Ford Crown Victoria Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,075 owner complaints and 31 safety recalls on file for the Ford Crown Victoria, across 17 model years (1995–2011). The 1997 model year has the most complaints (288). The most reported problem area overall is steering.
Ford Crown Victoria years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Crown Victoria year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1997 Crown Victoria: 288 complaints, 8 recalls
- 1996 Crown Victoria: 276 complaints, 9 recalls
- 1995 Crown Victoria: 250 complaints, 8 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2010 Crown Victoria: 12 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2011 Crown Victoria: 23 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2009 Crown Victoria: 44 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Ford Crown Victoria problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 363 | 17 | 27 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 341 | 16 | 5 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 286 | 15 | 3 |
| Suspension problems | 243 | 17 | 8 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 166 | 14 | 8 |
| Electrical System problems | 164 | 17 | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 154 | 14 | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 136 | 14 | 33 |
| Power Train problems | 115 | 16 | 8 |
| Wheels | 80 | 12 | 1 |
| Visibility | 61 | 14 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 59 | 14 | 33 |
| Structure | 58 | 15 | 4 |
| Engine | 44 | 15 | 5 |
| Tires | 43 | 12 | 5 |
| Seat Belts | 32 | 13 | 8 |
| Seats | 15 | 6 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 9 | 5 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 11 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford Crown Victoria problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2005: exterior lighting (99)
- 2004: exterior lighting (81)
- 2003: exterior lighting (96)
- 1997: engine and engine cooling (84) · service brakes, hydraulic (52)
- 1996: engine and engine cooling (81) · suspension (51)
- 1995: steering (99)
All Ford Crown Victoria model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Crown Victoria | 23 | 2 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Crown Victoria | 12 | 2 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Crown Victoria | 44 | 2 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Crown Victoria | 50 | 3 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Crown Victoria | 50 | 4 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Crown Victoria | 53 | 2 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 Crown Victoria | 193 | 5 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Crown Victoria | 138 | 2 | — | Exterior Lighting | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Crown Victoria | 249 | 5 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 Crown Victoria | 58 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2001 Crown Victoria | 53 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2000 Crown Victoria | 85 | 7 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Crown Victoria | 134 | 5 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 Crown Victoria | 119 | 7 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1997 Crown Victoria | 288 | 8 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Crown Victoria | 276 | 9 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Crown Victoria | 250 | 8 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Ford: all Ford models · Ford VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Crown Victoria years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (250), 1996 (276), 1997 (288), 2003 (249), 2005 (193) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Crown Victoria year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford Crown Victoria?
Steering, with 363 complaints across 17 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford Crown Victoria have?
31 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.