YearToAvoid

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 7 Grand Marquis years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis has 488 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 7 Grand Marquis model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is electrical system (319 complaints, 65% of the total). Complaints report 24 crashes, 5 fires, and 21 injuries.

Complaints
488
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
24 / 5
Injuries / deaths
21 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23 hwy

Top 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System319 (65%)
  2. Airbags67 (14%)
  3. Engine47 (10%)
  4. Seat Belts36 (7%)
  5. Brakes20 (4%)
  6. Steering20 (4%)
  7. Structure & Body14 (3%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (2%)
  9. Other10 (2%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers9 (2%)
2005 Mercury Grand Marquis complaints: complaints filed per quarter222005 Q22007 Q42010 Q22012 Q42015 Q22017 Q42020 Q42023 Q4
563 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q3 (22).

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V861000Dec 22, 2015Electrical System296,004 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:headlights

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V704000Nov 5, 2014Steering36,888 vehicles

    Steering:rack and pinion:pinion shaft

    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.

    Risk: 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 Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.

  3. NHTSA 13V385000Aug 29, 2013Steering355,000 vehicles

    Steering

    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.

    Risk: 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 the steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.

See all 4 recalls for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis →

2005 Mercury Grand Marquis fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,400
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Grand Marquis years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008200920102011
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid100488419
2006Avoid83143218
2007Caution5096318

All Mercury Grand Marquis years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis ranks worst among Grand Marquis model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 488 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (319 complaints), airbags (67 complaints), and engine (47 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 72,800 miles.
Does the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, most recently reported 2015, covering electrical system and steering.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis?
EPA rates the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis at 19 MPG combined (16 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.