2008 Mercury Grand Marquis problems & reliability
78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. 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.
7 complaints report injuries (8 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles were involved in 27 fatal crashes with 24 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 21 | 27% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 15 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 12% |
| Structure | 9 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 6% |
| Engine | 4 | 5% |
| 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 51,250 miles (middle 50% between 23,500 and 74,250 miles), based on 62 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V385000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the lower intermediate shaft was replaced. The contact stated that it was determined that the upper intermediate shaft and steering…”
Steering · filed Nov 13, 2025
“The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the steering felt loose. The contact stated that the power steering was still operable however, the vehicle would drift to the left or right with no input on the steering wheel. The contact stated that he would…”
Steering · filed May 11, 2022
“The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that the wiring harness for the brake pedal sensor was faulty, causing the exterior brake lights to fail to illuminate. The failure almost caused a collision. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to bring the vehicle in to…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Nov 18, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TIRE VALVE CRACKING
Preliminary Evaluation PE08060 · opened Oct 14, 2008 · closed Apr 9, 2009
Technical service bulletins
16 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. The 10 most recent:
This SKU is a Radiator Fan. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the electrical connections. An electrical connection issue may lead to the fan not working potentially throwing a…
DOR-L2Q6V-10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2019
Replacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket SYNC/Navigation kit or modifying original SYNC/Navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any…
SSM 47201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 2018
Replacing the original equipment sync/navigation system with either an aftermarket sync/navigation kit or modifying original sync/navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any…
SSM 46332 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 24, 2017
The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a…
SSM 46085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2016
Inpected or repaired under 13R01 - Requests for recall service action under 13S08
TSB160072 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2016
For 2005-2012 Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Grand Marquis and Town Car vehicles, Regional Program 13R01 applies to vehicles not registered in corrosion states and not included in Safety Recall 13S08, where operation in high…
16-0072 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2016
4R75E Transmission - Grinding/Whine/Vibration/Gear Slippage - Serrvice Kit available
TSB160032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2016
4R75E TRANSMISSION - GRINDING/WHINE/VIBRATION/GEAR SLIPPAGE - SERVICE KIT AVAILABLE ISSUE A service kit has been released to assist with proper repair of the 4R75E transmission in 2008 Mark LT, 2008-2010 F-150…
16-0032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2016
Ford: the lower intermediate steering shaft, has corrosion of swing link joints, combined with collapsed upper intermediate steering shaft, resulting in steering column separation and loss of steering control. Model…
RP-13R01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 16, 2014
Ford/lincoln/mercury: failure of planetary gear assembly is due to transmission, on certain vehicles, exhibiting grinding, gear slippage, whine type noise, vibration, while driving or loss of reverse. *pe
TSB-14-0153 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2014
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
The 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2008 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 51,250 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.