IllustrationENGINE 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.
1990 Mercury Grand Marquis
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 78.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Grand Marquis years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 56 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports5 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
56 reportsI 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 …
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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.
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 …
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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 …
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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 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
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
THE VEHICLE LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO STATED THE BRAKE LINE RUSTED. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE91125 · Brake Line Punctures
Opened Sep 11, 1991 · Closed Jan 15, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available