1987 Mercury Grand Marquis problems & reliability
43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 19 | 44% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 16% |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 14% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 12% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 5% |
| Wheels | 2 | 5% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl*the contact owns a 1987 mercury grand marquis. While driving approximately 40 mph and approaching a turn, the vehicle shut off completely. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic on several occasions and they changed the fuel filter and modular. The vehicle operated normally for a…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Aug 10, 2007
“Driver side seatbelt buckel. A spring on the release button breaks and no longer latches correctly. The buckel will hold if it is shaken but releases easily. This is the second 1987 grand marquis that I have owened that this happened to. I replaced them with parts from a salvage yard. Ford wanted $250.00 for the…”
Seat Belts · filed May 21, 2005
“Cable that runs from transmission to throttle came loose, causing vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly, even with brakes applied, resulting in loss of vehicle control. *ak”
Power Train · filed Oct 19, 1999
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- BRAKE LINE PUNCTURES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91125 · opened Sep 11, 1991 · closed Jan 15, 1992
- FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE87055 · opened Sep 9, 1987 · closed Mar 10, 1988
Technical service bulletins
25 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis. The 10 most recent:
Transfer service tips for the front wiper motor mount bracket and depressed park output arm. *tt
02107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2002
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.