2006 Mercury Grand Marquis Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis ranks 2nd worst of 7 model years with a complaint index of 83 and 143 complaints. Engine problems dominate at 31% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 46,596. It carries an Avoid verdict.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 83/100
- #2 of 7 Grand Marquis years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 143
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 16
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 9
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 15 city / 23 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
Top 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine45 (31%)
- Airbags37 (26%)
- Seat Belts22 (15%)
- Electrical System13 (9%)
- Fuel System13 (9%)
- Steering13 (9%)
- Brakes12 (8%)
- Structure & Body9 (6%)
- Other7 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report sudden unintended acceleration where the engine revs or the vehicle surges forward despite braking, sometimes leading to a crash.
- Some describe the accelerator pedal sticking or becoming difficult to depress, then abruptly returning to normal.
- Brake pedal complaints include the vehicle lunging forward when brakes were applied, as if the accelerator was engaged at the same time.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in head-on or low-speed collisions, resulting in injuries.
- Power steering assist has been reported to fail suddenly at highway speed, causing loss of control, tied to a steering recall.
- Electrical system failures were described as total loss of electrical components while driving, forcing the driver to crash to stop.
2006 Mercury Grand Marquis recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
2006 Mercury Grand Marquis fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 18 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,600
- 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.
2006 compared with other Grand Marquis years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 model ranks 2nd worst among 7 model years, with a complaint index of 83 and 143 complaints, leading to an Avoid verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Grand Marquis?
- Engine issues make up 31% of complaints, followed by airbags at 26% and seat belts at 15%, according to NHTSA data.
- Does the 2006 Grand Marquis have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists two recalls for the 2006 Grand Marquis, both involving the steering intermediate shaft (campaigns 14V704000 and 13V385000).
- What year Grand Marquis should I avoid?
- The 2005 model has the worst complaint index at 100 with 488 complaints, and the 2006 model is close behind at index 83, making both Avoid years compared to later years like 2009-2011.
- How does the 2006 Grand Marquis compare to newer years?
- Complaint counts drop sharply after 2006: 2009 has 26 complaints and a Good verdict, 2010 has 24 complaints and Good, and 2011 has 9 complaints with a Best verdict.