10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 44,455 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
A spring in the driver's seat belt buckle failed, causing the airbag light on the instrument panel to illuminate and deactivate the air bag system in the event of a front impact requiring air bag deployment. The seat belt and buckle was required to be replaced. The air bag light illuminated every time the driver fastens the seat belt. The airbag light stays on and would not go off when the driver fastens the seat belt. The dealer traced this to a faulty seat belt latch. From reading on owners' blogs of this model, over several years including my model year, my problem does not appear to be a unique or rare occurrence. The most common causes are worn or broken springs on the switch in the seat belt latch. The switch in the seat belt latch not recognizing the driver in the driver's seat with the seat belt fastened causes the light to go on and deactivate the airbag restraint system for the driver. This safety item should be a model recall.
- Swansea, IL, USA
At 69000 miles the lighting control module, climate control module, restraint control module stopped functioning. All at the same time. Odd they all go out at the same time. Safety issue.
- Tucson, AZ, USA
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving approximately 55 mph the vehicle was involved in a single car crash in which the air bags did not deploy and the driver was thrown from the seatbelt into the rear passenger seat. The police appeared on the scene and the driver was reported injured. The driver sustained major injuries and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. The vehicle was not examined to determine the cause of failure. The failure and current mileages were 85,000. Updated 02/07/11 updated 04/21/11
- Bassett, VA, USA
While waiting for red the light to change, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The driver could not maintain control, the vehicle jumped the curb and crashed into a ditch. There was no diagnostic test performed on the vehicle. The air bag did not deploy, the electronic fuel shut off and did not engage and the seat belts did not tighten. The consumer was told that the adjustable pedals caused the accident and have caused a lot of accidents. Ford claimed that fault is the driver's fault due to their foot being on both pedals at the same time.
- Bethalto, IL, USA
My wife hit a Suburban on its driver side. Our car had $6000 damage to the front end of our 2003 Mercury marquis with only 3000 miles on it. My complaint is that the air bag did not deploy on impact, there by causing facial injury and a broken nose.
- Huntsville, TX, USA
While traveling at highway speed passenger side airbag inadvertently deployed. As a result passenger'a arm/back, and shoulder were injured.
- Fredricksburg, VA, USA
When driving 60 mph, the front passenger side air bag deployed inadvertently, causing a distraction to the driver. The dealer had been notified.
- Fredericksburg, VA, USA
- Fort Mill, SC, USA