Transmission complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 | 9% | 37,000 miles |
| 2009 | 7 | 16% | 52,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 6% | 115,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 6% | 230,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 6% | 108,000 miles |
| 2005 | 14 | 7% | 53,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 4% | 49,000 miles |
| 2003 | 25 | 10% | 69,000 miles |
| 2002 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2001 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2000 | 3 | 4% | 39,000 miles |
| 1999 | 9 | 7% | 186,000 miles |
| 1998 | 8 | 7% | — |
| 1997 | 7 | 2% | — |
| 1996 | 11 | 4% | — |
| 1995 | 13 | 5% | 35,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
2004 Ford Crown vic police interceptor. Consumer writes in regards to several problems experienced with vehicle. The consumer stated shifting out of park was difficult, the brakes seemed squishy, the right front passenger window, the lights on the dashboard/speedometer were inoperable, and the water pump needed to be replaced. The turn signals, tail lights and brake lights were inoperable. Exhaust fumes entered the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that when the vehicle would not respond when shifted into reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised him that he would need to replace the transmission. The vehicle had not been repaired nor was the manufacturer contacted. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 51,600. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns 2008 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse while the transmission was shifted into reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the linkage. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Unmarked police Crown Victoria sedan traveling in left lane of 4-lane, grass median-separated highway with posted speed limit 55 MPH. Police officer driver deceased in crash. Witnesses report: after entering highway, vehicle accelerated to high rate of speed; in vicinity police median turnaround, police strobe lights went on; vehicle started wobbling and moving gradually to left in straight path. Event data recorder indicated brakes applied and vehicle slowed before colliding with concrete bridge underpass abutment. Small grass fire extinguished around front-end of vehicle. Cursory vehicle examination on 09/15/11 reports: airbag deployed, seat belt locked up due to impact, unable to check brake pedal, unable to check front brakes, and bad steering (no further details on condition steering parts).
My 2007 Crown Victoria has had a worsening unintended acceleration issue over the past year. When hitting hard bumps the car will suddenly begin revving my itself (normal RPM is 600 idling in drive and 800 idling in neutral) when this issue occurs it will sit around 1k rpm in drive (pushing against the brakes so I must hold them down very hard) and will shoot up to 2k rpm in neutral. when the issue is occurring it drives the car forward with no user input. this issue has been becoming more and more frequent with it happening up to 5 times in a 15 minute drive. It is very unsafe and has caused me to hit a parking pole before as I could not slow the car down fully.
This is a request for a monthly inspection(s) analysis, to determine recalls defects at the following locations: ntb, discount, Goodyear, firestones-all makes, brands, models. Please check for defects and inspect tire height, sizes, widths for technological and engineering defects.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle was sluggish. The contact applied more pressure to the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle unintendedly shifted into drive (D), accelerated, and struck the rear of a parked, unoccupied vehicle while blocking oncoming traffic. The contact stated that upon shifting into reverse (R) a second time and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle reversed, but the failure recurred, and the vehicle struck the rear of the unoccupied vehicle, pushing it into another parked and unoccupied vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. No injuries were reported. No Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then driven to AAMCO Transmissions, where the failure was confirmed, but the cause of the failure was not determined upon inspection. …
The car stalls when in motion and either pressing the gas pedal or releasing it. Driving on curves makes it more dangerous since the power steering in not working while the engine is off. The wrench light illuminates when it stalls and the code reads "throttle actuator control system is stuck closed".
NHTSA investigations
Rear axle fracture
This pe was opened after odi became aware of two allegations concerning rear axle fracture and partial wheel separation involving my 2003 Ford crown victoria police interceptors (cvpi).initially, the pe's scope involved all my 2003 grand marquis, crown victoria, and Lincoln town cars (I.e., panther platform) produced through January 2003.while gathering information about this issue, it became evident that the…
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Crown Victoria years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (25), 2005 (14), 1995 (13), 1996 (11) and 1999 (9) model years. Transmission complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Ford Crown Victoria transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for any Ford Crown Victoria model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Crown Victoria transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles; 42% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (34 mentions), followed by the axle assembly › axle shaft (10).
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.