2003 Mercury Grand Marquis engine problems

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle had shifted to LIMP Mode and was almost side swiped by a tractor trailer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had been towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but became a recurring failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000.

NHTSA complaint #11524458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

LAST FALL, THIS CAR STARTING MAKING CREEKING AND HUMMING NOISES IN THE ENGINE. THE HUMMING NOISE WOULD GO AWAY AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE BUT NOT THE SQUEAKS AND CREEKS AS YOU DRIVE IT. IN THE WINTER, THERE WERE AREAS OF YELLOW-GREEN LIQUID ON OUR GARAGE FLOOR ON A FEW OCCASIONS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE HEADLIGHT RECALL, AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A CRACKED MANIFOLD, AND A BELT PROBLEM WHICH WAS CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE LEAK. WHEN I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS, I NOTICED A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR YEARS 1996-2001 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR IS VERY COSTLY, AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD DO A RECALL FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN IT AS A GIFT AND AM CURRENTLY LAID OFF? I AM ATTACHING FORMER RECALL SETTLEMENT FOR SAME CARS UP TO 2001. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10994983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. HENCE CAUSING ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND LACK OF PERFORMANCE.

NHTSA complaint #10979956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER SPARK PLUG MISFIRED AND THE HEAD OF THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000.

NHTSA complaint #10825264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD OF MY 2003 MERCURY 4.6L V-8 CAME APART AND LET THE COOLANT LEAK OUT ONTO THE ENGINE.THIS CAR WAS BUILT IN CANADA IN MID-2002 THE PROBLEM IS RAMPANT IN MANY YEARS OF THE FORD CO CARS. AND IN 2001 A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS FILED, IN WHICH FORD WAS DIRECTED TO PAY DAMAGES TO ALL OWNERS (1,800,000 OWNERS) OF THIS TYPE OF ENGINE AND FORD WAS SUPPOSED TO STOP INSTALLING THAT ITEM AS OF THEN. CLEARLY THEY DID NOT STOP AND THAT FAILURE COST ME OVER $1000.00 TO REPAIR. THE REPAIR PART IS NOW PARTLY ALUMINUM AND PART PLASTIC. SEE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2005/FORD_MANIFOLD_SUIT.HTML.

NHTSA complaint #10306527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF THE TRANSMISSION SNAPPED. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER RECALLS WERE ISSUED FOR THAT MODEL OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR TWO WEEKS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 36,000.

NHTSA complaint #10194144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS (36200 FAILURE MILEAGE) AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND GOT AWAY FROM THE CONTACT FOR ABOUT ONE YARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO FORCEFULLY APPLY THE BRAKE AGAIN, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ACCELERATING, THE CONTACT HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE POWER OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED THAT A DEFECTIVE 2W7Z-9F715-BA VALVE 226 HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,780 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10185780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2003 GRAND MARQUIS DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR, THE THROTTLE STICKING OPEN AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS.*MR THERE WAS ALSO A RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE DIGITAL READOUT ON THE DASH WAS NOT READING PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #10134487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1997 MERCURY MARQUIS HOME IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY STEAM BEGAN POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE "HOT" LIGHT WENT ON. SHE PULLED TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED ME. I SENT A TOW TRUCK TO BRING THE CAR TO OUR HOME. I LOOKED AND COULD SEE WATER ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND PERHAPS A HOSE BROKEN. RATHER THAN TOW IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, 20 MILES AWAY, I CALLED A QUALITY GARAGE LOCALLY THAT I HAD DEALT WITH BEFORE. THEY SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED, THE WATER PUMP LEAKING AS A MINIMUM. THE COST TO REPLACE AND FIX EVERYTHING WAS $1075. WHILE CALLING AROUND FOR PARTS, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD HAD RECALLED POLICE AND CITY FLEET VEHICLES FOR UPGRADE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. UPON CHECKING WITH THE MERCURY SHOP FOREMAN, HE CONFIRMED THAT STORY. SINCE I HAD A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT HAD EXPIRED ONLY A FEW MONTHS PRIOR, I ASKED WHY FORD WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED. I ASKED WHY, KNOWING THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTED, WHY THEY HAD NOT FIXED IT UNDER THE WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THEY NEVER THOUGHT OF IT. LOUSY SERVICE, LOUSY ENGINEERING AND I NOW DRIVE A TOYOTA.

NHTSA complaint #10106570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SOUND, NOTHING WAS DONE. ANOTHER OUTSIDE MECHANIC TOLD HIM IT SOUNDED LIKE A BEARING. DEALER STATED THAT THE RIGHT CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #10087364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NAR 02/28/2003 MR CONSUMER EXPERINCED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SINCE DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10014760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, EARLY IN THE MORNING IT WAS HARD TO START VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALER, WHO COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10067167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUES STALLS AT OR NEAR IDLE SPEED. HAS STALLED WHEN BACKING UP, WHEN STARTING FORWARD FROM STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALER, RAY PEARMAN LINCOLN MERCURY 4 TIME FOR A TOTAL OF 9 DAYS. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM AS OF YET. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A STALLING PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. EACH TIME THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IT FIXED AND HAD ME TAKE THE CAR, IT HAS STALLED AGAIN. ONE TIME IT STALLED AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10064268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE WAITING IN LINE FOR GAS WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE STARTED TO RACE. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE WHEN CAR WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND THEN PARK. TURNED ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED, RACING DID NOT REOCCUR AFTER RESTARTING.

NHTSA complaint #10052855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST WAS RUSTED. *MR THE VEHICLE HAD A STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST. AFTER THE RETURN FROM FLORIDA WHERE THEY STAYED FOR WINTER, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS FOUND RUSTED. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10022542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THERE WAS A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE, WHEN THE VEHICLE IDLED. *JB THERE WAS A GENERAL CHASSIS VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OF 38 WHICH WAS ATTRIBUTED TO OUT OF ROUNDS TIRES.

NHTSA complaint #10017514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.