Most common 2002 Ford Crown Victoria problems
Share of the 58 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Crown Victoria complaints by model year
Best Crown Victoria years: 2010, 2011, 2006. Years to avoid: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 1999. Compare all years →
2002 Ford Crown Victoria recalls (2)
Fuel system, other › Storage › Tank assembly
On certain natural gas vehicles, if a flame from a vehicle interior fire becomes locally directed at the natural gas fuel tank located immediately behind the rear seat, the flame could damage the fiberglass wrap on the tank weakening the tank.
Remedy: Dealers will install an insulator behind the current seat back. Owner notification began on January 7, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Fuel system, other › Storage › Tank assembly
On certain natural gas model vehicles, a t-fitting that connects fuel tanks #3 and #4 can develop a leak when the solenoid valves are energized, such as when the ignition switch is in the on position or during refueling.
Remedy: Dealers will install a redesigned "t" fitting on #4 fuel tank and tested for leakage. Owner notification began September 13, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria:
Cng tank exploding in a fire
An explosion of a compressed natural gas (cng) tank should not be able to occur, as the tank is fitted with a pressure relief device (prd). This prd should release the cng in the tank, prior to the pressure reaching the tank burst pressure.the prd did not release in the subject wisconsin police cruiser explosion.NHTSA has recovered the prd valve from the tank that exploded and testing will be necessary to establish…
Cng tank explosion
In September 2002, a fuel cylinder in a natural gas powered vehicle (ngv) exploded during a fire.Ford and vrtc test engineers jointly examined the incident vehicle and reviewed testing to determine whether the performance of the pressure relief valve (prd) was proper.the purpose of a prd is to protect a compressed natural gas tank from overpressure by allowing the cng to vent when the temperature reaches a specific…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2002 Ford Crown Victoria owners say
Electrical system
I had driven up a steep mountain dirt road to serve some legal papers, after reaching the top, I continued down the other side to the address I was looking for. I thought I started smelling something burning, it smelled electrical. When I arrived at the address, I stopped the car and shut it off while I was speaking with the resident. My wife yelled at me that the car was on fire, it started filling up with smoke fast, my wife and dogs were still in the car. I opened the drivers door to pop the hood while my wife started getting the dogs out, I then noticed it was my floor that was burning, just about under the gas peddle, a hole had burned through and the metal was glowing red where the padding had burned away. I poured a cup of coffee to put the fire out while the resident got some water for me. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria. While driving approximately 45 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the turn signals and headlights failed to work, except when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact also noticed that the tail lights did not work and the dashboard was blacked out. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who was unable to schedule the vehicle for a diagnostic evaluation. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 38,000. Updated 10/06/16 ** updated 10/19/16
Fuel & propulsion system
The consumer was concerned with the gas tank problem with the 2002 Crown Victoria. The service manager told the consumer that the civilian vehicles, as opposed to the police and taxi models, were not of the same design thus not subject to the gas tank problem.
When starting the vehicle a noise was heard coming from the fuel tank area. Dealer found a leak in the neck of the fuel tank which leaked gasoline onto the tires, and the rear driver's side brakes. Also, fuel pump was faulty.
Engine & cooling
Driving down the roadway at 55 mph a spark plug in cylinder 2 blow out. The car started making a popping noise and started to lose power. After a while the car shut off. The car was able to restart and be driven home. Upon inspection by a mechanic they found the spark plug had came dislodged and shot out of the cylinder and caused damage to the cylinder head the ignition coil and fuel rail. A new Heli coil was installed. A year later while in Texas driving down the road around 35 mph car made a pop noise and shot a spark plug out of cylinder 5 cause the car to lose power and start smoking with a heavy smell of fuel. Car was stopped and inspected. Found a spark plug was blown out of cylinder 5 with damage to the ignition cylinder and fuel rail. repaired the heli coil and placed with new spark plug ignition coil and fuel rail. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria. While driving 35 MPH and proceeding to stop at a red light, the engine stalled and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart after numerous attempts. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the manifold was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,218.
2002 Ford Crown Victoria engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria a good car?
Based on 58 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Crown Victoria rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Crown Victoria at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria?
The electrical system — 9 complaints, 16% of all complaints for this model year, most often about wiring › front underhood. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (8) and engine & cooling (8).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, the most recent from November 6, 2003 (tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Crown Victoria?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2011 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005 and 1999. See the full Ford Crown Victoria years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Crown Victoria problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.