1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH SLOWING TO A STOP, STEAM WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP AND HOSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT FRACTURED AND THE CONTROL ARM DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR.

I BOUGHT A USED 1997 CROWN VIC IN 2005 AND I NOTICED COOLANT LEAKAGE ON JAN 16, 2005. THE LEAKAGE MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR, BUT IT WAS NOT OBVIOUS ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 98V322000 CONCERNING THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE.*AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FLASHING HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS AND THE TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONED. THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT PRIOR OCCURRENCES OR WARNING. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE LIGHTS WERE CONNECTED TO A LARGE CONTROL MODULE INSTEAD OF A SIMPLE FUSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK (11/17/05) THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SIGNAL LEVER AND PRESS ON THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH TO GET THEM TO WORK, BUT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS HAD TO BE HELD IN POSITION. *SC

DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. ON 6-12-05 THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE I40 WHEN HE SMELLED AN ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE CALLED THE HIGHWAY PATROL WHICH ARRANGED TO HAVE HIM TOWED TO BARSTOW. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN BECAUSE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL THE COOLANT WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. WHEN THE MECHANIC FROM CASTNERS AUTO SERVICE 214 SOUTH BRADFORD AVENUE, PLACENTIA, CA 92870 TELEPHONE # 714-528-1311 WAS REMOVING THE SPARK PLUGS HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ALUMINUM FLAKING ON THEM. THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION. HE REPLACED THE ENGINE AND ALL THE PARTS THAT WENT WITH IT ON 6-15-05 THROUGH 6-30-05. MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THE ENGINE THAN TO BUY A NEW ONE. THE REPLACED ENGINE WAS FORD MANUFACTURED. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS OF NOW. VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN OCTOBER 1996. *AK *NM

I OWN A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA AND WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY THE CAR OVERHEATED AND I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OF THE ROAD. AFTER TOWING TO MECHANIC HE IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A VERY COMMON ONE. THAT BEING THE PLASTIC ENGINE MANIFOLD THAT HAS BEEN A PART OF A FULLY COVERED WARRANTY/RECALL ITEM IF YOUR VEHICLE WAS A POLICE OR FLEET VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT COVERED TO THE PRIVATE CAR OWNER DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. WHO WOULD THINK SUCH A IMPORTANT COMPONENT MAKE OF PLASTIC WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO ANY CAR OWNER. *NM

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT LOSS AND ENGINE OVERHEATING. REPAIR BILL WAS $721.55. REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD IS A RE-DESIGNED, TWO COMPONENT PALSTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD/METAL CROSS-OVER COOLANT TUBE. CONTACTED FORD FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT FORD REFUSED. WROTE NUMEROUS LETTERS AND EMAILS TO FORD BUT FORD REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY ENGINEERING. I STILL HAVE THE DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS SORRY EXCUSE OF "FORD QUALITY". WHAT A JOKE.

1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA W/61,705 MILES WAS MAKING A STRANGE SOUND. THINKING IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKES, I TOOK IT TO A SERVICE CENTER. WHILE THEY WERE TESTING IT SMOKE STARTED POURED OUT OF THE HOOD. THE RESULT INDICATED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC' MANIFOLD WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED W/A FORD PART THAT WAS A METAL PART. I UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A RECALL THAT ONLY INCLUDED POLICE OR FLEET CARS. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME RECOURSE TOWARD THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THIS CAR HAD ONLY 61,705 MILES ON IT. WHO WOULD THINK A PLASTIC MANIFOLD WOULD HOLD UP AT ALL? NOT ME CERTAINLY. *AK

CAR WAS RUNNING NORMALLY WHEN I GRADUALLY STARTED TO SMELL COOLANT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I LOOKED AND SAW COOLANT LEAKING FROM AROUND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. I WENT AND REPLACED THE GASKET FOR THE THERMOSTAT AND ADDED SILICONE. THE COOLANT THAN STARTED TO LEAK EVEN WORSE. I LOOKED AT THE MANIFOLD AND IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK ON THE HOUSING. I FOUND OUT THAT VIA THE INTERNET AND A PUBLIC WORKS TECH THAT THE PLASTIC MANIFOLDS WERE DEFECTIVE. I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS OUT OF THEIR 7 YEAR WARRANTY. THEY SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. A KIT COSTS AROUND $589 AND CHEVRON QUOTED PARTS AND LABOR AT $1,050.*AK