Ford Crown Victoria Steering Problems
Owners have filed 363 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Ford Crown Victoria across 17 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (99). The words owners use most often: “pitman arm” (18% of reports).
- 363steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 27mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 20%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.
- Pitman arm: mentioned in 64 of 363 complaints (18%)
- Steering shaft: mentioned in 59 of 363 complaints (16%)
- Found dislocated: mentioned in 20 of 363 complaints (6%)
- Please describe: mentioned in 19 of 363 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 183 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 363 complaints, 27 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 14 an injury.
Ford Crown Victoria steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Crown Victoria | 12 | 52% | 65,500 |
| 2010 Crown Victoria | 7 | 58% | 135,000 |
| 2009 Crown Victoria | 17 | 39% | 129,839 |
| 2008 Crown Victoria | 25 | 50% | 97,000 |
| 2007 Crown Victoria | 25 | 50% | 111,802 |
| 2006 Crown Victoria | 27 | 51% | 111,320 |
| 2005 Crown Victoria | 36 | 19% | 99,601 |
| 2004 Crown Victoria | 19 | 14% | 122,429 |
| 2003 Crown Victoria | 11 | 4% | 131,000 |
| 2002 Crown Victoria | 5 | 9% | 129,449 |
| 2001 Crown Victoria | 7 | 13% | 187,000 |
| 2000 Crown Victoria | 8 | 9% | 46,000 |
| 1999 Crown Victoria | 10 | 7% | 75,933 |
| 1998 Crown Victoria | 7 | 6% | 80,000 |
| 1997 Crown Victoria | 11 | 4% | 55,900 |
| 1996 Crown Victoria | 37 | 13% | 108,000 |
| 1995 Crown Victoria | 99 | 40% | 93,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Steering:rack and pinion:pinion shaft
Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
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.
Steering
Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
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.
Steering:linkages
Model years: 1995, 1996
Problem: The pitman arms were not fully lubricated at the assembly plant. The "ball joint" at the outer end of the pitman arm can become contaminated and corrode.
Risk: Such corrosion can result in abnormal wear of the joint, resulting in separation of the joint. Loss of steering control can occur increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and if the joint is found to have significant wear, the arm will be replaced. Those pitman arms not replaced will have the "ball joint" fully greased.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle was sluggish. The contact applied more pressure to the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle unintendedly shifted into drive (D), accelerated, and struck the rear of a parked, unoccupied vehicle…
The lower steering column bearing is coming apart Iâve called numerous dealers for them to tell me itâs not under recall but itâs a known issue and my car has only 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact became aware that the lower steering column bearing was detaching. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a visual inspection of the vehicle was performed under…
Lower intermediate steering shaft and upper intermediate steering shaft universal joints are binding, causing very unpredictable steering and the upper intermediate steering shaft to begin separating from the steering column. This is covered under recalls 13S08/13R01. The vehicle was inspected and…
I had this vehicle in for the recall in 2014 and according to the dealer repair the steering column was within limits not to complete the second half of recall 13s08 but a few weeks ago my steering shaft separated with no warning and i came to a rest in an intersection. I had the vehicle towed to a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Crown Victorias have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 363 owner complaints about steering for the Ford Crown Victoria. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Crown Victoria steering?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Ford Crown Victoria?
The most frequent phrase is “pitman arm”, in 64 of 363 complaints, followed by “steering shaft” (59).
Other Ford Crown Victoria problems
See all Ford Crown Victoria problems.