NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
73,221 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Mercury Grand Marquis electrical problems

electrical problem

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2003 Mercury Grand Marquis Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #45

Jan 012024

Grand Marquis

  • 179,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that the headlights and taillights were inoperable, and the trunk failed to open. Additionally, all the doors failed to manually lock, and while utilizing the key fob, the door locks were inoperable. The door-ajar message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting). The approximate failure mileage was 179,000. The VIN was not available.

- Rapid River, MI, USA

problem #44

Jan 142024

Grand Marquis

  • miles
Its the LCM L(IGHT CONTROL MODULE)...HEAD LIGHTS went out on me one night coming down [XXX] causing me to wreck in a ditch and hitting a light pole INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Bastrop, LA, USA

problem #43

May 102023

Grand Marquis

  • miles
O.I.N. 11523223 05/22/2023 1. Lighting Control Module: Failure 2nd time. 2.Couldn't see where I was traveling. 3. No. 4. Yes. Inspected by myself, a Mechanic and Trouble Shooter. 5. Yes. Prior to the failure, the headlamps began flashing on and off. Previously the taillights failed. No warning. Lighting Control Module Defective. Replaced Module per Recall 14N01C. Ford Dealership, Pearson Ford, INC.10650 N. Michigan RD., Zionsville, In., 317.873.3333, Service Advisor: William Haygood

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #42

Jan 142023

Grand Marquis

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I started Mercury with foot on break like normal. Shifted into reverse. Car accelerated backwards at full speed. Brakes did not stop car. Attempted to shift into neutral but went into drive instead. Car accelerated forward at full speed with my foot still on break. Car hit metal post and tree knocking them down and dragging the tree 50 to 60 feet before stopping with my foot still on the break. Car had stopped accelerating. I turned off the ignition. This unintended acceleration had happened before. Two different dealers attempted to fix the problem. Both of them thought they had been successful but it happened again. Previously, applying the brakes stopped the car, but not this time. Someone could have been injured severely or killed.

- Cupertino, CA, USA

problem #41

Dec 212022

Grand Marquis

  • miles
Hard to steer car, power assist not working, doors do not lock

- Carteret, Nj, NJ, USA

problem #40

Nov 292021

Grand Marquis

  • miles
First issue: The headlights and door chime stay on after key is removed and lights are off causing battery to drain while vehicle is not being operated. Second issue: 50 amp ignition fuse blows randomly while car is in motion which causes a complete loss of power to the car including: braking power and power steering assist. The tilt steering being raised or lowered fixes the problem temporairly on occasion. A clicking sound from the lighting control module is heard when adjusting the tilt steering also

- Columbia, MO, USA

problem #39

Jun 012020

Grand Marquis 8-cyl

  • 200,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

1.rear seatbelts often jam and have to be unlocked by a professional. 2. blend door switch that controls heat and air conditioning gets stuck on heat and blows extremely hot air year round even if the unit is turned off. Vehicle is in motion on highways and city streets. 3. vehicle squeaks while in motion due to faulty ball bearings.

- Americus, GA, USA

problem #38

Dec 012018

Grand Marquis

  • 1 miles
Lcm Grand Marquis 2003

- Maple Grove, MN, USA

problem #37

Jun 182008

Grand Marquis

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that all the warning indicators illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel for approximately five to ten seconds when the vehicle was being driven. The contact also stated that the blower motor failed to function. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

problem #36

Jul 122017

Grand Marquis

  • 123,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving various speeds, all the gauges on the instrument panel failed to provide the accurate reading. In addition, the air suspension that controlled the shocks failed to hold air. The vehicle was taken to perry's Ford (205 E hwy, holdenville, ok 74848, phone number: (888) 307-3779), but the vehicle could not be repaired because there was no one there who could remedy the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.

- Holdenville, OK, USA

problem #35

Jun 272016

Grand Marquis 8-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V861000 (exterior lighting). The part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the vehicle would be repaired. The manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the vehicle would receive the recall repair. The contact was experiencing a failure in which the exterior lighting randomly shorted while waiting months for the parts. The failure mileage was not available. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #34

Sep 272016

Grand Marquis

  • 51,500 miles
Lcm recall - the dealer will not order parts from the manufacturer for a failing lighting control module for my 2003 Grand Marquis. They told me that the parts are not available, and just don't drive after dark. I cannot get my headlights to work at random times. They will just shut off, or not come on at all occasionally. Car can be in motion, or stationary.

- Pleasant Grove, UT, USA

problem #33

Apr 182016

Grand Marquis

  • 88,000 miles
Headlights will not stay on need to hold back the headlight switch

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #32

Aug 022016

Grand Marquis

  • 140,501 miles
Car stalls when you go over a bump in the road while driving at 30 mph on a 30 mph road

- Canandaigua, NY, USA

problem #31

Oct 052015

Grand Marquis

  • 265,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. While driving 45 mph, the headlights, turn signal, instrument panel, and interior lighting failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the lighting control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 265,000.

- Pinellas Park, FL, USA

problem #30

May 152015

Grand Marquis

  • 96,000 miles
While driving at night the head lights suddenly went out. The only way the lights would work after that is if you hold the high beam lever back.

- North Haven, CT, USA

problem #29

Dec 082014

Grand Marquis

  • 130,000 miles
What is your vehicle sales or service issue?:I received a letter from the Ford company about getting my headlights replaced. My headlights does not work at all and I have to hold my high beams in order to have some lights at night in order to see. This is very uncomfortable when driving with one hand especially, when I have my babies in the car with me. When I went to the Ford dealership in March. They told me that the parts were on back order until June or July. I went back to the dealership (lilliston Ford in kingsland, ga)in the beginning of December 2014. They told me that the parts are still on back order and that they're are 3800 people waiting on those parts. I've been pulled over numerous of times because of my hands slipping off of the high beams and I've had 2 accidents because of my headlights. I need to be put in a rental car are something until my lights are fixed. This is dangerous and is not a safe way to be driving at night..

- Kingsland, GA, USA

problem #28

Apr 172014

Grand Marquis

  • 125,000 miles
The headlights would turn on intermittently and then began to fail completely. With the dash switch in the proper place, the headlights would not come on. The high beams would continue to work, but the low beams would not. A Ford dealership declared that it was a bad lighting control module.

- Ames, IA, USA

problem #27

Oct 152014

Grand Marquis 8-cyl

  • miles
My husband and I have had to make other arrangements for us getting back and forth to work after the headlights stopped working on this car. We went to the dealership who stated the part was on back order. We were just able to get the part placed on 1/21/2015 and it worked for the first hour. We took it back on 1/22/2015 and was told that the lighting controls (the switch that turns the light on auto, off etc) is not their problem. It seems they allow these problems to occur long enough to allow it to effect other things on the car then state there was only one problem approved without the out of pocket. However we had no problems until the headlights stopped working. The next thing that went were the dash board lights and now the brake lights. How do we know that depending upon the timeframe problem exists, it may have an adverse affect on other things? this has been a huge inconvenience and it seems they want a fatality before something is done about it.

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #26

Oct 182014

Grand Marquis 8-cyl

  • 79,600 miles
After leaving home in the dark with no problems, I stopped at a fast food restaurant and went inside. When I came out and started onto an interstate highway, I noticed how dark it was in front of me. Even though the light switch was on, I had no headlights. I continued toward the next exit, only to be stopped by a highway patrolman who noticed I had no lights. While stopped and talking with him about the problem, the lights come on again. I'm now afraid to drive the car if there's a chance that I'll need the headlights. Fortunately, the patrolman was sympathetic and issued no ticket.

- Fairfield, OH, USA

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