NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 488 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mercury dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2005 Mercury Grand Marquis owner complaints

Owners have filed 488 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, describing incidents dated December 28, 2004 to September 5, 2026.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 293 complaints
Electrical System 75 complaints
Air Bags 67 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 39 complaints
Seat Belts 36 complaints
Steering 20 complaints

Of the 488 complaints on file, 24 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 488 complaints, owners report 21 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11764784 · Filed September 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the front headlights flickered on and off before turning off. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving at night. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware of scorch marks on the…
ODI #11736525 · Filed May 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel failed to operate as intended causing the contact to have driven straight instead of turning. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The…
ODI #11690123 · Filed September 27, 2025
my brother got me this vehicle five yrs ago, and ever since then the air bag light has been on,i have no idea of why it is on, i don't know if it is the fuse, i don't know if there is even a air bag is in the vehicle my brother got the vehicle up in vermont, i have a pending cl# [XXX] on another…

Read all 488 complaints

Owner-reported

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis mileage at failure

396 of the 488 complaints on file for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Exterior Lighting	Median 80,000 miles	Middle half 55,000–105,000 miles	Based on 249 complaints
Electrical System	Median 75,000 miles	Middle half 50,000–95,000 miles	Based on 60 complaints
Air Bags	Median 55,000 miles	Middle half 40,000–85,000 miles	Based on 55 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	Median 18,000 miles	Middle half 8,000–35,000 miles	Based on 30 complaints
Seat Belts	Median 50,000 miles	Middle half 40,000–70,000 miles	Based on 30 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis in 4 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Preliminary Evaluation PE15-028: Loss of headlights
Closed January 8, 2016
- Recall 15V-861
Defect Petition DP15-002: Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
Closed August 11, 2015
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-021: Steering Column Shaft Obstruction
Closed November 21, 2014
Preliminary Evaluation PE08-066: LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTION
Closed March 24, 2009

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Loss of Headlights

NHTSA #15V861000 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights · NHTSA notice

Reported December 22, 2015 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 296,004 vehicles

Repair completion: 40.29% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 15S39 · Owners notified April 14, 2017 · Vehicles built October 3, 2001 – August 2, 2005 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured October 3, 2001, to August 2, 2005. The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights.

Safety consequence

A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the LCM, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S39.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Improper Repair of Upper Intermediate Shaft

NHTSA #14V704000 · Steering — Rack and Pinion — Pinion Shaft · NHTSA notice

Reported November 5, 2014 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 36,888 vehicles

Repair completion: 70.57% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14S25 · Owners notified November 19, 2014 · Vehicles built March 23, 2004 – August 30, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed.

Safety consequence

Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Steering Column Lower Bearing May Separate

NHTSA #13V385000 · Steering · NHTSA notice

Reported August 29, 2013 · Ford Motor Company

Potentially affected: 355,000 vehicles

Repair completion: 60.86% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 13S08 · Owners notified October 23, 2013 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate.

Safety consequence

If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If the steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.

Notes

A separate service campaign applies to vehicles in non-corrosion states not addressed by this safety recall. Owners of these vehicles should contact Ford directly about these vehicles.For the safety recall, owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

FUEL LEAK/FIRE

NHTSA #06E056000 · Fuel System, Gasoline · NHTSA notice

Reported June 13, 2006 · UFI FILTERS USA

Potentially affected: 58,640 vehicles

Owners notified August 4, 2006

Defect description

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.

Safety consequence

FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO UFI FILTERS USA (PUROLATOR) AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON THE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE

NHTSA #05V518000 · Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery — Cables · NHTSA notice

Reported November 9, 2005 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 98,836 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 05S38 · Owners notified November 18, 2005 · Vehicles built March 24, 2004 – February 11, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BATTERY CABLE INCLUDES A FUSIBLE LINK THAT MAY CONTACT AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHAFE ON A #2 CROSS MEMBER ATTACHING BOLT.

Safety consequence

THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN HEAT DAMAGE AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUSIBLE LINK AND POSITION IT AWAY FROM THE CROSS MEMBER BOLT. IF THE FUSIBLE LINK HAS ALREADY CHAFED AND COPPER WIRES HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, THE FUSIBLE LINK WILL BE REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673, OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.

Notes

FORD RECALL NO. 05S38. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

4 investigations

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR.

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

4 investigations

488 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11764784

Incident: September 5, 2026 · Filed: September 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the front headlights flickered on and off before turning off. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving at night. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware of scorch marks on the LCM, and the relay switch had burn marks. The contact stated that while attempting to turn off the front headlights manually, the front headlights remained illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure by phone. The contact was informed that the VIN was not associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting). The failure mileage was approximately 144,500.

Steering

ODI #11736525

Incident: April 27, 2026 · Filed: May 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel failed to operate as intended causing the contact to have driven straight instead of turning. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, as the steering column was replaced twice. The contact mention the failure has a occurred on two different occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 145,000.

Air Bags

ODI #11690123

Incident: September 2, 2021 · Filed: September 27, 2025

my brother got me this vehicle five yrs ago, and ever since then the air bag light has been on,i have no idea of why it is on, i don't know if it is the fuse, i don't know if there is even a air bag is in the vehicle my brother got the vehicle up in vermont, i have a pending cl# [XXX] on another issue, thank you so much, deeply appreciated, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Power Train; Unknown or Other

ODI #11690119

Incident: September 25, 2025 · Filed: September 27, 2025

my vehicle was running fine, than all of a sudden the transmission would not shift, i was like omg, what is going on, i had my son with me, my son was driving, he was so scared, i was like take a side street, stay level ground, we coasted down pro tech, [XXX] , that is where the car is now, bill told us,my son and i that the transmission fluid is burnt, when i looked at it the fluid was red,and did not smell burnt, this happened [XXX], i do not understand this at all, i am trying to get help through my insurance company, my claim #[XXX], SAFETY INSURANCE, there was transmission fluid on the dipstick red, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Service Brakes

ODI #11686834

Incident: September 8, 2025 · Filed: September 12, 2025

My wife has a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. This vehicle has what I believe is an extremely unsafe placement of the brake and accelerator pedals. The pedals are extremely close together, closer than I have ever seen on any other vehicle. My wife has depressed the accelerator while pressing the brake pedal on more than one occasion. We went recently for an oil change. The technician pressed the accelerator while pressing the brake pedal while putting the vehicle into reverse. The vehicle lunged into the parking lot. Fortunately, there were no vehicles behind my vehicle. If the technician had been shifting from neutral into drive, he would have driven into the building. The technician said that he has had similar experiences with Ford vehicles and that one of his relatives has a Ford and that this is a frequent experience with that vehicle. I am a disabled Veteran with a below knee amputation of the right leg. I have had no problem driving vehicles before this one. I have stopped driving this vehicle because I believe it is a crash waiting to happen. I have asked numerous people to sit in the vehicle and see if they feel that the pedals are too close together. To date, all have said that they feel that the pedals are too close together and that they would not drive the vehicle in question because they also feel that this vehicle and no doubt other Ford vehicles with this pedal arrangement are crashes waiting to happen. I request that NHTSA look into the pedal arrangement of this vehicle and all Ford vehicles as I believe this arrangement is a safety hazard that is on the highways of America and may have contributed or directly caused numerous crashes since at least 2005.

Steering; Air Bags; Structure

ODI #11678039

1 injury

Incident: September 10, 2022 · Filed: August 3, 2025

I bought this car from some stranger who doesn’t care about my shoulder pains driving a car with the steering wheel upside down these part stores & insurance companies get theirs can I please get what’s due to me so tired of the brakes making my steering wheel jerk & didn’t have any heat in a car I’ve spent my entire check on I really can’t believe this much over a faulty can I get some type of reimbursements for my pain & suffering from driving this guy’s high school car even if it looked like it did brand new pipes falling apart [XXX] won’t stop over heating caused me to run off the road because windows can’t let right window down it’s so much I can say but I rather not thanks this is devastating to me & my child kid doesn’t wanna feel like his dad I has no say so for him or his own child driving in guy’s [XXX] did one thing some else messes up it has caused me so much grief & mental attacks trying to keep this guy car maintained I’ve tried trade ins but they’ve told me that the car wasn’t worth nothing but $700 what can I do with that basically paid my entire earnings out on a Car I love my step son I just don’t want him to feel like I’m a bad person because I’m dealing with financial stability [XXX] I’ve paid so much & I want my happiness one way or another crooks on social media lined up to [XXX] me you & the next with this false narratives & defected goods [XXX] my great grandpa doesn’t like the way this one car has caused me so much pain going in these rich stores buying parts & being ripped off because the car isn’t stable enough to hold up what I’ve fixed [XXX] it’s going to go on for the rest of my life & I’m scared. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11670450

Incident: May 5, 2025 · Filed: July 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that the headlights activated without driver input. The contact removed the circuit wires. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 80,082.

Seat Belts

ODI #11670422

Incident: June 1, 2025 · Filed: July 1, 2025

Seat belt does not fully clip in to buckle and tends to come undone while in operation of motor vehicle furthermore requires occupant to wiggle buckle back and forth to attempt to get a good connection between the two, belt and buckle.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11660606

Incident: February 13, 2025 · Filed: May 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and at night, the headlights independently turned off. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the lighting control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic advised the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11660374

Incident: May 12, 2025 · Filed: May 12, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the contact became aware that the front headlamps had intermittently failed to provide proper illumination, greatly reducing nighttime visibility. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 211,000.

Other Mercury Grand Marquis model years

Check your 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mercury Grand Marquis at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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