2005 Ford Crown Victoria Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Feb 25, 2026 · 193 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Crown Victoria years
Far more complaints than other years 5th of 17 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 193 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. That ranks 5th out of 17 Crown Victoria model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (99 complaints, 51%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 2 fires, 10 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 7 defect investigations involving it.

Ford Crown Victoria
2003-2007 Ford Crown Victoria photographed in College Park, Maryland , USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2005 Ford Crown Victoria problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Exterior Lighting99 · ~80,000 mi
Steering36 · ~99,601 mi
Electrical System21 · ~82,500 mi
Power Train14 · ~52,781 mi
Vehicle Speed Control11 · ~33,000 mi
Engine8 · ~104,000 mi
Seat Belts7 · ~29,000 mi
Air Bags6 · ~96,500 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline5 · ~45,820 mi
Suspension5 · ~88,208 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Exterior Lighting problems9951%80,000“control module” (39%)—
Steering3619%99,601——
Electrical System2111%82,500——
Power Train147%52,781——
Vehicle Speed Control116%33,000——
Engine84%104,000——
Seat Belts74%29,000——
Air Bags63%96,500——
Fuel System, Gasoline53%45,820——
Suspension53%88,208——
Visibility53%60,820——
Structure42%———
Engine and Engine Cooling32%48,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic32%3,500——
Fuel/propulsion System21%102,178——
Service Brakes21%88,000——
Tires21%40,000——
Wheels21%116,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2013, with 24 complaints
2005: 6200562006: 992007: 7200772008: 662009: 162009162010: 15152011: 212011212012: 22222013: 242013242014: 15152015: 122015122016: 992017: 102017102018: 332019: 6201962020: 332021: 1202112022: 332023: 4202342026: 11

n = 193 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2005 Ford Crown Victoria recalls (5)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:headlightsDec 22, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V861000 · 296,004 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured October 3, 2001, to August 2, 2005. The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights.

Risk: A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the LCM, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S39.

Steering:rack and pinion:pinion shaftNov 5, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V704000 · 36,888 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed.

Risk: Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.

SteeringAug 29, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V385000 · 355,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate.

Risk: If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If the steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.

Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cablesNov 9, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V518000 · 98,836 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the battery cable includes a fusible link that may contact and subsequently chafe on a #2 cross member attaching bolt.

Risk: This condition may result in heat damage and could lead to a fire.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the fusible link and position it away from the cross member bolt. If the fusible link has already chafed and copper wires have been exposed, the fusible link will be replaced. The recall began on november 18, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673, or lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140.

Electrical system:wiring:interior/under dashMay 9, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V206000 · 132,800 vehicles

Problem: On certain police interceptors (cvpi) and commercial heavy duty (taxi) vehicles, at extremely high operating temperatures, the sound insulating panel, located under the vehicle positioned between the exhaust system and the underbody, could sag and possibly contact the surface of the catalytic converter.

Risk: If this occurs, the insulator might experience charring of the outer layer, burning odor, or smoke which may ultimately result in a fire.

Fix: Dealers will remove the existing dash insulator and install a revised design insulator pad free of charge. The recall began on june 3, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Loss of headlights (PE15028) — opened Aug 10, 2015, closed Jan 8, 2016, led to recall 15V861000.
  • Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting (DP15002) — opened Apr 1, 2015, closed Aug 11, 2015.
  • Steering Column Shaft Obstruction (PE14021) — opened Jul 7, 2014, closed Nov 21, 2014.
  • Loss of Steering Control (EA13004) — opened Apr 26, 2013, closed Nov 15, 2013, led to recall 13V385000.
  • Loss of Steering Control (PE12025) — opened Sep 14, 2012, closed Apr 26, 2013.
  • Loss of headlight function (PE08066) — opened Nov 26, 2008, closed Mar 24, 2009.
  • Fracture of the steel wheel rim (RQ04007) — opened Aug 2, 2004, closed Dec 20, 2004.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that the headlights had become intermittently inoperable while driving at night. The contact personally replaced the fuses and undisclosed parts, per the information found online; however, the failure persisted. The odometer was…

Exterior Lighting · received Feb 25, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11720404

In October 2022 a mechanic successfully replaced a dark gray-colored "seat belt retractor assembly and buckle" on the passenger side of my Ford Crown Victoria in response to an Air Bag dashboard light Lamp Fault Code of "3-4" and a Diagnostic Trouble Code of "B2292" ("Restraint System Seatbelt…

Seat Belts · received Sep 22, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11546047

Safety recall for the LCM was repaired by lameroux Ford in Brookfield but the bypass was not preformed and the lcm is still acting up. Called and they want to charge me to look at the work they failed to do properly. Brought it to another mechanic who verified the LCM was not bypassed.

Exterior Lighting · received Aug 15, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11538603

Steering wheel hard to turn

Steering · received Jun 7, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11525761

Power steering went out when I was driving and barely avoided a collision. Light went out another time when I was driving.

Steering · received May 21, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11523122

Other Ford Crown Victoria years

← 2004 Crown Victoria · 2006 Crown Victoria →

See all Ford Crown Victoria problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owners most often report exterior lighting, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 99 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria?

Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Crown Victoria model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.