Problems · by component
1998 Ford Crown Victoria engine and engine cooling problems
30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Crown Victoria cite engine and engine cooling, 22% of all 134 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
30
22% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/05/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED CAR OVERHEATING DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD, HAD TO REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLD. VIN FAILURE UPDATED 7/3/18*JB *TR”
“MY INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR MY THERMOSTAT IS COMPLETELY BROKEN WHEN I LOOKED UP ONLINE TO SEE HOW MUCH THE PART WOULD COST ME TO HAVE FIXED IT SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART BECAUSE IN BETWEEN THE YEARS 1997-2006 FORD USED GENERIC PLASTIC TO MAKE THE PART I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR OFF A GUY LIKE 6 MONTHS AGO SO IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE I HAD NO IDEA TILL IT BROKE ON ME AND I LOOKED IT UP I CALLED A FEW FORD DEALERSHIPS AND ALSO THE MAIN FORD HEADQUARTERS IN DETROIT AND EVERYONE'S GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND AND TELLING ME THERE WERE NEVER ANY RECALLS ON MY CAR AND THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED MEANWHILE ITS THERE FAULT FOR PUTTING THE WRONG PART IN THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE I NEED YOUR HELP GETTING THESE PEOPLE TO FIX MY CAR PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX] OR IF I CAN'T BE REACHED ON THAT NUMBER [XXX] THANK YOU. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION AND WAS ADVISED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 114,000.”
“I OWN A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA WITH A V-8 (4.6 ) THAT HAS A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS CRACKED AND LEAKING COOLANT . IT IS UNREPAIRABLE AND MUST BE REPLACED . THIS PLASTIC SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN USED AND INTAKE MANIFOLDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO FAIL LIKE THIS AND THEY SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED . *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A SAFETY RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. ALL OF THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE RESERVOIR. THE COPPER TUBING CONNECTED TO THE INTAKE THAT WENT TO THE RESERVOIR FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN STEAMING. THE PURCHASE DATE, POWERTRAIN, AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,078 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. UPDATED 03-25-08 *BF UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR”
“INTAKE MANIFOLD THERMOSTAT HOUSING ( OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL) ON A 1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA LX ENGINE, CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AT A COST OF $1055.18. FORD PROVIDED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT TO "COMMERCIAL" USERS (POLICE, TAXIS ETC.), HOWEVER FORD DID NOT EXTEND THIS COVERAGE TO INDIVIDUAL OWNERS OF CARS BEYOND THE 1997 MODEL YEAR FORD CROWN VICTORIA LX. *JB”
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.