1996 Ford Crown Victoria Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 130,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “ball joint” (43% of reports).
- 51suspension complaints
- 130,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 19%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ball joint: mentioned in 22 of 51 complaints (43%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 16 of 51 complaints (31%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 6 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 51 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Ford Crown Victoria suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Crown Victoria | 4 | 17% | 22,600 |
| 2010 Crown Victoria | 1 | 8% | 167,347 |
| 2009 Crown Victoria | 4 | 9% | 107,462 |
| 2008 Crown Victoria | 6 | 12% | 62,236 |
| 2007 Crown Victoria | 5 | 10% | 124,171 |
| 2006 Crown Victoria | 4 | 8% | 117,855 |
| 2005 Crown Victoria | 5 | 3% | 88,208 |
| 2004 Crown Victoria | 4 | 3% | 64,700 |
| 2003 Crown Victoria | 27 | 11% | 82,722 |
| 2002 Crown Victoria | 3 | 5% | 84,500 |
| 2001 Crown Victoria | 4 | 8% | 53,530 |
| 2000 Crown Victoria | 9 | 11% | 130,507 |
| 1999 Crown Victoria | 18 | 13% | 70,000 |
| 1998 Crown Victoria | 18 | 15% | 93,000 |
| 1997 Crown Victoria | 45 | 16% | 86,000 |
| 1996 Crown Victoria | 51 | 18% | 130,500 |
| 1995 Crown Victoria | 35 | 14% | 94,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: certain 1996-1999 ford crown victoria police, fleet, natural gas, and 1996-1999 lincoln town car limousine vehicles that were produced with a lower control arm ball joint containing a one piece bearing; and 1990-1996 ford crown victoria police, fleet, and ngv vehicles and 1990-1996 lincoln town car limousine vehicles that have been serviced with either a ball joint containing the one-piece bearing or a front lower control arm containing a ball joint with a one-piece bearing. The one-piece bearing within the lower control arm ball joint can weaken slowly during use and eventually crack. This could result in separation of the ball and cap of the joint, allowing the control arm to drop to the ground.
Risk: If this occurs while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lower control arm ball joints (2).
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford crown victoria. The contact stated that while making a left turn off a driveway onto a lot, there was a loud metal braking noise coming from the front driver side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front driver side collapsed to the ground. The contact…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford crown victoria. The contact stated while driving at a low speed the front drivers side lower control arm broke. The contact did not talk to the manufacturer regarding the lower control arm. The contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The failure mileage was…
Dt*: the contact stated the lower control arm ball joint fractured while driving 20 mph on a dry highway. There was a nhtsa recall, # 98v322000, regarding the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Ford Crown Victorias have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 51 owner complaints about suspension for the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria (18% of the 276 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 130,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joint”, in 22 of 51 complaints, followed by “control arm” (16).
Other 1996 Ford Crown Victoria problems
See all 1996 Ford Crown Victoria problems or suspension problems across all Crown Victoria years.