Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Ford Crown Victoria problems

Owners filed 193 complaints about the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria with NHTSA between Mar 2005 and Feb 2026. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (99).

Complaints
193
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting99
  2. Steering36
  3. Electrical system21
  4. Power train14
  5. Vehicle speed control11
  6. Engine8
  7. Seat belts7
  8. Air bags6
  9. Suspension5
  10. Fuel system, gasoline5
  11. Visibility5
  12. Structure4
  13. Engine and engine cooling3
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20056
20069
20077
20086
200916
201015
201121
201222
201324
201415
201512
20169
201710
20183
20196
20203
20211
20223
20234
20240
20250
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Exterior lighting

99 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2026Exterior lightingODI 11720404

Steering

36 reports2 crashes2 related recalls
“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,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2020SteeringODI 11351501

Electrical system

21 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2022Electrical systemODI 11488668

Power train

14 reports1 crash
“LOSS OF ACCELERATION AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE, TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO "SLIP" WHEN TRYING TO PASS OR ACCELERATE HARD AT HIGHWAY SPEED HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2017Power train, EngineODI 11000031

Vehicle speed control

11 reports4 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION KEY HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2016Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 10846110

Engine

8 reports1 crash1 fire
“THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN EJECTING THEMSELVES FROM THE ENGINE, TAKING PART OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WITH THEM MAKING REPAIRS DANGEROUS AND COSTLY. SOMETIMES THE SPARK PLUG STAYS ATTACHED TO THE COIL, CAUSING FUEL VAPORS TO IGNOTE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY RIP THE COIL PACK AND BOOT OUT WITH THEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WITH MY LAST CROWN VICTORIA AND TWICE WITH MY CURRENT ONE. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, CAUSING A DRAMATIC LOSS OF POWER AND SOMETIMES A FIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 7, 2016EngineFire reportedODI 10854188
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.