1990 Mercury Grand Marquis

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

68/100

Skip unless cheap

AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	13	21%
Vehicle speed control	9	15%
Air bags	8	13%
Service brakes	8	13%
Power train	6	10%
Engine and engine cooling	4	7%
Fuel system	2	3%
Structure	2	3%
Unknown or other	2	3%
Engine	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

ENGINE OCCASIONALLY SURGES WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY RACES AND THE CAR EVEN CONVULSES. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS IT IS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THIS IS MY MOM'S CAR AND SHE RARELY DRIVES IT.
NHTSA complaint: Engine

I EMBARKED ON A ROUTINE TRIP TO DINNER IN MY MOTHER'S 1990 MERCURY MARQUIS. I STARTED THE ENGINE WHICH IDLED NORMALLY, AS USUAL. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I ENGAGED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE R POSITION WHICH RESULTED I
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

GOODYEAR INTEGRITY P215/75R15. SIDEWALL BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED (45-55 MPH.) TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON 08/27/2001, AND HAD 36,000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. TIRES WERE WELL MAINTAINED, HAD NO PRIOR DAMAGE, AND TIRE SHOW
NHTSA complaint: Tires

THE 'AIR BAG' LIGHT ON MY DASH IS LIGHTING UP. IT DOESN'T STAY ON CONSTANTLY, BUT IT DOES FLASH, WHICH CONCERNS ME. IT DOESN'T GO ON EVERY TIME MY CAR IS ON, BUT IT DOES FLASH ABOUT 95% OF THE TIME. I SAW THE RECALL A
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE AIR BAG IN MY CAR, WHICH IS A 1990 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT COMES ON. IT DOESN'T STAY ON CONSTANTLY, BUT IT DOES 'FLICKER' OR IT WILL STAY ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. THERE ARE T
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING.*MR WHEN THE VEHICLES ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED IT BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE INSULATOR CAP FELL OFF
NHTSA complaint: Power train

BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH, LOSS OF REAR BRAKES. ALSO EMERGENCY BRAKE FROZEN AND INOPERABLE. *JB
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER TO GO FORWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. CONSUMER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TRANSMISSION COST OVER $1000.00. *
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal 90E043001

THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.

Risk: INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Fix: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	85	excellent
Longevity est.	79	good
Maintenance	59	average
Depreciation	60	average
Performance	71	good
Efficiency	35	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 54% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 63% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 20% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 57% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 85: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 79: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1990 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 59: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis?

Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 13 of them (21%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1990 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis?

AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.