1991 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 1991 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
- Airbags1116.9%
- Electrical1015.4%
- Driver assistance710.8%
- Engine710.8%
- Transmission69.2%
- Tires & wheels57.7%
- Fuel system46.2%
- Steering34.6%
- Body & structure34.6%
- Seat belts23.1%
- Brakes23.1%
- Heating & air conditioning23.1%
- Suspension11.5%
- Other / unspecified11.5%
- Exterior lighting11.5%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR HAS STARTED TO STALL REPEATEDLY AT IDLE OR NEAR IDLE SPEEDS BUT NOT CONSISTANTLY, OTHERWISE RUNS FINE. AIRBAG LIGHT ALSO BLINKS ON AND OFF 9 TIMES STOPS AND RE STARTS BLINKS CONSISTANTLY, WORKS?*AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALTERNATOR PLUG SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED A HIGH POTENTIONAL OVERLOAD THAT CAUGHT THE ALTERNATOR ON FIRE. THE SHORT DID NOT TRIP ANY FUSE IN VEHICLE. FIRE WAS VERY INTENSE. THE FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD TO ADJACENT COMPONENT AND MELTED PLUG WIRES, WIRE HARNESSES. FIRE ALSO DAMAGED HOOD AND RIGHT FRONT FENDER. THE FIRE WAS QUICKLY SPREADING WHEN HELP ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. AND YET NO FUSE EVER TRIPPED TO ENGINE ELECTRICAL TO STOP SHORT!
WHILE DRIVING AROUND CORNERS OR SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE WOULD STALL, DEALER CONTACTED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT OWNERS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONED IGNITION.*AK *SLC
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STOP, THE GEARSHIFT WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, BOUNCED OVER A HIGH CURB, AND WAS FISHTAILING. THE CONTACT ESTIMATED THE SPEED TO HAVE REACHED 70 MPH BEFORE THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE PEDAL HAD SEIZED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - *NM
ENGINE SURGES TO 3000 RPMS DURING IDLING FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS, THEN GOES BACK DOWN. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
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
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THE CONSUMER SMELLED A HEAVY SCENT OF OIL BURNING. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING AT A HIGH RATE. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION GEARS WOULD NOT GO INTO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BUSHING WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. HOWEVER, THE BUSHING SHOULD BE MADE FROM METAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED. *AK WHEN THE CABLE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CLUTCH WOULD OCCUR. (LOCKING UP THE HIGHER TWO GEARS, WITHOUT THE LOCK UP ONLY THE FIRST AND SECOND GEAR WOULD WORK) *SCC *JB
WHEN MAKING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS. DEALER HAS REPLACED IDLE SENSOR, HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.*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
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THE CONSUMER SMELLED A HEAVY SCENT OF OIL BURNING. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING AT A HIGH RATE. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION GEARS WOULD NOT GO INTO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BUSHING WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. HOWEVER, THE BUSHING SHOULD BE MADE FROM METAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED. *AK WHEN THE CABLE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CLUTCH WOULD OCCUR. (LOCKING UP THE HIGHER TWO GEARS, WITHOUT THE LOCK UP ONLY THE FIRST AND SECOND GEAR WOULD WORK) *SCC *JB
WHEN GEAR INDICATOR IS PUT INTO DRIVE THE GEAR SHIFT WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 1ST GEAR. DEALER REPLACED CABLE LINKAGE AND PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AGAIN. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
YOUR SELECTION OPTIONS DO NOT HAVE THE YEAR OF THE CAR, MAKE, MODEL, TIRE SIZE OR TIRE MODEL SO I FILLED SOMETHING IN TO ALLOW ME TO GO FURTHER ON YOUR OPTIONS RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT ON MY 1938 STUDEBAKER STATE COMMANDER. I WAS DOING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MILES PER HOUR. I DID NOT HIT ANY POT HOLES OR GET A PUNCTURE. THE INSIDE CORD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND SHREDDED THE INNER TUBE. I CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, MCCREARY TIRE & RUBBER BUT HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THEM. THIS IS A GENERAL TIRE BRAND AND THE JET AIR MODEL. THE TIRE NUMBER IS CYWMC4D82211. THE TIRE SIZE IS 6.00 X 16. I REALIZE THE TIRE IS SIX YEARS OLD BUT IT ONLY HAS 2000 MILES ON IT AND I AM WORRIED THE OTHER TIRES ON THE CAR CAN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN TOO THEM. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A DEFECT ON A SINGLE TIRE OR IS THIS A MFG RUN PROBLEM? THREE POLICE OFFICERS PULLED UP BEHIND ME PUT ON THERE SAFETY LIGHTS AND THEN CHANGED THE TIRE FOR ME. I'M A 71 YEAR OLD DISABLED VET.
THE CONSUMER NOTICED AN INDENTION IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE SPARE TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE WAS DAMAGED ON THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE JACK POLE. *SCC *JB
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
FLUIDS ALL OK, FUEL PUMP/FILTER REPLACED, DISTRIBUTOR, STARTER, & ALT REPLACED
FUEL FEEDER CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSE LOSS OF POWER. TT
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
POWER STEERING FAILED. *SD
DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 3 MPH, STEERING BROKE OFF, AND NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE, TO STOP BY HITTING BRAKES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE MANUFACTURER, FORD MOTORS, ADMITS THAT THE PAINT ON ITS 1991 CROWN VICTORIA IS DEFECTIVE, BUT IT OFFERS NO REPAIR OR COMPENSATION FOR THE PROBLEM. IT IS A COSTLY REPAIR TO HAVE THE CAR PROPERLY REPAINTED AND I WOULD LIKE FORD MOTORS TO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY.
POWER STEERING FAILED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS FLASHING CONSTANTLY. THE OWNERS MANUAL MAKES REFERENCE TO AN INDICATOR THAT IS NOT ON WHEN IT SHOULD BE, OR AN INDICATOR THAT IS CONSTANTLY ON. IN THIS CASE, THE INDICATOR IS FLASHING IN CYCLES; 9 TIMES IN SUCCESSION , A PAUSE, THEN 9 TIMES, A PAUSE, ETC., ETC, ETC. THIS OCCURS WHEN DRIVING THE CAR.
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT CAME OUT OF THE BUCKLE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ABS: BRAKE PEDAL HAS FEELING OF RUBBING STEEL ON STEEL; PEDAL SEEMS TO ACT NORMAL; BOOSTER SPURTING BRAKE FLUID TOO QUICKLY. TT
EMERGENCY BRAKE POPS OFTEN, POPS OFF. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
IGNITION SWITCH STICKS IN HOT WEATHER.
POWER STEERING FAILED. *SD
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
BALL JOINTS FAILED, RECALL NOTICE NOT RECIEVED.
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
WHEELS CORRODE AND WILL NOT HOLD AIR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
POWER STEERING FAILED. *SD
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 .