IllustrationCRUISE CONTROL, SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CAR WENT TO 80 BEFORE I COULD STOP IT VEHICLE IS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS WITH 27,500 MILES ON IT . THE DEALER REPLACED THE ECM. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE ALSO AT 35 MPH WENT TO 65 BEFORE SHE STOPPED IT. *TR
2008 Mercury Grand Marquis
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
200–25K
1425–50K
1650–75K
1075–100K
5100–150K
1150K+
66 reports with mileage · 12 unknown
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.
- Steering. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
15 reportsI WAS PREPARING TEST DRIVE 2008 MERCURY MARQUIS AT HONOLULU FORD. I WAS STOPPED AT THE EXIT TO HOUGHTAILING ST WHEN THE ENGINE ACCELERATE. I LOOKED DOWN AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS IT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE OUT INTO THE STREET CROSSING THE ROAD HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A LIGHT POLE. *TR
UPDATE ON ODI NUMBER 10208094. ON THE DAY THE MERCURY THAT I OWN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER TO SOLVE THE SAFETY PROBLEM, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 10 MILES OF MY HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS A LATE MODEL LINCOLN TOWN CAR. ONE PERSON WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL AND THE DRIVER DIED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOT…
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UPDATE ON ODI NUMBER 10208094. ON THE DAY THE MERCURY THAT I OWN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER TO SOLVE THE SAFETY PROBLEM, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 10 MILES OF MY HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS A LATE MODEL LINCOLN TOWN CAR. ONE PERSON WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL AND THE DRIVER DIED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOTE FROM THE NEXT DAY BREVARD COUNTY FLORIDA LOCAL NEWSPAPER (FLORIDA TODAY). ?THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF WICKHAM ROAD AND LAKE ANDREW DRIVE WAS BEGINNING TO HUM WITH THE RUSH OF FRIDAY EVENING TRAFFIC WHEN A LIGHT BLUE SEDAN HIT THE CURB AND CRASHED THROUGH SOME BUSHES INTO A RETENTION POND.? ?SOME SAID THE CAR MADE A NOISE LIKE A ROARING FREIGHT TRAIN AS IT PLUNGED INTO THE WATER. A FEW SAID IT SHOT OFF LIKE A ROCKET.? END OF QUOTE. IT IS TIME SOME ONE PAYS ATTENTION TO THE SERIOUSNESS THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE MERCURY THAT I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME. AND EVEN IF YOU DID THE GAS PEDAL WOULD ONLY SLIGHTLY BE DEPRESSED. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY VEHICLES. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD TELL THEIR DEALERS TO STOP THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS FROM GIVING THEIR CUSTOMERS BULL CRAP AND DO THE SENSIBLE THING OF FINDING OUT WHAT IS REALLY WRONG. *TR
FALSE ACCELERATION OF 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. ON OCT. 9TH, MY WIFE AND I AND TWO FRIENDS (FROM PA AND DE) WERE IN VEHICLE HEADED FOR DINNER. CRANKED VEHICLE AFTER SETTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 22 HOURS. ENGINE REVVED UP TO AN ESTIMATED 4000 RPM CREATED LOUD RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATED VEHICLE. I WAS TOO FRIGHTENED TO LOOK AT…
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FALSE ACCELERATION OF 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. ON OCT. 9TH, MY WIFE AND I AND TWO FRIENDS (FROM PA AND DE) WERE IN VEHICLE HEADED FOR DINNER. CRANKED VEHICLE AFTER SETTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 22 HOURS. ENGINE REVVED UP TO AN ESTIMATED 4000 RPM CREATED LOUD RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATED VEHICLE. I WAS TOO FRIGHTENED TO LOOK AT TACHOMETER. TURNED SWITCH KEY OFF. MADE 3 ATTEMPTS TO START ENGINE. FINALLY REMOVED KEY FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 SECONDS, CAR STARTED AND SEEMED NORMAL. PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED, HOWEVER MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. FRANKLY ALL FOUR PEOPLE IN CAR HAD A '!@#$% FRIGHTENING. THIS TOOK PLACE IN OAK RIDGE TN. ON OCT. 9, 2007. OCT.10 DROVE VEHICLE TO LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALER IN OAK RIDGE. THEY STATED THAT IF THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEM. ON OCT. 19 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ISLAND LINCOLN/MERCURY DEALER IN MERRITT ISLAND FL. (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THERE.) SERVICE MANAGER DROVE VEHICLE ON TEST DRIVE AND TOLD ME IN A NICE MANNER THAT I MUST HAVE HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND GAS PEDAL AT SAME TIME. NOT TRUE. I HAVE TESTED STARTING THIS VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES WITH ONE FOOT ON BRAKE AND OTHER FOOT ON GAS PEDAL. ENGINE REVS UP NORMALLY, NO RUMBLING WHAT SO EVER. THE RUMBLING CAUSED ME TO BELIEVE THAT SOME CYLINDERS WERE NOT FIRING DURING THIS EVENT. DEALER DID NOT MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO FIND OR DUPLICATE PROBLEM. NAMES OF TELEPHONES NUMBERS OF OTHER PASSENGERS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR
WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKE, MOTOR RACED UP TO 5000 RPM. ( LIKE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGING. HAD TO GO TO NEUTRAL PUMP THE ACCELERATOR TO BRING RPM DOWN. IN A PARKING LOT WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE IT PUSHED ME 5 FEET BEFORE I COULD GET IT UNDER CONTROL. *JB
Official recalls
314V704000 · Steering:rack And Pinion:pinion Shaft
Nov 5, 2014
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.
Consequence & remedy
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.
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.
13V385000 · Steering
Aug 29, 2013
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
07V270000 · Suspension:front:hub
Jun 26, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY MAY FRACTURE DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A HUB FRACTURES, IT MAY POTENTIALLY DETACH FROM THE WHEEL KNUCKLE, RESULTING IN THE WHEEL BEING RETAINED ONLY BY THE BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT, THE WHEEL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLIES AND REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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
1PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO