1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM PLASTIC MANIFOLD, AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN.. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD. *AK

TIE-ROD ASSEMBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATED AND SEALED BY MANUFACTURED LEADING TO PREMATURE FAILURE. NLM

THE PLASTIC COOLANT CROSSOVER ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RUPTURED CAUSING MY WIFE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS HAVING A LOT OF THESE TO FAIL. THE NEW MANIFOLD IS MADE WITH METAL ON THE WATER CROSSOVER, THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE NEW MANIFOLD EVEN TOLD THE MECHANICS WHERE TO LOOK FOR A COOLANT LEAK. THIS WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT I BELIEVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD COVER AT LEAST PARTLY UNDER A RECALL. NLM

PLASTIC INTALE MANIFOLD WATER TUBES FAILED. CORY FORD BINGHAMTON, NY. PARTS DEPT RELATED THAT THIS IS A HIGH RATE FAILURE MODE. ON FORD & MERCURY "W" SETRIES ENGINES.RE-ENGINEERED REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD KIT COST APROX $500.00 KIT INCLUDES RE DESIGNED INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH ALUMINUM ENCAPSULATED TUBING , NEW GASKETS & NEW DESIGN ALTERNATOR BRACKET. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR OVER 1,000.00. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL IT IS A DESIGN ERROR. IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. WITH A HEART CONDITION I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THIS FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR IN A REMOTE AREA. THIS IS A FAILURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN INHERRANT DESIGN DEFICIENCY. ONE ONLY HAS TO COMPARE THE KIT TO THE OEM PART TO VERIFY THIS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUTTER, AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND THEY STATED INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THERE IS A RECALL 01 F 025 000 FOR SAME PROBLEM CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING LOWER BALL JOINTS BROKE ,AND CONSUMER COULD NO LONGER CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND THE DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK

FAINT SUDDEN NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (COOLANT CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT SLIPPAGE, I BELIEVE) AND THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. DUE TO ROUGHLY A 3 INCH CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLASTIC COMPOSITE WHICH DUMPED COOLANT INTO THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF BEFORE THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. BOTH THE DEALER, WHO IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR A QUICK AND EFFECTIVE REPAIR (MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE MECHANICS HAVE HAD A LOT PF PRACTICE WITH THIS REPAIR), AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY TELL ME THERE IS NO RELIEF FOR REPAIRS ON A CAR WITH MY VIN ALTHOUGH THE REPLACEMENT PART IS CONSTRUCTED OF METAL AND COMPOSITE RATHER THAN COMPOSITE ALONE. I APPRECIATE THIS DESIGN CHANGE WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL WARD OFF ANOTHER SIMILAR FAILURE BUT DOESN'T CHANGING THE DESIGN RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS A WEAKNESS? ON THIS SAME WEB-SITE I READ THAT SOME FORD FLEET VEHICLES WERE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. CONCERNING SAFETY, THE ONLY ISSUE THIS SENIOR CITIZEN FACED WAS THE STRESS OF WALKING FOUR TENTHS OF A MILE IN THE JUNE HEAT AND HUMIDITY TO CALL FOR HELP AND IN PAYING THE TOW AND REPAIR EXPENSE. ONE IS NOT SURPRISED OR GREATLY UPSET WHEN THE ALTERNATOR WEARS OUT - BUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD? WHAT KIND OF STRESS TESTING DID THIS NON-MOVING PART GET WHEN APPROVED FOR PRODUCTION?*AK

LOSS OF COOLANT IS DUE TO A CRACKED ENGINE MANIFOLD. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE THAT A CRACK IS LIKELY IN THE PLASTIC FRONT COOLANT CROSSOVER ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY (4.6L ENGINES). THIS IS LISTED AS A FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN DATED 02-02-02 AND AS A FORD SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE #10379. WHEN THE CRACK OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE, IT STRANDED MY WIFE AND I IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES ON A HOT SUNDAY AFTERNOON. TOTAL COSTS INCURRED WERE OVER $1,000 OF WHICH MAROONE FORD CHARGED ME $773.75 TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE REPLACEMENT CROSSOVER IS MADE OF METAL, NOT PLASTIC. NOT ONLY WAS THIS A FINANCIAL LIABILITY, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ANYONE WHO INSPECTS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE TIME OF INITIAL TROUBLE SHOOTING WILL BECOME SEVERELY BURNED BY HOT COOLANT BOILING OUT OF THE CRACK OF THE PLASTIC CROSSOVER.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN MAKING A TURN THE BALL JOINTS AND THE BUSHING SQUEAK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM THERE IS A RECALL, 98V322, REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. *SLC