NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 80 owner complaints for the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. Most complaints involve steering (23) and vehicle speed control (15). The EPA rates it 18 mpg combined.
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 serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed.
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, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY MAY FRACTURE DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Grand Marquis model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 275 |
| 1997 | 372 |
| 1998 | 177 |
| 1999 | 197 |
| 2000 | 187 |
| 2001 | 183 |
| 2002 | 106 |
| 2003 | 395 |
| 2004 | 360 |
| 2005 | 488 |
| 2006 | 143 |
| 2007 | 96 |
| 2008 | 80 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2010 | 25 |
| 2011 | 9 |
“total collapse of upper immediate steering shaft resulting on total separation/failure and complete loss of steering. this literally separated/fell apart in my hand when i was cleaning the front seat carpeting. i had just finished driving back from a 100 mile trip. if this would have happened on the freeway, i would have lost all steering of the vehicle resulting in catastrophic injury or death TO myself or others. i called ford and told them what happened. i found out there was a recall on this item. i found out this car was service for this before. even though this car went in for the recall, this item (upper steering shaft) has totally failed again. i have seen that this is COMMON for this steering to fail even after the initial recall "repair". this could have easily resulted in death and ford is willing to do nothing about it. one would think that of all components of a vehicle, the steering system would be safe and reliable. apparently ford does not care. they are aware of my auto failure and that it could cause certain death, but they are not interested in repairing this component that should be safe under all normal driving circumstances.”
“I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AND SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR CORNER, AFTER BRAKING MY CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND MADE THE CAR JUMP FORWARD. I HAD TO SLIGHTLY RELEASE THE BRAKE SND BRAKE HARDER TO STOP AND AVOID GOING INTO THE INTERSECTION.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK WHILE EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION A FEW MINUTES AFTER FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Marquis FFV Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 23 | 18 | $3,450 | 494 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
3 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 80 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are steering (23), vehicle speed control (15), electrical system (9). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis at 18 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (1 version rated).