The 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 786,728 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 634 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the exterior lighting. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured October 3, 2001, to August 2, 2005. The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights.
Consequence
A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the LCM, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S39.
STEERING14V7040002014-11-0536,888 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was…
Consequence
Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact…
STEERING13V3850002013-08-29355,000 affected
Defect
Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,…
Consequence
If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If…
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BATTERY CABLE INCLUDES A FUSIBLE LINK THAT MAY CONTACT AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHAFE ON A #2 CROSS MEMBER ATTACHING BOLT.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN HEAT DAMAGE AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUSIBLE LINK AND POSITION IT AWAY FROM THE CROSS MEMBER BOLT. IF THE FUSIBLE LINK HAS ALREADY CHAFED AND COPPER WIRES HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, THE FUSIBLE LINK WILL BE REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673, OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.
Complaints by component
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
260
2crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
70
4crashes3fires3injuries
AIR BAGS
63
2crashes1injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
39
SEAT BELTS
35
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
34
12crashes3fires10injuries
STEERING
20
1crashes1injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
1fires1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
7
2crashes1fires1injuries
STRUCTURE:BODY
6
1crashes1injuries
Total complaints634
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2005 mercury grand marquis. The contact stated while attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel failed to operate as intended causing the contact to have driven straight instead of turning. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The…”
“My vehicle was running fine, than all of a sudden the transmission would not shift, I was like omg, what is going on, I had my son with me, my son was driving, he was so scared, I was like take a side street, stay level ground, we coasted down pro tech, [xxx] , that is where the car is now, bill…”
“My vehicle was running fine, than all of a sudden the transmission would not shift, I was like omg, what is going on, I had my son with me, my son was driving, he was so scared, I was like take a side street, stay level ground, we coasted down pro tech, [xxx] , that is where the car is now, bill…”
“My wife has a 2005 mercury grand marquis. This vehicle has what I believe is an extremely unsafe placement of the brake and accelerator pedals. The pedals are extremely close together, closer than I have ever seen on any other vehicle. My wife has depressed the accelerator while pressing the brake…”
“Seat belt does not fully clip in to buckle and tends to come undone while in operation of motor vehicle furthermore requires occupant to wiggle buckle back and forth to attempt to get a good connection between the two, belt and buckle.”
“The contact owns a 2005 mercury grand marquis. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the contact became aware that the front headlamps had intermittently failed to provide proper illumination, greatly reducing nighttime visibility. No warning lights were illuminated.…”
“The contact owns a 2005 mercury grand marquis. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 15v861000 (exterior lighting). The contact stated that the headlights activated without driver input. The contact removed the circuit wires. The vehicle was…”
“The contact owns a 2005 mercury grand marquis. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and at night, the headlights independently turned off. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the lighting control module needed…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationDP15002 Opened 2015-04-01 · closed 2015-08-11
Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
In a letter dated October 2, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) was initially petitioned by the North Carolina Consumers Council, Inc. requesting a defect investigation of an alleged defect condition resulting in headlight and/or exterior lighting failure on 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand…
InvestigationDP15002 Opened 2015-04-01 · closed 2015-08-11
Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
In a letter dated October 2, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) was initially petitioned by the North Carolina Consumers Council, Inc. requesting a defect investigation of an alleged defect condition resulting in headlight and/or exterior lighting failure on 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand…
InvestigationPE08066 Opened 2008-11-26 · closed 2009-03-24
LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTION
THE AGENCY HAS CLOSED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON ITS REVIEW OF COMPLAINT REPORTS, FIELD AND TECHNICAL DATA PROVIDED BY FORD AND COMPLAINANT INTERVIEWS. FORD FOUND THAT SOME LIGHTING CONTROL MODULES (LCM) IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CONTAINED DEFECTIVE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD.THIS CONDITION CAN LEAD TO…
InvestigationPE14021 Opened 2014-07-07 · closed 2014-11-21
Steering Column Shaft Obstruction
On July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway…
InvestigationPE14021 Opened 2014-07-07 · closed 2014-11-21
Steering Column Shaft Obstruction
On July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway…
InvestigationPE15028 Opened 2015-08-10 · closed 2016-01-08
Loss of headlights
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation concerning the loss of headlights in model year (MY) 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles. The subject vehicles share the same architecture and major components.ODI has received 636 unique reports (for all submission dates)…
InvestigationPE15028 Opened 2015-08-10 · closed 2016-01-08
Loss of headlights
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation concerning the loss of headlights in model year (MY) 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles. The subject vehicles share the same architecture and major components.ODI has received 636 unique reports (for all submission dates)…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.