Total Complaints
13 filings
FORD GRAND MARQUIS · model year
1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS
13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996FORDGRAND MARQUIS carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 GRAND MARQUIS is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe with 5 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (2) and fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1996 GRAND MARQUIS, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 5 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20041012FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
FW; 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS FUEL TANK PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE POSSIBLILITY OF THE FUEL TANK RUPTURING FOLLOWING A HIGH ENERGY REAR END COLLISION RESULTING IN SEVERE FIRES. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF POLICE AND CIVILIAN VERSIONS OF THE CROWN VICTORIA SHARE THE SAME FUEL SYSTEM AND REAR SUSPENSION GEOMETRY. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE SOME HELP TRYING TO DECIDE HOW SAFE HER 1996 GRAND MARQUIS. *TC
20041012SUSPENSION:REAR
FW; 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS FUEL TANK PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE POSSIBLILITY OF THE FUEL TANK RUPTURING FOLLOWING A HIGH ENERGY REAR END COLLISION RESULTING IN SEVERE FIRES. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF POLICE AND CIVILIAN VERSIONS OF THE CROWN VICTORIA SHARE THE SAME FUEL SYSTEM AND REAR SUSPENSION GEOMETRY. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE SOME HELP TRYING TO DECIDE HOW SAFE HER 1996 GRAND MARQUIS. *TC
20040618ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND SPILLED COOLANT INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DRIVER BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONSUMER FOUND A SERVICE PROGRAM WHICH WAS ISSUED FOR THE DEFECT AND BELIEVES THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FREE UNDER THE PROGRAM. *AK *NLM
Mileage: 90,000
20030108ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS AN EXTREME LEAKAGE OF WATER FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, AND MAY CAUSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Mileage: 65,250
20030107ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD BECAUSE OF PLASTIC MANIFOLD INTAKE CRACKED. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Mileage: 94,000
20021104ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD COVER THAT WAS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR JG *JB JG
Mileage: 36,000
20020128FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
CONSUMER STATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WATER BEGAN LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED.*AK *SLC
20020107FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD CONSUMER PULLED VELICLE OVER AND NOTICED COOLENT AND WATER SPRYING OVER ENGINE . VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20020107FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD CONSUMER PULLED VELICLE OVER AND NOTICED COOLENT AND WATER SPRYING OVER ENGINE . VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20010406CrashAIR BAGS
AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, GAS FROM AIR BAGS BURNED CONSUMERS FACE. NLM
19991129AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DURING COLLISION VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS RESULTED IN FIRE TO CONSUMER'S SHIRT, HOWEVER NO INJURY. MJS
19991129AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DURING COLLISION VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS RESULTED IN FIRE TO CONSUMER'S SHIRT, HOWEVER NO INJURY. MJS
Compare 1996FORDGRAND MARQUIS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS have?▼
The 1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS has 13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 FORD GRAND MARQUIS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.