1990 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Recalls, Complaints & Safety

ENGINE OCCASIONALLY SURGES WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY RACES AND THE CAR EVEN CONVULSES. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS IT IS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THIS IS MY MOM'S CAR AND SHE RARELY DRIVES IT.

I EMBARKED ON A ROUTINE TRIP TO DINNER IN MY MOTHER'S 1990 MERCURY MARQUIS. I STARTED THE ENGINE WHICH IDLED NORMALLY, AS USUAL. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I ENGAGED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE R POSITION WHICH RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE ACCELLERATION IN A REVERSE DIRECTION. I SWERVED THE CAR TO THE LEFT TO AVOID CHILDREN ACROSS THE STREET AND RAMMED A VEHICLE PARKED ON THE STREET. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON IMPACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE AND RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED. I PLACE THE CAR IN D AND RETURNED IT TO THE DRIVEWAY WHERE IT REMAINED UNTIL WE COULD DELIVER IT TO OUR FAMILY MECHANIC. HE PLACED THE ENGINE ON HIS ANALYZER - DID OTHER INSPECTIONS OF BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL AND OTHER THROTTLE RELATED SYSTEMS AND FOUND NOTHING.

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GOODYEAR INTEGRITY P215/75R15. SIDEWALL BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED (45-55 MPH.) TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON 08/27/2001, AND HAD 36,000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. TIRES WERE WELL MAINTAINED, HAD NO PRIOR DAMAGE, AND TIRE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF PROBLEMS PRIOR TO FAILURE. FAILURE WAS SPONTANEOUS AND CATASTROPHIC. T IS IRONIC THAT A TIRE WITH THE BRAND NAME OF "INTEGRITY" SHOULD SPONTANEOUSLY DISINTEGRATE.*AK

THE 'AIR BAG' LIGHT ON MY DASH IS LIGHTING UP. IT DOESN'T STAY ON CONSTANTLY, BUT IT DOES FLASH, WHICH CONCERNS ME. IT DOESN'T GO ON EVERY TIME MY CAR IS ON, BUT IT DOES FLASH ABOUT 95% OF THE TIME. I SAW THE RECALL AND WANT TO KNOW IF MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED AND IF IT WAS FIXED.*AK

I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE AIR BAG IN MY CAR, WHICH IS A 1990 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT COMES ON. IT DOESN'T STAY ON CONSTANTLY, BUT IT DOES 'FLICKER' OR IT WILL STAY ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT DOESN'T COME ON AT ALL, BUT I AM STILL CONCERNED. I WAS WONDERING, SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART OF THE AIRBAG, IF I SHOULD HAVE IT LOOKED AT. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING.*MR WHEN THE VEHICLES ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED IT BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE INSULATOR CAP FELL OFF. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLE. *NLM

BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH, LOSS OF REAR BRAKES. ALSO EMERGENCY BRAKE FROZEN AND INOPERABLE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER TO GO FORWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. CONSUMER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TRANSMISSION COST OVER $1000.00. *AK *CB

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST GEAR, WONT SHIFT. DEALER NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND OVERHAULED. TRANSMISSION AT COST OVER $1000.00 *AK *CB

THE VEHICLE LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO STATED THE BRAKE LINE RUSTED. *JB

I WAS GIVEN THIS CAR, INSTEAD OF PURCHASING IT. WHEN I RECEIVED THIS CAR WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING. IT CONTINUES TO BLINK 10 TIMES, THEN REPEATS ITSELF. LIKE A CODE. THE R. FRONT BUMBER WAS DENTED IN BUT, THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DT

THE CONSUMER WAS SEEKING RECALL ON THE TFI MODULE WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TFI MODULE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENT AND DEATH. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT DOES NOT FORCE A RECALL BUT ONLY COVERS REPLACEMENT COST AFTER FAILURE. *YH

CONSUMER STATES DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THICK FILM IGNITION MOUDLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

I WAS PROCEEDING HOME IN EVENING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR ENGINE QUIT INSTANTANEOUSLY. I WAS FORCED TO STOP IN THE RIGHT LANE OF TRAFFIC. ALTHOUGH IN THE RIGHT LANE I COULD NOT PULL OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE WAS A BARRIER WITH NO SHOULDER FOR ME TO PULL ONTO. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR ALTHOUGH I WAS SITTING WHERE TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR LATER. THE VEHICLE TRAFFIC WHERE I WAS STALLED ROUTINELY MOVES AT OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR WHICH LUCKILY FOR ME DID NOT RESULT IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *AK

CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW BY FATHER-IN-LAW ROBERT SPEEG IN 1989 OR 1990 WITH THE 5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. OWNERSHIP TRANSFERRED TO US IN 1995 AND WE TRANSFERRED EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON WITH 3 MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IN LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. LAST TRANSMISSION SERVICE COST US $1,434. PREVIOUS TWO WERE COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT WERE OF SIMILIAR MAGNITUDE. CAR IS LOW MILEAGE AND IN GREAT PHSICAL CONDITION BUT IS A MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL LEMON. CURRENT PROBLEM WHICH PROMPTED REPORTING IS THE ENGINE STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. THERE IS NO WARNING AND NO MISSING AND YOU ARE FORCED TO MANEUVAR THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC WIHOUT POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. CAR WILL NOT RESTART BY CRANKING ENGINE AND DOESN'T EVEN TRY. ACTS LIKE IGNITION OR FUEL SUPPLY HAS BEEN DISABLED. HOWEVER, IF YOU OPEN THE AIR CLEANER AND LIFT THE AIR FILTER, CAR STARTS RIGHT AWAY. HAVE REPLACED AIR FILTER EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT DIRTY - DID NOT HELP. AFTER AN INTERNET INQUIRY, WAS REFERRED TO "THICK FILM INJECTION (TFI) CLASS ACTION SUIT" AT WWW.AUTOSAFETY.ORG/ACTIONALERTS/TFI-INTO.HTM. THIS REFERENCE ENGINE STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO OUR PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT OUR VEHICLE HAS THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTED TFI MODULE AS INDICATED BY "1984-94 LTD/MARQUIS (5.0L)". CONTACTED SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT NORTHPOINT FORD IN ALPHARETTA ON 2/16/01. SCOTT SAID PROBLEM WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE UNLESS IT HAPPENED WHILE THE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT WAS CONNECTED WHICH IS HIGHLY UNPROBABLE. REPORTED THE ENGINE STALLING PROBLEM TO CHARLENE AT FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER ON 2/16/01 WHO SAYS THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THE TFI PROBLEM/CLAIM IS BEING APPEALED IN CALIFORNIA. REPORTED TO NHTSA ON 2/16/01 WHO REFERRED ME TO THIS WEB SITE.*AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE AND PARKED. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE OPERATOR NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, THE OPERATOR IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE AS THE ALTERNATOR. OPERATOR CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THAT THE VOLUME OF SMOKE WAS INCREASING. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES, THE ALTERNATOR BURST INTO FLAMES. ARCING WAS SEEN AND HEARD WITHIN THE ALTERNATOR. THE ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BY FETTE FORD IN WAYNE, NJ IN SEPT 1999 AND, UPON SUBSEQUENT FAILURE, AGAIN IN APPROXIMATELY JAN 2000. FETTE FORD STATED THAT REBUILT FORD ALTERNATORS WERE USED IN BOTH CASES. *AK

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AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUALLY, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE CENTER CRASH SENSOR AND THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *SLC

HAD 2 EMERGANCY STOPS AND CAR DID NOT STOP , FRONT BRAKES LOCKED AND CAR SKIDED AND WOULD NOT STOP DEALER SAID HE HAD SAME CAR AND SAID "THATS HOW THE BRAKES ARE IN THIS CAR , THEY JUST DON'T STOP. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD AND CORRECTION SHOULD BE MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER

WHILE TRAVELING ABS INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ABS INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND REPAIR PROBLEM RETURNED. PROBLEM CAN BE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S COST, BUT OWNER CAN'T AFFORD.*AK *ML

OWNER HAD STARTED VEHICLE & PUT FOOT ON BRAKES BEFORE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF & HIT A TREE & THEN A BUILDING. A POLICEMAN HAD WITNESSED. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON. NO SKID MARKS. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

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AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY ON DASH, TURN ON HEAT , AND THE AIR CONDITIONER COMES ON WHICH IS VERY ANNOYING IN COLD WEATHER

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING, INDICTATING ITS IS INOPERATIVE, AND CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

SPEED CONTROL CAN ON FULL FORCE WHILE BACKING WHICH CAUSED A CRASH, TOTALLING THE AUTO. TWICE BEFORE SPEED CONTROL CAME ON WHEN BRAKING. IS THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM ? UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A TV SHOW TALKING ABOUT SIMILAR FAILURES. CAN YOU FURNISH ANY INFORMATION AS WIFE HAD NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. *AK

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WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT, CAUSING ALL LIGHTS INSIDE VEHICLE, AS WELL AS TAIL LIGHTS AND PARK LIGHTS TO STAY ON. IN ADDITION, FUSE BURNED AND MELTED. REPAIRS MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

IDLER SPEED CONTROL FAILED CAUSING UNWANTED ACCELERATION.

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHY INTO AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE. DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT CRUISING SPEED IN 35-45 MPH RANGE.

AIR BAG FAILURE, NO RECALL NOTICE.

OWNER STATES WHEN ELECTRIC DOOR SYSTEM LOCKS FAIL ON FRONT DOORS, THERE IS NO WAY OF LOCKING THE CAR DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *AK PLASTIC LOCK INDICATOR BREAKS OFF WHEN TRYING TO LOCK THE DOOR FROM INSIDE. FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE LIMITED THE ABILITY TO ACCELLERATE THE VEHICLE. *YH

WIRING HARNESS FAILURE CAUSED FIRE.

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WHEN TRAVELING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ALTERNATOR. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

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FRONT DOORL LOCKS INOPERATIVE.

VEHICLE FIRE.

THE GROMMET THAT CONNECTS ROD FROM TRANSMISSION TO FUEL SUPPLY IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND IS VERY CLOSE TO THE MANIFOLD. OVER TIME IT OVERHEATS AND STARTS TO CORRODE AND CAUSES EXTENSIVE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE PLASTIC PART WITH METAL GROMMETS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS FREEZE UP AND STOP WORKING PROPERLY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS LOW.

UNSPECIFIED.

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

WHEN ADJUSTING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT DOES NOT LATCH IN PLACE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARD WHEN BRAKING. *AK

WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE .

OWNER UNABLE TO DETECT HORN BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL. *AK

CONSUMER WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED UP AND TOOK OFF. *AK

AUTO-TRAN: SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE BRAKE PEDAL IS BEING DEPRESSED, TOTALLY WITHOUT WARNING, HAPPENS JUST BEFORE COMING TO FULL STOP, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRCAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. COULD START A FIRE. *AK

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES ON/OFF CONSTANTLY. *DH

IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATS. *SD

WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. AREA UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

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