Shock absorbers are designed to keep the wheels on the 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis in contact with the road. Shocks are filled with hydraulic fluid, which responds to the impact of road imperfections by deadening the shock before it can be fully transmitted to the Mercury's chassis. This fluid can leak out if the seals on the shock go bad or are damaged by excessively violent impact, such as hitting large pot holes at moderate speeds or driving over speed bumps too quickly.
Raise the hood of the Grand Marquis and locate the top shock mount, which is over the wheel well. Look into the wheel well to see where the shock enters the engine compartment if you are having trouble finding it.
Remove the nut from the top of the shock, using a socket set to take it off and a box wrench to hold the shock stud in place so it doesn't revolve while you are removing the top nut. Take off the nut, bushing and washer by hand and discard them.
Lift the front end with a floor jack, and support the frame of the Grand Marquis with a jack stand.
Unbolt the bottom of the shock from the chassis mount with the socket set. Remove the old shock by hand, and insert the replacement shock up through the top mount.
Bolt the bottom of the replacement shock to the chassis mount in reverse of how you removed the old one.
Lower the front end down off the jack stand with the floor jack. Place the bushing, washer and nut onto the top of the shock, in the same manner the old pieces were aligned on the old shock and tighten the nut back down in reverse of how it was removed in Step 2.
Repeat Steps 2 through 6 on the opposite side of the Mercury. You can access the top of the rear shocks from the rear wheel wells and replace them in the same manner as the front shocks.
