1999 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Electrical System Problems

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. I WENT TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS ON. NO HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, DASH LIGHTS, HAZARD FLASHERS OR DOME LIGHT. THE 2003-2005 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS SAME THING WITH THE LCM FAILING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

Mileage: 155,000

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED (BURNED AND DISINTEGRATED IN THE AREA OF THE THERMOSTAT ) AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE . PRESENTLY THE SPEEDOMETER FAILS INTERMITTENTLY DROPPING TO ZERO AT RANDOM MOMENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE LIGHTS CUT OUT INTERMITTENTLY USUALLY WHEN THE HEAT IS ON AND ON LONGER TRIPS. ALSO, MOST TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN IT HAS BEEN RAINING AND COLDER. DROVE UPWARDS OF 40 MILES WITH THE HEADLIGHTS CUTTING OUT INTERMITTENTLY IN THE RAIN AND COLD, PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO RECUR BUT SEEMS TO BE RELATED POSSIBLY TO HAVING THE HEAT ON. I BELIEVE THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE IS LOCATED NEAR A HEATING OUTLET AND MAY BE SUFFERING A FAILURE AS A RESULT BUT THIS IS JUST SPECULATION. ALSO, PREVIOUSLY WHEN I HAD PULLED INTO A REST AREA FOR AWHILE, AFTER COOLING DOWN, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN RESUMED AFTER ABOUT TEN MILES WITH THE HEAT ON. I BELIEVE IT IS BEING CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE HEAT THE LCM IS SUBJECTED TO BY VIRTUE OF THE AREA IN WHICH IT IS INSTALLED. THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE IS OF MOTOROLA MANUFACTURE WITH SIEMANS RELAYS INSIDE. THE PART HAS NUMEROUS NUMBERS ON IT , MOST PROMINENTLY: XW7T-13C788-AA , 6MX2794A01, 990429A, AND LIGHTING CONTROL 95M .OTHERS ONLINE WITH SIMILAR VEHICLES (CROWN VICTORIAS) AND OF OTHER MODEL YEARS MANUFACTURED BY FORD HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THAT REPLACING THE RELAYS HAS RESOLVED THE ISSUE. I DO NOT KNOW THAT THIS PART IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM BUT SUSPECT IT AS MANY OTHERS ONLINE HAVE REPORTED THAT THIS PART WAS THE SOURCE OF THEIR PROBLEMS.

Mileage: 118,000

AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT ON FREEWAY AND COULD NOT BE TURNED ON AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS AND VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN AND UNSAFE. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

THE 3/4 KEY ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR RANDOMLY QUIT WORKING. EVERY OTHER BUTTON STILL WORKS, AND WHEN ANY BUTTON OTHER THAN THE 3/4 KEY IS PRESSED, THE KEYPAD LIGHTS UP. MY KEY CODE INCLUDES THE 3/4 KEY THOUGH, SO I CANNOT USE THIS KEYPAD TO UNLOCK MY VEHICLE OR TRUNK. HOWEVER THE KEYPAD LIGHTS UP ON ITS OWN, WHICH CAUSES MY EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THESE LIGHTS CYCLE ON FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS AND TURN OFF FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. I HAD TO REMOVE MY INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS BECAUSE THEY WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY. IF I AM PARKING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I HAVE TO DISCONNECT MY BATTERY SO THE LIGHTS WILL NOT DRAIN IT. THE FORD DEALER CHECKED FOR A RECALL ON THE LCM, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT AFFECT THE 1999 MODEL. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

1999 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON MAY 29, 2012, HE PURCHASED A RE-BUILT ALTERNATOR FROM A LOCAL PARTS STORE AND INSTALLED IT HIMSELF. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED ON JULY 16, 2012, WHILE IN A PARKING LOT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE STARTED SOLENOID CLICKED, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. AFTER GETTING A JUMP, THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER THE CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED. THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE ALTERNATOR TO THE PARTS STORE TO HAVE IT TESTED, IN WHICH IT DID FAIL. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED ANOTHER ALTERNATOR AND ONCE IT WAS INSTALLED, THE VEHICLE RAN FOR ONLY 30 SECONDS AFTER THE JUMPER CABLES WERE DISCONNECTED, AS THE PREVIOUS ALTERNATOR. THE CONSUMER THEN PURCHASED A VOLTAGE METER AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS PUTTING OUT 11 VOLTS, INSTEAD OF 14 VOLTS, WHICH WAS NORMAL.

PROBLEM: INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH 1999 (1998 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE) MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. LIGHTS GO OFF FOR AS LONG AS 2-3 SECONDS AND COME BACK ON AGAIN FOR A SECOND OR TWO, THEN GO OFF AGAIN, THEN BACK ON AGAIN, ETC--AND ONLY OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR 20-30 MINUTES. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WITH THIS VERY SAME VEHICLE AND I SOLVED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE DASH. APPARENTLY THERE IS NO HEADLIGHT-RELATED RECALL* FOR THIS PARTICULAR MERCURY AND THE COST TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM BY THE MERCURY DEALERSHIP WILL BE THEREFORE AT MY EXPENSE. THE CHEAPEST REPAIR COST SCENARIO AT THE DEALERSHIP IS OVER $300. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, NOT TO MENTION NOW THE SECOND TIME. *SEE: NHTSC RECALL # 99V103 MERCURY MYSTIQUE (1998 YEAR OF MANUFACTURE). *TR

Mileage: 188,000

DT: CAR IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE NUMBER 15 FUSE. THIS FUSE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DASHBOARD, INTERIOR LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS, TEMP CONTROL, HAS BEEN REPLACED 5X. DEALER REPORTSCANT FIND PROBLEM. DEALER REPORTS THERE IS NO REPAIR FOR VEHICLE. NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. OWNERS MAIN CONCERN IS THAT YOU CANT SEE THE SPEED WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE KEY INTO IGNITION STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND KEY WAS NOT ABLE TO BE TURNED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, THE SERRING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND HAS TO BE JERKED BEFORE THE KEY CAN BE TUNED.

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, THE SERRING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND HAS TO BE JERKED BEFORE THE KEY CAN BE TUNED.

AFTER THE CONSUMER DROVE OVER A CATTLE GUARD THE INERTIA SWITCH ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

STEERING IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL, IT GOES WHERE BUMPS AND DIPS TAKE YOU. CAR WILL JUMP ALL OVER THE ROAD. STEERING HAS CONSTANT PULL TO LEFT WITH LOTS NOISE. ALSO STEEL TO STEEL SLAMMING NOISE. STEERING COLUM INSIDE CAR MOVES. DEALERS LOOK MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS,SAY FOUND NO PROBLEM. BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE. I RETURNED FOR REPEAT PREFORMANCE. VERY ROUGH RIDE FRONT AND REAR . ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SURFACING, LIGHTS FLICKERING,DASH,DOME HEADLIGHTS ETC., ENGINE CUT OUT AS IF I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN CAME BACK ON EACH TIME IHAVE BEEN SITTING STILL, TALK ABOUT A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION! AGAIN THE DEALER CHECKS IT OUT FINDS NO PROBLEM SAYS THEY CANT ALWAYS FIND A PROBLEM UNTIL IT HAPPENS AND THEY HAVE THE CAR WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. ALOT OF GOOD THATS GOING TO DO DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60MPH WITH 5 KIDS IN THE CAR!!! THE AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T COOL WELL AT FIRST THEY SAID NO PROBLEM THE WEATHER GOT VERY HOT ,THEY SET AN APPOINTMENT. THEY FOUND LOW PRESSURE REPLACED LOW PRSSURE CLUTCH SWITCH. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN FOR POOR FRONT END AND STEERING CONTROL NOW ADDING TO THE LIST ALOUD SLAMMING TOGETHER OF 2 PIECES OF STEEL COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA EITHER GOING OVER BUMPS OR DIPS I CAN'T TELL WHICH BECAUSE IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE SOLUTION, THE DEALER CHECKS THE RIGHT SIDE! SO THE CAR GOES BACK AGAIN . *AK

THE HORN BUTTON DOES NOT RESPOND DUE TO ITS LOCATION, WHERE IT' S PLACED. ITS ASSOCIATION IS TOO CLOSE TO WHERE AIR BAG IS LOCATED ON STEERING WHEEL.*AK THE DRIVER HAD TO PRESS THE HORN HARD REPEATDLY. *YH

DRIVER CAN NOT APPLY THE HORN WITHOUT TAKING HER HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL, AND WHEN SHE DOES, EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IS NEEDED IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

CONSUMER WAS PARKING, TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN DECIDED TO PARK ELSEWHERE. CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT START. THEN CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, THEN FLAMES. CALLED 911 FOR HELP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK