1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH LOWER BALL JOINTS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING FAILED, AND THE FRONT END COLLAPSED. *AK

CATASTOPHIC COOLING FAILURE. INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED FOR $900. MECHANIC NOTED THAT THIS WAS COMMON ON FORD CROWN VICS WITH DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS (THEY NOW USE METAL). UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN RECALLED IN CROWN VIC TAXIS AND POLICE CARS, BUT NOT IN OTHER CROWN VICS. WHY NOT? WON'T BUY A FORD AGAIN. FORD OWES ME FOR THE COST OF THE FAILURE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DESCENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WORE OUT, CAUSING MASTER CYLINDER TO LOSE BRAKE FLUID.*AK

(1) WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING EXPLODED AND IT GOT SO HOT AND LOST ALL OF THE FLUIDS IN THE CAR. (2). WE HAD TO GET IT OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAVE IT TOWED INTO MCCOY MILLS FORD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND IT CRACKED AND THE CAR WAS BURNING HOT. IT COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CAUSED AND ACCIDENT. DEFECT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT WAS REPLACED , TOTAL EXPENSE - $1028.54. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT FREE, BUT I FEEL FORD SHOULD HAVE TO REFUND ME FOR FIXING IT, SINCE IT WAS A DEFECT AND MADE FROM PLASTIC. I DIDN'T THINK TO ASK FOR OLD PARTS. THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME IT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THAT THEY WERE USING METAL NOW. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF THE POLICE CARS, THE CROWN VICTORIA'S, HAVE DONE THE VERY SAME THING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF A LAWSUIT HAS BEEN STARTED AGAINST FORD, IF SO, I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING MY WIFE'S 1997 FORD CROWN VIC AT APPROX 55 MPH THE HOOD FLEW OPEN. THE LATCH SEPARATED FROM THE HOOD. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE CAR AND OUR NERVES. I WILL HAVE IT REPAIRED AT A LOCAL BODY SHOP THIS WEEK. *AK

WE WERE TRAVELING ON I-15 IN A REMOTE AREA OF UTAH. WHEN OUR CAR'S INTAKE MANIFOLD RUPTURED BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME AND LOST ALL OF THE COOLANT -STRANDING US. THE FAILURE OF THE MANIFOLD LED US TO BE TOWED TO BEAVER AND THEN FROM BEAVER TO ST. GEORGE UTAH. WE LEARNED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE 4.6 LITER AND IT HAPPEN QUITE FREQUENTLY. THEY WERE REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS. WE LEFT THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED AT THE ST. GEORGE FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO RENT ANOTHER CAR. ST GEORGE FORD TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PUT ON A NEW MANIFOLD WHICH WAS NOT ALL PLASTIC, BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME OFF SET THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. ST. GEORGE FORD SAID BECAUSE I HAD MORE THEN 75,000 MILES ON THE CAR, THAT THEY WOULDN'T HELP WITH THE EXPENSE OF THE $1093.00 REPAIR PLUS $ 347.00 TOWING FEE. I THINK A PART THAT IS THIS DEFECTIVE SHOULD BE A VOLUNTARY REPLACEMENT BY THE FORD COMPANY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THIS IS AN ALL PLASTIC PART THEY KNEW IT WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE RETOOLED AND MADE A CAST METAL REPLACEMENT. I THINK THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION AND IT ALSO LEAVES YOU STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY OR BACK COUNTRY WHERE WE LIVE. FORD ALSO TOLD ME THEY WERE REPLACING THE MANIFOLD ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS ON POLICE CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE 4.6 LITER ENGINE FOR UNLIMITED MILEAGE. *AK

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH, THE CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DESCENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. AFTERWARDS, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WORE OUT, CAUSING THE MASTER CYLINDER TO LOSE BRAKE FLUID. *AK RECALL#98I001000. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. BOTH BRAKE LINES OF THE REAR WHEELS WERE REPLACED, ONE WAS WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH AND THE OTHER WAS WORN BUT NOT COMPLETELY THROUGH. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING STEAM CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HOT. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND ANTI FREEZE LEAKED OUT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH A NEW REDESIGNED INTAKE MANIFOLD.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED AN UNKNOWN AROMA INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED, AND A TECHNICIAN DETERMINED INTAKE MANIFOLD AS THE CAUSE. *AK