NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 193 owner complaints for the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. Most complaints involve exterior lighting (99) and steering (36). The EPA rates it 16–19 mpg combined.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured October 3, 2001, to August 2, 2005. The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights.
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.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Crown Victoria model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 294 |
| 1997 | 304 |
| 1998 | 134 |
| 1999 | 159 |
| 2000 | 137 |
| 2001 | 84 |
| 2002 | 101 |
| 2003 | 289 |
| 2004 | 137 |
| 2005 | 193 |
| 2006 | 53 |
| 2007 | 50 |
| 2008 | 50 |
| 2009 | 44 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 24 |
“The contact owns a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that the headlights had become intermittently inoperable while driving at night. The contact personally replaced the fuses and undisclosed parts, per the information found online; however, the failure persisted. The odometer was inoperable. The dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle had been previously repaired for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed, but assistance was denied. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.”
“DESPITE HAVING SUBJECT VEHICLE SERVICED BY A DEALERSHIP UNDER RECALL 13V385, THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT DEVELOPED A CORROSION DEFECT AFTER FOUR YEARS WHEREIN IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE AT LOWER SPEEDS AND A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WAS AUDIBLE FROM WITHIN THE CABIN EVERY TIME THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL PASSED THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION. OWNER INVESTIGATED: UPPER UNIVERSAL JOINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE, SHIFTING OUT OF PLACE APPROXIMATELY 3/16THS OF AN INCH WHEN STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION BEFORE SLAMMING BACK INTO PLACE CAUSING A LOUD 'CLICK' WHICH REVERBERATED INTO THE CABIN THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN AND SOUNDING MUCH WORSE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RECALL SERVICING DEALERSHIP; RECALL 13V385 WAS ONLY WARRANTIED FOR 3 MONTHS OR 5000 KILOMETRES (3125 MILES). OWNER WAS CHARGED $888.31 CAD ($675.95 USD) FOR REPAIRS ON A RECALL PART EXPERIENCING THE SAME CONDITIONS FOR WHICH THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. OWNER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLED PARTS EXPERIENCING RECALL CONDITIONS, WAS ADVISED OF THE RECALL WARRANTY AND THAT PAID SERVICE RESULTS IN 2-YEAR,…”
“Safety Recall 19S35b Processor Lighting cont was done on 3/22/2021on my working part. The original module was working fine. Now the new light module is faulty. Dealership took out part and tested it. Determined that is was faulty causing my lights to fail. Dealership and Ford has denied covering a replacement of the failed part. It would seem that the part should be still covered since it is a part that was part of a recall.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Victoria Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 23 | 19 | $3,300 | 468 |
| Crown Victoria Police Auto 4-spd, 8 cyl, 4.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 20 | 16 | $3,900 | 555 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
6 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 193 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are exterior lighting (99), steering (36), electrical system (21). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria at 16–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).