1988 Ford Crown Victoria Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Ford Crown Victoria, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical1636.4%
- Seat belts613.6%
- Engine511.4%
- Driver assistance49.1%
- Steering36.8%
- Transmission36.8%
- Visibility24.5%
- Interior & seats24.5%
- Suspension12.3%
- Other / unspecified12.3%
- Fuel system12.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
1988 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 5.0 LITER 302 CUBIC INCH ENGINE (FUEL INJECTED). SECOND GENERATION (2G) ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TR
NHTSA# 96-V-071-000: THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDE DUE TO VIN# DEALER NOTIFIED. *TR
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
OWNER STATES THAT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS FAULTY AND THAT IT WONT LATCH, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT HE HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE OFTEN WITH THIS SEATBELT AND HE IS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. *AK
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHES WHILE DRIVING. *K
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE OIL PAN WAS CORRODING AND IN DANGER OF LEAKING, THE OIL PAN GASKET BLEW OUT AND WAS LEAKING OIL. *SLC
I HAVE REPLACED THE EGR VALVE ($77.29), TPS ($29.89), HAD A DIAGNOSTIC ($30.00), CAP/ROTOR/PLUGS/WIRES REPLACED ($72.29), NEW STARTER ($32.89), FUEL FILTER ($17.89), VACCUM TEST ($42.69), BATTERY CHARGE CHECK (FREE), ALTINATOR TEST (FREE) AND MY CAR STILL STALLS AND IS HARD TO START. PLEASE CONTATCT ME CONCERNING THIS MATTER. SOMETHING IS DEFENETLY GOING ON WITH MY VEHICLE. I HOPE A SAFETY MATTER CAN BE REVEALED BEFORE ANY GETS HURT OR KILLED. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR VEHICLES SAFE ON THE ROAD AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR ALMOST GOT ME KILLED. THE THROTTLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULDN'T LET UP. TO KEEP FROM CRASHING INTO OTHERS WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RUIN THE TRANSMISSION BEFORE THE CAR WOULD STOP.*AK
SPEED CONTROL - ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAVE EITHER STEPPED ON BRAKE OR PRESSED OFF SWITCH TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED BACK TO THE SETTING OF 65MPH. ONCE THIS HAPPENED IN A CONSTRUCTION AREA WITH A LARGE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - ON 10-27-1998, AFTER MY WIFE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK (IN OUR DRIVEWAY), THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK ON ROLLED INTO THE WOODS BEHIND THE HOUSE. MY WIFE WAS INJURED WHEN TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR TO STOP IT. SHE WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO THE GROUND BY THE CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BODY DAMAGE AND THE CATYLITIC CONVERTED WAS DAMAGED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
CONSUMER COMPLAINING OF STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP AT TIMES. ALSO THE WHEEL MUST BE ALIGNED TO REMOVE THE KEY. CONSUMER HAS TO MOVE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH IN ORDER TO GET THE WHEEL TO MOVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS, SLIPS. YH
SPEED CONTROL - ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAVE EITHER STEPPED ON BRAKE OR PRESSED OFF SWITCH TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED BACK TO THE SETTING OF 65MPH. ONCE THIS HAPPENED IN A CONSTRUCTION AREA WITH A LARGE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - ON 10-27-1998, AFTER MY WIFE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK (IN OUR DRIVEWAY), THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK ON ROLLED INTO THE WOODS BEHIND THE HOUSE. MY WIFE WAS INJURED WHEN TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR TO STOP IT. SHE WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO THE GROUND BY THE CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BODY DAMAGE AND THE CATYLITIC CONVERTED WAS DAMAGED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WATER: HEATER CORE LEAKED. *AK
THE HEATER FAN MOTOR SWITCH FAILED, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND A FIRE STARTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND ENGULED THE CAR IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCCRIBE. *AK
VEHICLE PARKED AND SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. POSSIBLY WIRING UNDER THE DASH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS, SLIPS. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I RAN OVER A PIECE OF STRUCTURAL STEEL ON THE FREEWAY AND WRECKED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND WHEEL. I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT REMOVE THE WHEEL LUG NUTS USING THE LUG WRENCH FURNISHED WITH THE CAR. I SUCCEEDED IN CHANGING THE TIRE BY USING THE BREAKER BAR INCLUDED WITH MY HALF INCH DRIVE SOCKET SET THAT I HAPPENED TO HAVE IN THE TRUNK. TWENTY YEARS LATER FORD WAS STILL FURNISHING WITH THEIR CARS SHORT ARM (EFFECTIVE LENGTH ABOUT 9 INCHES) LUG WRENCHES THAT COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE USED TO CHANGE A TIRE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED TO ITS CAPACITY OCCASIONALLY IT OVERFLOWS INTO THE HOSE INSIDE TRUNK AREA AND EXITS THROUGH THIS COMPARTMENT. NON- DRAINAGE OF FUEL. THIS ALLOW FUMES TO OVERCOME OCCUPANTS (CAUSING SICKNESS.) FINALE: RUPTURED HOSE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .