MERCURY MARQUIS · model year

1996 MERCURY MARQUIS

40 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996MERCURYMARQUIS carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 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 MARQUIS is engine and engine cooling with 4 filings, followed by visibility:power window devices and controls (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine (3). 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 22 investigation files overlapping the 1996 MARQUIS. 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.

40
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

40 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
SUSPENSION2
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE1
WHEELS1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20071002VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCURY MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. THE INTAKE GASKET WAS REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER (05S28) IN AUGUST OF 2007 REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCONNECTED THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH AND STATED THAT THE OTHER FAILURES WERE UNRELATED. THE COST FOR A DIAGNOSTIC WOULD BE $900. THE CURRENT AND FAILURES MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

20060412ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

MY INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING TODAY 4/12/2006 RESULTING IN COOLANT SPRAYING AND REDUCING MY VISIBILITY ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD RESULTING IN A NEAR HEAD ON MISS TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THE MANIFOLD HAS A KNOW DEFECT BY FORD WHICH WITHOUT MY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OR NOTIFICATION AGREED TO THE SETTLEMENT OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT. DUE THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT I HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED - WHICH IS ONE REASON FOR WRITING THIS MESSAGE. HOWEVER, THE MORE IMPORTANT REASON IS THE KNOWN POTENTIAL DANGER OF THIS DEFECT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS WITHOUT HAVING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. TODAY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATAL INJURY AND THE FORD COMPANY IS JUST LOOKING AT THE DOLLAR SIZE INSTEAD OF DOING THE RESPONSIBLE THING. IT'S A REAL SHAME AND I HOPE ODI CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I WAS LUCKILY TODAY, BUT OTHERS MAY NOT BE IN THE FUTURE. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL - THAT WOULD HAVE BE THE RESPONSIBLE THING FOR FORD TO DO. SOMEONE HAS TO FORCE THEM

20041006CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DURING A 15 MPH VEHICLE COLLISION DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. CONSUMER'S HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 119,000

20040415ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECTIVE.CAUSED STEAM AND VAPORIZED ANTI-FREEZE TO ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

Mileage: 94,293

20040122ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK. DEALER REPLACED THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD WITH AN ALUMINUM MANIFOLD. *AK *JB

Mileage: 64,119

20031119EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS PRODUCED A THICK FILM COVERING THE LENS. AS A RESULT VISIBILITY HAD BEEN IMPAIRED. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

20031022FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE DEFECT. *MR *SCC *JB

Mileage: 67,000

20030912ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1996 MERCURY MARQUIS. *PH THE VEHICLES ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. *NLM *JB

Mileage: 101,789

20030910ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE.*MR THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FORD TO REIMBURSE HIM FOR ALL EXPENSES INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, MR. MORAN WANTED THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE WHY HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT LISTED AS PART OF THEIR "BAD BATCH LIST." *PH *JB

20030605ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVER HEAT. THE DEALER STATED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED BUT ONLY FOR POLICE VEHICLES. *JB PH *JB

Mileage: 100,000

20030401ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. *JB...THIS MANIFOLD WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM.OWNER NOTIFICATION ON SOME MODELS 97M91.*AK

Mileage: 91,000

20030117ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WE OWN A 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ON 2/28/02 WITH 70,089 MILES ON IT AND THE "96 CROWN VICTORIA AND "97 MERCURY COUGAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF A FAILURE OF THE "COMPOSITE" ONE AND OURS WAS NOT. WE ENDED UP BEING TOWED 130 MILES. TS

Mileage: 70,089

20021211SUSPENSION

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CONSUMER STATES' VEHICLE WEAVES ALL OTHER THE ROAD IF THERE IS A DIP OR RAISE IN ROAD ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. MR

20021210SUSPENSION

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WEAVES ALL OVER ROAD. CONSUMER STATES' IF THERE IS A RAISE OR DIP IN ROAD THERES A TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

20020926ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE INTAKE VALVE CRACKED AND LEAKED FLUID WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVER HEAT AND STALL OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *MR

20020627VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

WHILE DRIVING UNDER STORMY CONDITIONS, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ROLL DOWN WINDOW ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND WINDOW WOULD NOT GO DOWN. SECOND TIME, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE REPAIR PROVIDER STATED THAT THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL CAUSING THE FAILURE WAS OF INFERIOR QUALITY. *JG

20010423TIRES:TREAD/BELT

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT FOR BELT HAD SNAPPED, TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE. FIRESTONE, FR480, P215/70, R15 DOT#VM31LT. TIRE WAS PURCHASED WITH VEHICLE. PREVIOUSLY REAR LEFT TIRE ALSO BLEWOUT WHICH WAS REPORTED, AND WAS ONE OF ORIGINAL TIRES PURCHASED WITH VEHICLE. MERCURY, GRAND MARQUIS, 1996. *AK *SLC

20000829SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED BOOSTER ASSEMBLY, AND CONDITION STIL OCCURRING. *AK BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY FAILED TWICE. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STILL NOISY AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACING DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

20000829SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED BOOSTER ASSEMBLY, AND CONDITION STIL OCCURRING. *AK BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY FAILED TWICE. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STILL NOISY AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACING DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

20000720STEERING

WHILE DRIVING STEERING JERKS VERY HARD LEFT TO RIGHT, MAKING THE VEHICLE HARD TO STEER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

Compare 1996MERCURYMARQUIS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 MERCURY MARQUIS have?
The 1996 MERCURY MARQUIS has 40 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MERCURY MARQUIS?
The most-complained component for the 1996 MERCURY MARQUIS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1996 MERCURY 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.