2002 Mercury Grand Marquis problems & reliability
78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 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.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles were involved in 29 fatal crashes with 22 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 17 | 22% |
| Suspension → | 11 | 14% |
| Electrical System → | 10 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 10 | 13% |
| Steering | 9 | 12% |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 9% |
| Tires | 7 | 9% |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 51,000 miles (middle 50% between 20,400 and 96,250 miles), based on 48 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH at night, the cruise control mode malfunctioned, and the speed of the vehicle increased independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed several times to the floor, but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact…”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 17, 2025
“The contact owns a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that after securely latching the seat belt, the driver's side front and passenger's side front seat belt buckles unintendedly unlatched. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number…”
Seat Belts · filed Nov 20, 2024
“For sometime now the Headlights on my 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis appear to fade or dim soon after turning them on; giving the impression they are losing power and about to fail. I live in the mountains and am very familiar with each and every turn I See on the roads I travel. You See that Is The Matter of Fact- If My…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Aug 6, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Defect Petition DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
Technical service bulletins
67 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis. The 10 most recent:
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel…
TSB 19-2026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2019
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel…
TSB 19-2026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2019
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. Updated 2/23/10…
07212 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2007
Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers. *tt
06216 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
041601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2005
Safety belt retraction speed. *tt
042421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2005
Am fm and cellular phone reception interference . *eh
18426 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2005
Numerous anti-lock brake system (abs) wheel speed sensor (wss) dtcs, such as c1145, c1155, c1165, c1175, c1296, c1297, c1298, c1299 and c1222. *tt
042407 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2005
Am/fm and cellular phone reception interference - service tip. *tt
18383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2005
Aluminum corrosion - service tip. *tt
04251 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 27, 2004
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 2002 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 2002 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 51,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.