MercuryGrand Marquis1985Overview/mercury/grand-marquis/1985/base/

1985 Mercury Grand Marquis

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Grand Marquis.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis pairs a 4-speed automatic transmission with an engine that holds 4.0 quarts of 5W-30, 10W-30, or 10W-40 oil, delivering EPA ratings of 14 mpg city, 22 highway, and 17 combined. Owner reports tally 27 complaints, concentrated in the electrical system and prompting a single recall, a figure that places this vintage well below the 487-complaint peak seen in 2005 but above the nine-complaint low recorded in 2011 across the model's later production run.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041985

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy14/22/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine beltJH325 alt JK6512A
ThermostatRT1021

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length215 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight3968 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined14 / 22 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume111 cu ft
Cargo volume22 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEGR Vacuum Control Solenoid Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis recorded 13 electrical system complaints, 3 for engine and engine cooling, 3 for vehicle speed control, and 2 for tires. There were 9 reported fire complaints and 0 crash complaints, though the data does not specify the root cause of these fires. While the provided federal record lacks data for the years immediately surrounding 1985, the broader trend from 1990 to 2011 shows a significant escalation in complaints, peaking at 487 in 2005. The 1985 model year falls well below the volume of complaints and TSBs seen in the later years of the generation's record. Due to the significantly lower overall complaint volume relative to the 1990-2011 period, this is a good year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
21
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
27
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 9 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 27 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System13
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Tires2
Equipment2
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E064000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 27/08/2007

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 21 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0023102000-11-13Power TrainSUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE…
00152000-01-10Power TrainINFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
992221999-10-18Electrical SystemSUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Grand Marquis. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1985 Grand Marquis take?

4.0 qt of 30W. MULTI-VISCOSITY: BELOW 100 degrees F 5W-30. ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 OR 10W-40. ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40. ABOVE 20 degrees F 20W-40 OR 20W-50, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Grand Marquis have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Grand Marquis get?

EPA figures are 14 city / 22 highway / 17 combined mpg.