12/12/07 updated
NHTSA investigations
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercury Grand Marquis years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (35), 1995 (30), 1996 (23), 2000 (18) and 2005 (18) model years. Brake complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for Mercury Grand Marquis brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Mercury Grand Marquis model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercury Grand Marquis brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles; 53% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (34 mentions), followed by the foundation components › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (33).
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.