1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Complaints

TL*-THE CONTACT TOOK THE 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR AN UNRELATED SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE CONTACT HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BOLTS IN THE STEERING SHAFT. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THEM. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 81,865.*AK THE DEALER ALSO REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE PITMAN ARM WAS REPLACED. UPDATE 5/4/07*TR

BURNING SMELL UNDER DASH)WHEN BRAKE PEDAL AND/OR DOOR WAS OPEN. EVENTUALLY, I COULDN'T START THE CAR AS THE 'BRAKE LIGHTS' WOULD NOT COME ON. I CALLED THE FORD DEALER IN A RAGE THAT THEY HAD IDIOT LIGHTS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE,. AND AS FAR AS I KNEW, HAND SIGNALS WERE STILL LEGAL, THEY TOLD ME TO TURN THE IGNITION 1 CLICK, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO START THE CAR. AFTER BRINGING THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED ELECTRICAL MECHANIC, HE STATED THAT FORD PUT THE SHORTEST, TIGHTEST WIRE CONNECTING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND AFTER CONSTANT APPLICATIONS THE WIRE SNAPPED. BUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN, THIS TIME A DIFFERENT CONNECTION WAS BAD AND ARCHING, CAUSING THE WIRES TO BURN. HOWEVER, DURING THIS TIME, THE DOME, COURTESY, AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON/OFF PERIODICALLY AND AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AS IF IT WAS POSSESSED. I FINALLY PULLED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS OUT SO IT WOULD NOT DRAIN THE BATTERY. THE LATEST EXPERIENCE WAS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SHUT OFF IN THE OPEN POSITION AND THE BLINKER LIGHTS WOULD GO ON/OFF, SOMETIMES JUST ABOUT ON OR FULLY LIT. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BLINKER/ARM UNIT WAS BAD. SINCE THAT WAS JUST REPLACED, I AM HOPING THAT UNIT WAS THE PROBLEM AND THERE WILL BE NO MORE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.*AK

I OWN A 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA WITH 79,514 MILES ON IT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO, I STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING HOT BUT NOT OVERHEATING AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A COOLANT LEAK. I IMMEDIATELY REPLACED THE RADIATOR HOSE. IT DID NOT HELP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND ASKED THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM BE PRESSURE TESTED FOR LEAKS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INCREASED TEMPERATURE OF THE ENGINE HAD CAUSED THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING TO CRACK AND IT WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED TO NEED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. I PARKED THE VEHICLE FOR THE NEXT 2 1/2 MONTHS. DUE TO FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR WHICH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $750 -850. NOW THAT I AM ABLE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS, A CALL TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER MADE ME AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE, HOWEVER SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PRODUCTION IN DECEMBER 1999, I HAD MISSED THE RECALL DEADLINE. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS. IN THAT TIME, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ON THE RECALL OR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY LOCAL FORD DEALERS AT WHICH TIME, I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THE FAULTY PART. I DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS FAIR. I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS FACTORY DEFECT, NOR WARRANTY EXTENSION TO HAVE IT REPLACED. IF I HAD BEEN AWARE, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE PART REPLACED. NOW, BECAUSE OF FAILURE BY THE MANUFACTURER TO INFORM THE CONSUMER OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND THE RECALL, I AM FORCED TO PAY TO HAVE THIS DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED. THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED EXPENSE THAT WILL DEFINITELY CAUSE A STRAIN ON MY FAMILY FINANCES. NOT ONLY THAT, UPON CALLING TO GET THE PRICE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, I WAS INFORMED THAT I MISSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DEADLINE FOR MY VEHICLE (DECEMBER 2005). I DO NOT THINK THIS IS FAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I CAN PURSUE ACTION TO HAVE MY EXPENSES REIMBURSED AND IF NOT, HOW CAN I PURSUE LEGAL ACTION. RESPECTFULLY, OTHA FARRIS, JR. *NM

BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I COMPLAINED WHEN OUR CROWN VICTORIA WAS NEW AND ONWARD ABOUT THE FRONT DOORS WERE OPENED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE NOT HOLDING OPEN AND SNAPPING BACK ON THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER TRYING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. FORD DID NOTHING ABOUT THIS, AND IGNORED THIS PROBLEM. EVEN WHEN WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, WE TOLD THE ATTENDANT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND STILL NOTHING WAS DONE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WHEN SOMEONE PUTS THERE FOOT OUT TO EXIT A VEHICLE, THEY DON'T EXPECT THE DOOR TO SNAP BACK ONTO THEM. I'VE HAD MY LEG CLIPPED NUMEROUS TIMES, BESIDES MY EAR AND HEAD WHEN THE DOOR DOESN'T HOLD OPEN. I THINK FORD SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS EARLY ON, INSTEAD OF DENYING THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE WARRANTY WAS OUT OF DATE. WE TOLD FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM DOORS EVEN ON THE NEW OWNERS REQUESTED REVIEW OF OUR NEW AUTO. THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED FROM THE FIRST TIME WE PURCHASED THIS 1999 CV ON TO THIS PRESENT DAY. FORD, WHAT SAY YOU!!! *NM

I BEGAN NOTICING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 CROWN VICTORIA IN EARLY 2005. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND IT KEPT USING A LOT OF COOLANT. A FORD TECHNICIAN TOLD ME DURING A RECENT REPAIR THAT IT NEEDED ANOTHER "INTAKE MANIFOLD" AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME $800 TO FIX IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND I WAS TOLD NO. THE OTHER NIGHT I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-35 HEADED TOWARDS DALLAS WHEN THE HIGH TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED GOING OFF. I SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER AND WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, THERE WAS COOLANT SPRAYING FROM THE FRONT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD (NEAR THE THERMOSTAT). I WAS ABLE TO COOL THE CAR DOWN BY PUTTING WATER IN THE RADIATOR. HOWEVER, I HAD TO DO THIS EVERY COUPLE OF MILES BECAUSE THE WATER KEPT SHOOTING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. I FINALLY GOT TO A WELL LIT AREA AND WAS ABLE TO ISOLATE THE LEAK. THERE IS A GASH IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES LONG. I JUST CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR SOLUTIONS TO MY PROBLEM AND I FOUND OUT THAT FORD WAS SUED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS. IT TURNS OUT, MY VEHICLE IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT WAS COVERED IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT. (AND, IT WAS COVERED WHEN FORD TOLD ME IT WASN'T!!!) SO I CALLED FORD TO HAVE THEM COME PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND REPAIR IT. NOW THEY TELL ME I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF!? COULD SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME? I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT FORD ALREADY KNOWS IS A DEFECTIVE PART. I MEAN, WHO WOULD MAKE ENGINE PARTS OUT OF PLASTIC ANYWAY? I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME BUT IF YOU CAN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I HAVE TAKEN THE REST OF THE WEEK OFF WORK SO I CAN TRY TO RESOLVE THIS. THANK YOU. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT TIE RODS WERE LOOSE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL CHANGE PERFORMED AT THE SERVICE DEALER ON 08/16/04 WHO NOTICED THE RIGHT TIE ROD WAS LOOSE. THE RIGHT TIE ROD WAS REPLACED, AND THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH THE LEFT TIE ROD TWO YEARS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK

HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS AND ALL INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS FLASH OFF FOR PERIODS OF UP TO 30-45 SECONDS AT A TIME WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AT SUBSTANTIAL COST. LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED TWICE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AT ANY SPEED. FORD IS NON COOPERATIVE. I AM A POLICE OFFICER, THIS IS A PERSONALLY OWNED POLICE INTERCEPTOR VEHICLE. *NM

THE HEADLIGHT COVERS ON FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S (1999 TO PRESENT) ARE OF A PLASTIC MATERIAL THAT DEVELOPS A FILM OVER TIME THAT SEVERELY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT IS PUT OUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, BUT WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE PULLING UP TO A STOP LIGHT AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ONLY AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED A SOLENOID, BUT IT WAS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE SOLENOID WAS IN THE ENGINE OR BRAKE SYSTEM. THE DEALER ONLY REPLACED THE SOLENOID IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, BUT OFFERED NO GUARANTEE THE SOLENOID WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE PULLING INTO THE GARAGE AT 2 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL. AGAIN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. *AK

LTR FWD FROM CONSUMER RE DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH FOR A 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. *TS THE FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH WOULD CUT OFF EVERY 10,000 TO 12,000 MILES FOR NO REASON. THE CONSUEMR WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURED AND LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURED. *NM