MercuryGrand Marquis1990Overview/mercury/grand-marquis/1990/base/

1990 Mercury Grand Marquis

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Grand Marquis.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and delivers an EPA fuel economy rating of 15/22/18 mpg. This model year recorded one recall and 61 total owner complaints, with the electrical system cited as the top complaint area. Within the model's 1990-2011 history, this year's complaint volume is significantly lower than the peak of 487 complaints seen in 2005, though it remains above the 2011 low of 9.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041990

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

ThermostatRT1052 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length218.1 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight4015 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 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 DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 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 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miPCV Valve (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)

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 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis sits at the quietest point in the federal record: with 61 complaints, 1 recall, and 1 investigation, it has the lowest complaint and recall counts of any year shown, while 1991 (90 complaints, 2 recalls) and especially 1992 (346 complaints, 3 recalls, 8 investigations) begin a sharp upward trend. Across the generation, complaints generally rise through the mid-1990s, spike again in 1997 and 2003–2005, and then taper off in the final years; 1990 therefore falls at the low-risk start of that arc. The top complaint areas for 1990 are the electrical system (13), vehicle speed control (9), air bags (8), and hydraulic service brakes (8), with 8 crash-related and 6 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Given its comparatively clean federal profile, 1990 is a relatively favorable year to buy within this generation, provided the single recall and investigation were addressed and the electrical, speed-control, air-bag, and brake systems are inspected carefully.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
36
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
61
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 6 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 61 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System13
Vehicle Speed Control9
Air Bags8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Power Train6
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

90E043001Air Bags:FrontalReported 30/10/1990

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. Remedy: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 36 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
021072002-05-27VisibilityTRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT…
011942001-10-01Electrical SystemTHIS ARITLCE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON REPLACEMENT OF OLD STYLE HOOD LAMP SWITCH TO…
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0112012001-06-25VisibilityTHIS INFORMATION IS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WIPER SYSTEM SERVICE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE…

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

Does the 1990 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 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.