IllustrationMY 1986 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS GOES FORWARD WHEN PUTTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CLOSE CALLS WHEN SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW MY CAR TRIES TO DRIVE IT (CAR WASH PEOPLE, MECHANICS, RELATIVES, ETC.). I BELIEVE THE LINKAGE GOING TO MY DASHBOARD IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.*AK
1986 Mercury Grand Marquis
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 78.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Marquis years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 21 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports11 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
21 reportsOHIO POLICE REPORT. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE PRESSURE,THEN BEGAN TO SMOKE. DRIVER PULLED OVER AND VEHICLE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. CONSUMER STATED THAT MUFFLER HAD BEEN REPLACED AND A NEW ENGINE WAS INSTALLED WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES. *TT
WHILE DRIVING IN LOW SPEED AND MAKING ANY TYPE OF TURN, VEHICLE STALLED. *AK
VEHICLE VIBRATES ON RIGHT FRONT END WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHEN BRAKES ARE LET GO, FEELS LIKE THEY ARE GRABBING. HAD STOPPED VEHICLE TO CHECK & NOTICED SMOKE FROM TIRES & THEN FLAMES SHOT OUT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED.
ENGINE SMOKES UNDER FULL POWER BUT NOT AT ANY OTHER TIME. *AK
WHILE PARKED, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED THE WIRING IN DASH AREA TO SHORT OUT, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE. *AK
REAR DOOR LEAKS.
THE IGNITION SWTICH HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE, FIRST TIME IN AUGUST OF 1991, SECOND TIME ON OCT, 4TH. *AK
CAR WAS PARKED FOR FOUR DAYS AND CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
Official recalls
187V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 4, 1987
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE91125 · Brake Line Punctures
Opened Sep 11, 1991 · Closed Jan 15, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE87055 · Fires
Opened Sep 9, 1987 · Closed Mar 10, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER: MANUFACTURER HAS BEENCONTACTED. SERVICE BULLETIN, TSB ARTICLE NO.87-18-13, PROVIDES PROCEDURESFOR REWORKING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER LINE COUPLING TO THE RADIATOR,WHERE FLUID LEAKS CAN ORIGINATE. THE TSB STATES ... THE QUICK DISCONNECTFITTING SHOULD NOT BE REUSED BECAUSE IT MAY NOT RESEAL PROPERLY AND CANRESULT IN REPEAT REPAIR.VEHICLE POPULATION1985 19861987 FORD 187,300115,600 120,300 MERCURY151,000101,700 122,800 TOT=804,700THE ONE REPORTED INJURY ALLEDGES EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION DUE TO SMOKEAND SOOT. THE FIRES ARE GENERALLY CONFINED TO UNDER THE HOOD AND PRECEDEDBY LOSS OF POWER DUE TO LEAKING OF TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE VEHICLE.FORD REPORTED NO LAWSUITS, NO WARRANTY CLAIMS, AND ODI HAS RECEIVED ONLYONE REPORT SINCE OPENING THIS P.E.THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTSINDICATES THAT A DEFECT TREND DOES NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME.PROPOSED ACTION: CLOSE THIS P.E.===