United States · NHTSA recalls & complaints
Mercury VIN decoder
Mercury was a Ford Motor Company brand. Edsel Ford created it in 1938, and its first model was the 1939 Mercury 8. The brand lasted more than 70 years; Ford's VIN filing for model year 2010 covers four Mercury models, the Grand Marquis and Milan sedans and the Mariner and Mountaineer SUVs.
Enter all 17 characters to see the build details NHTSA holds and the recalls for that model year.
- 15 model pages
- 132 recall campaigns
- 16,724 owner complaints
- model years 1995–2012
- 11 WMI codes in vPIC
- origin: United States
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | North America |
| NHTSA recall and complaint data | Yes, model years 1995–2012 |
| WMI codes in NHTSA vPIC | 11 |
| Model pages | 15 |
| Other model names in NHTSA data | 3 |
| Vehicle recall campaigns | 132 |
| Owner complaints | 16,724 |
| Complaints reporting a crash | 1,006 (6.0%) |
| Complaints reporting a fire | 328 (2.0%) |
| Complaints reporting an injury | 642 (3.8%) |
| Complaints reporting a death | 22 (0.1%) |
| Data updated | September 25, 2026 |
Ford announced in June 2010 that Mercury production would end in the fourth quarter of that year, and the last Mercury, a Grand Marquis, was built on January 4, 2011. NHTSA's vPIC lists the Grand Marquis, Milan and Mariner for model year 2011 and no Mercury models after that. In the brand's final years, Ford's VIN filings with NHTSA placed the Grand Marquis at St. Thomas, Ontario, the Milan at Hermosillo, Mexico, the Mariner at Kansas City, Missouri and the Mountaineer at Louisville, Kentucky.
Every Mercury on the road today is a used car, so the VIN is the most dependable way to confirm the model, engine and plant before buying parts or checking for recalls. Mercurys from model year 1981 onward use the standard 17-character VIN, and NHTSA's recall records for the brand remain searchable by model and year. Mercury followed the same VIN system as Ford and Lincoln.
NHTSA’s files hold 132 vehicle recall campaigns and 16,724 owner complaints for Mercury vehicles from model years 1995 to 2012, summarised here on 15 model pages. The Sable has the most complaints (3,082), followed by the Grand Marquis (3,013) and the Milan (2,518). Of those complaints, 1,006 report a crash, 328 a fire, 642 at least one injury and 22 at least one death; the figures count complaints, not people.
The World Manufacturer Identifier is the first three characters of the VIN. NHTSA’s vPIC database decodes 11 WMIs to Mercury; this is the complete list, with the manufacturer name, country and vehicle type vPIC records for each.
| WMI | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Passenger Car |
| 1MH | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 2ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | Canada | Passenger Car |
| 2MH | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | Canada | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 2MR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | Canada | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 3MA | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | Mexico | Passenger Car |
| 3ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | Mexico | Passenger Car |
| 4M2 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 4M3 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 4M4 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Truck |
Show the other 1 WMIHide the rest
| WMI | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6MP | FORD MOTOR CO OF AUSTRALIA LTD. | Australia | Passenger Car |
See the WMI code guide for how the codes are assigned.
Each model page lists NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints for that model name, by model year and component. Models are sorted by complaints; the data covers model years 1995–2012.
| Model | Model years | Recall campaigns | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sable | 1995–2009 | 30 | 3,082 |
| Grand Marquis | 1995–2011 | 21 | 3,013 |
| Milan | 2006–2011 | 13 | 2,518 |
| Mountaineer | 1996–2010 | 19 | 1,992 |
| Mariner | 2001–2011 | 6 | 1,296 |
| Cougar | 1995–2002 | 9 | 1,090 |
| Villager | 1995–2002 | 12 | 1,057 |
| Mystique | 1995–2002 | 19 | 1,017 |
| Monterey | 2004–2007 | 5 | 453 |
| Tracer | 1995–2000 | 4 | 316 |
| Marquis | 1995–2004 | 1 | 262 |
| Montego | 2004–2007 | 3 | 259 |
| Mariner Hybrid | 2006–2012 | – | 212 |
| Marauder | 2003–2004 | – | 87 |
| Milan Hybrid | 2010 | – | 59 |
– means NHTSA has no records of that kind under the model name.
Other Mercury models in NHTSA data
NHTSA also lists these Mercury model names, but with no recall campaign and fewer than 25 complaints each, so they have no page of their own: Mariner HEV, Topaz, Truck.
Which WMI codes appear on Mercury VINs?
Mercury WMIs use M as the second character. Ford's 2010 VIN filing lists 1ME, 2ME and 3ME for Mercury passenger cars built in the US, Canada and Mexico, and 4M2 and 2MR for Mercury MPVs.
| WMI | Manufacturer (NHTSA vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | Passenger car |
| 2ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | Canada | Passenger car |
| 3ME | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | Mexico | Passenger car |
| 4M2 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | United States | MPV |
| 2MR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | Canada | MPV |
How do you decode a late-model Mercury VIN?
Ford's 2010 model-year VIN filing gives each Mercury its own page. Position 4 is the restraint category (on MPVs combined with brake system and GVWR), positions 5 to 7 give make, line, series and body, position 8 the engine and position 11 the plant.
| Model | WMI | Positions 5-7 (examples) | Position 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Marquis | 2ME | M7F (LS sedan) | X, St. Thomas (Talbotville), Ontario |
| Milan | 3ME | M0H, M0J, M0C, M0L (Hybrid) | R, Hermosillo, Mexico |
| Mariner | 4M2 | N8B, N8H, N9B, N9H, N2K, N3K (Hybrid) | K, Kansas City (Claycomo), Missouri |
| Mountaineer | 4M2 | N3H, N3J, N4H, N4J | U, Louisville, Kentucky |
The serial number in positions 12 to 17 also points to Mercury. In the same filing, Ford reserved 600001 to 999999 for Lincoln and Mercury passenger cars and J00001 to L99999 for Lincoln and Mercury trucks and MPVs. Position 10 is the model year: A for 2010, B for 2011.
When did Ford stop making Mercury cars?
Ford announced the end of Mercury in June 2010, and the last car, a Grand Marquis, was built on January 4, 2011. Model year 2011 is the last year NHTSA's vPIC lists for the brand.
Is a Mercury VIN decoded the same way as a Ford VIN?
Yes. Mercury used Ford's VIN system, so the positions mean the same things. The differences are the Mercury WMIs (such as 1ME and 4M2), the make and line codes in positions 5 to 7, and the Lincoln-Mercury serial ranges.
Can I check recalls on an old Mercury?
Yes. NHTSA keeps recall records for Mercury models, and our recall lookup lists campaigns for your model and model year. To see whether a particular VIN still has an unrepaired recall, use NHTSA's VIN search.
Does the decoder show a Mercury's title or accident history?
No. It shows factory data such as model, engine, model year and plant. Title, accident and ownership records come from state agencies and licensed history providers, which this site does not use.
Brands mentioned in the notes above, then other North American brands, each with its own VIN notes and WMI list.
- Ford (161) United States · 1,229 recall campaigns
- Lincoln (22) United States · 265 recall campaigns
- Buick (20) United States · 170 recall campaigns
- Cadillac (33) United States · 197 recall campaigns
- Chevrolet (172) United States · 751 recall campaigns
- Chrysler (37) United States · 208 recall campaigns
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files and NHTSA vPIC, updated September 25, 2026.