2003 Mercury Grand Marquis vs 2003 Toyota Avalon
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis | 2003 Toyota Avalon |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 362 | 293 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 2 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 90 | 110 |
| Investigations | 6 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 22 | 49 |
| Fire reports | 2 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18 | 22 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 87,000 mi | 85,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Grand Marquis | Toyota Avalon |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 207 | 1 |
| Air Bags | 11 | 184 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 51 |
| Electrical System | 51 | 18 |
| Steering | 28 | 19 |
| Suspension | 28 | 9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 5 |
| Power Train | 12 | 6 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 15 | 9 |
| Rust / corrosion | 10 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 5 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light | 0 | 27 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 7 |
2003 Mercury Grand Marquis
2003 Toyota Avalon
Compare all Mercury Grand Marquis vs Toyota Avalon years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.