Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Crown Victoria owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dealer, who I had bought the car from and who had been servicing it, said bearing noise in r/r (mileage 44850). Repaired it for $694.57 dollars. Police and fleet crownvics were manufactured at the same time in the same plant in Canada and were recalled for wheel bearing and axle problems via Ford recall number 04s16. Dealer said recall only applied to fleet vehicles so I had to pay for the work. Ford customer relations simply sent me back to the dealer. Is there any possibility the l/r bearing/axle May fail? Shouldn't the dealer/Ford consider this vehicle as part of the original recall? You have a number of complaints similar to mine on your website under different headings such as axle assembly, suspension rear, power train, axle shaft for the same model, year of manufacture, place of manufacture and low mileage. Just what role does your organization have in these situations? …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. The differential on the vehicle is worn out. The rear bearings were worn and caused the axle to separate from the housing. While driving 45 MPH, the bearings began smoking and smelled like hot asphalt. Smoke also rose from the rear of the vehicle. The gear oil leaked out of the bearings and onto the brakes. The dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that permission was needed from the manufacturer because the vehicle was out of warranty. Afterwards, the dealer repaired the failure under recall number 04V328000 (suspension:rear). The differential failed six months later and the dealer currently refuses to work on the vehicle unless the contact pays for the repairs. The current mileage was 94,000 and failure mileage was 80,344.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH in rainy weather conditions, the vehicle started to hydroplane and jerk violently. The contact mentioned that she engaged the brakes and as a result, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wall. In addition, she stated that while inspecting the vehicle she noticed that the axle was fractured. A police report was filed. The contact sustained contusions to the head, neck and back. The vehicle was declared destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 76,729.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was a loud abnormal noise coming from the rear passengar side of the vehicle without warning. The failure recurred on several occasions while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V328000 (suspension). The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.
First taka take airbag on jan.1st 2008 I'm hit a deer and I'm had to replace my whole front even the hood the ,airbag light came on in fact it is still on but the bag did not deploy. The lights inside my truck stays on for 30 minutes and the alarm will not set after the vehicle is shut off. My suspension system on the passenger side sounds as if the brake caliber is loose when moving you can hear it when turning I took off the wheel, and I can not find the problem
Problem: the rear sway-bar and sway-bar housing are damaged. Apparently, the initial problem occurred in the sway-bar housing, causing excess stress on the sway-bar, causing the failure. The local dealer told me Ford is apparently re-manufacturing the parts because of "problems" with this model. The dealer was unsure if Ford was going to initiate a recall on this model. The vehicle is owned by the knox county sheriff's department, but it is assigned to me for permanent use. The vehicle is still under warranty and is (still) awaiting service at lance cunninham Ford in knoxville, tn. My concern is that this demonstrates yet another serious and potentially life-endangering defect with the Crown Victoria. …
Tl- the contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that the light control module failed. The contact was traveling down a mountain road when the light failed. The headlights and the high beam headlights were both inoperable. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was confirmed that the light control module failed and needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact stated that the rear axle bearing would exhibit a very loud noise when driving. The contact stated that there was a manufacturer's recall for both the rear axle and the headlights for the same year, make and model but only for those vehicles that were being utilized as police vehicles only. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 156,000. Kmj
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact noticed a roaring noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear axle needed to be replaced. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 04V328000 (suspension:rear) that May be related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included on any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. While driving 70 MPH, the rear of the vehicle began making a rumbling sound. The vehicle was serviced by a local mechanic and the passenger side axle bearing was replaced. A year and a half later, the vehicle began to make the rumbling sound again and it was returned to the local mechanic. The driver side bearing was replaced. The current mileage was 62,000 and failure mileage was 38,071. Updated 05/05/08 the consumer stated request reynolds Ford dealer to replace the defective parts and refund $500 expenses paid for the defective part. Updated 05/05/08
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. While driving 25 MPH or greater, the contact heard a rumbling noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. As of November 20, 2007, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a mechanic and he stated that the passenger side rear wheel bearing caused the failure. The mechanic replaced the rear axle, bearings, and oil seal. The dealer stated that his VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 04V328000 (suspension: rear). The failure mileage was 21,000 and current mileage was 36,289. Updated 12/07/07
Related recalls
Suspension › Rear
Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings, seals,and axle shafts. The recall began on July 15, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Suspension complaints in other Crown Victoria years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the suspension of the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, 11% of the model year's 249 complaints. The component named most often is rear (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Crown Victoria suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-328 (rear, Jul 7, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Crown Victoria suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.