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1999 Mercury Grand Marquis

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Grand Marquis.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis is a passenger car equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined, requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil for routine service. Recording 203 total owner complaints against a model-span range of 9 to 487 covering 1990 through 2011, this model year sits well below the 2005 peak yet far above the 2011 minimum, with five recalls and engine-cooling issues marking the primary areas of concern. That complaint volume places the 1999 variant in the middle of the Grand Marquis reliability spectrum, suggesting neither exceptional vulnerability nor outstanding durability within the generation’s documented history.

Model year2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 1999

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque85-105 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	211.8 in
Overall width	78.3 in
Overall height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	114.6 in
Curb weight	3796 lb
Track (front / rear)	63.4 / 65.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	109 cu ft
Cargo volume	21 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-105 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	114-121 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	18.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	85-105 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	221 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	802.5 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	12.5 rpm
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Motorcraft
Spark Plug Gap	0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing	10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	2 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.38 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	650 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	65

Service checks

Pressure Test	13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	192-199 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	30.0-45.0
Injector Primary Resistance	11-18 ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	147 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85-105 ft-lbs / 50 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.154 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.00035 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.063 in / 0.56 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.063 in / 0.56 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 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.

Every 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 45,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (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 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis sits in a relative trough within this generation's complaint arc, positioned between an early peak in 1997 (383 complaints, 7 investigations) and a later surge beginning in 2003 (395 complaints) and cresting in 2005 (487 complaints). Its 203 complaints represent a modest uptick from 1998's 180, but recalls actually declined year-over-year from 7 to 5, and investigations dropped from 4 to 3, suggesting the regulatory pressure was easing rather than intensifying at this point in the cycle. TSBs remained substantial at 142—down from 1998's 170 but still elevated—indicating Ford was actively disseminating service guidance, likely carrying over refinements from the prior year's higher-activity period. The top complaint areas for 1999 are led by Engine & Engine Cooling (26), followed by Suspension (16), with Exterior Lighting and Steering tied at 14 each; the data does not specify root causes for any of these categories. Notably, the 2000 model year that immediately follows shows a recall spike to 8 despite nearly identical complaint volume (194), which could suggest latent issues identified belatedly, though the data alone doesn't confirm this. For a buyer, 1999 represents one of the calmer years in this generation's federal record—complaints, recalls, and investigations are all moderate and trending downward from the 1997 peak—making it a reasonable used purchase, provided the engine/cooling and suspension systems are specifically inspected given their prominence in the complaint data.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

142

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

203

Owner complaints

22 involved a crash · 3 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98’99’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 203 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling26

Suspension16

Exterior Lighting14

Steering14

Service Brakes, Hydraulic11

Vehicle Speed Control11

Tires11

Electrical System10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15E082000SteeringReported 06/10/2015

Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain model Dorman Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 7-0359, and OE Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, manufactured… Remedy: Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2015. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at…

06E056000Fuel System, GasolineReported 13/06/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK… Remedy: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 142 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
CSP 08B04	2008-05-15	Fuel System, Gasoline	FORD/LINCOLN MERCURY: CERTAIN 1992-2001 MODEL YEAR CROWN VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS, AND…
07212	2007-10-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SOME 1997-2008 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V, 5.4L 2V, OR 6.8L 2V ENGINE--SPARK PLUG…
05N04	2005-12-14	Engine And Engine Cooling	EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM 05N04 - EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS…
041601	2005-11-14	Engine And Engine Cooling	WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR…
04189	2004-12-13	Visibility	REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR…

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.

Group 65 battery Vehicles taking 5.0 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Grand Marquis take?

5.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 Grand Marquis have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Grand Marquis get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.