Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Crown Victoria submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
HAD MY CAR SINCE 2014 I WORKED HARD TO BUY IT. IT DROVE PRETTY DECIDE UNTILL ELECTRIC PROBLEMS STARTED TO OCCUR. THEN MY PASSANGER SIDE WHEEL FOLDED IN WHILE OPERATING WITH MY KIDS LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION IM JUST A HARD WORKING FATHER TRYING TO PROVIDE A SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR MY FAMILY
I WAS A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC AND WENT TO SCHOOL FOR IT ALSO WITH OVER TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD ! THIS IS THE STORY I DECIDED TO REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS WITH UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND WHEEL BEARING HUB ASSEMBLY'S ALL AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID A VEHICLE BREAKDOWN LIKE WHAT JUST HAPPENED ! THE CAR HAD ABOUT 54000 MILES ON IT WHEN I DID THIS WITH ME KNOWING THESE PARTS WERE ABOUT TO GO OUT DUE TO WEAR BEFORE 75000 MILES AT THE LATEST FROM EXPERIENCE ON AVERAGE ! BUT THIS IS THE COMPLAINT AND CONCERN ! MY LOWER PASSENGER FRONT BALL JOINT SEPARATED AT ABOUT 84000 MILES ON THE CAR WHICH IS ONLY THIRTY THOUSAND MILES OF LIFE ON THIS BALL JOINT ! NOT REASSURING AT THE LEAST ! EVEN UNDER EXTREME DRIVING I HAVE FOUND BALL JOINTS TO LAST AT LEAST 50000 MILES BEFORE GOING BAD ! THE BALL JOINT IS A DRIVE WORKS BRAND PART #DW-K8685 ADVANCE AUTO PARTS BRAND BUT HERE IS THE STRANGE PART THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO MAKES THEIR PARTS EVEN WHEN YOU CALL THEIR 1-800 # ARE THESE PARTS TESTED OR BUILT TO FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS THESE BALL JOINTS IF THEY SEPARATE ON THE FREEWAY CAN KILL PEOPLE THIS IS A SERIOUS SUBJECT ! I WAS BLESSED THIS BALL JOINT SEPARATED AT ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR ! CAN THEY BE TESTED OR RECALLED ! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE CHECK AIR SUSPENSION WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AIR SHOCKS WERE CONTINUOUSLY MAKING THE VEHICLE JERK VIOLENTLY AND THE LAST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND AS A RESULT, AN AIR SHOCK KIT NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V322000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE DRIFTED FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND HE HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARM. HOWEVER, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR HIS VIN. UPDATED 03/07/12
AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 98V322000, THE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE APART WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY TITLED AS A FLEET VEHICLE WHICH WAS PART OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO GET VEHICLE FIXED. IN FACT, THEY SAY THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS AT ALL ON MY VEHICLE WHEN IN FACT THERE ARE THAT I KNOW HAVE NOT BEEN FIXED. *TR
AS MY BOYFRIEND BACK MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVE ON APRIL 22, 2009 BETWEEN 8:30-9:00PM, THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FELL. IT APPEARED THAT THE SHOCKS GAVE OUT OR SOMETHING. THE ONLY PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE HAD WERE COIL ISSUES BUT WE GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF. THE FORD COMPANY CLAIMS THAT THE VEHICLE HAS NO RECALL ON IT BUT I HEAR FROM AUTOBUYGUIDE.COM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON DEC. 16, 1998 FOR THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION, FRONT, CONTROL ARM, LOWER BALL JOINT. THEN A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. I WANT MY CAR TO BE FIXED. I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND I NEED TRANSPORTATION. THIS A FACTORY DEFAULT, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY TO FIX THIS. CAN YOU ALL HELP ME? *TR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM RECALL 98V322000. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
DEALER REFUSES TO INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE IN THE RECALL, NTHSA#98V322000. *AK
VEHICLE IS HAVING SAME SYMPTOMS AS MENTIONED IN RECALL # 98V322000.DIFFERENTIAL IS ALSO MAKING NOISE, POSSIBLY LOSING FLUID. *AK
ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. *SLC
THE FRAMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLIES EXPERIENCED CRACKING. *SLC
THE FRAMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLIES EXPERIENCED CRACKING. *SLC
THE FRAMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLIES EXPERIENCED CRACKING. *SLC
THE FRAMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLIES EXPERIENCED CRACKING. *SLC
THE FRAMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLIES EXPERIENCED CRACKING. *SLC
POLICE PACKAGE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING TRAILING ARM WHICH WAS SECURED BY A BRACKET AND LINK TO AXLE/TO FRAME, DETACHED WHICH CAUSED REAR AXLE TO DROP.IT MAY HAVE CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE START, EITHER FORWARD OR REVERSE, THERE IS A POPPING NOISE IN THE DRIVESHAFT AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, RECALL WORK FOR BALL JOINTS WAS DONE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
SUSPENSION MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURINING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE. YH
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .