Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.
vehicle
1997 / ford / crown-victoria
known issues
6 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-20)
complaints
316 on file (1996-02-28 → 2023-04-07)
recalls
0
investigations
0
fars
62 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
Intake manifold cracking and coolant lossENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING83 complaints2001-04 → 2010-06crown-victoria-1997-intake-manifold-cracking
10192831 1997 FORD CROWN VIC TRAVELING EAST OF AUSTIN TX AT POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH RESULTED IN LOSS OF COOLANT , AND SUBSEQUENTLY MOTOR FUNCTION. TOWED TO AUTHORIZED LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN AUSTIN, AND WAS INFORMED BY TOW TRUCK DRIVER
10240063 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED STEAM NEAR THE ENGINE
756429 ENGINE HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. COOLING SYSTEM VERY CLEAN. SPONTANEOUS CRACK DEVELOPED IN PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CROOSOVER TUBE, DIRECTLY BEHIND ALTERNATOR. IMMEDIATE COOLANT LOSS THROUGH 3.5" CRACK. REPLACEMENT PART LOOKS IDENTICAL, NO VISIBLE IMPROVEMENT. FORD ADMITS TO FAULTY
Lower ball joint separation and front-end collapseSUSPENSION25 complaints2001-05 → 2023-04crown-victoria-1997-ball-joint-separation
10315545 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT
10081970 WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH LOWER BALL JOINTS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING FAILED, AND THE FRONT END COLLAPSED. *AK
8014084 WHILE DRIVING LOWER BALL JOINTS BROKE ,AND CONSUMER COULD NO LONGER CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND THE DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK
Brake line corrosion and fluid lossSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC25 complaints2001-05 → 2016-03crown-victoria-1997-brake-line-corrosion
10851721 HYDRAULIC LINE TO REAR BRAKE FAILED (RUPTURED) CAUSING IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDERNEATH DRIVER FRONT FLOOR PAN AT LOCATION OF INTEREST MENTIONED IN RECALL/"SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM". OWNER WAS NOT CONTACTED REGARDING NOTICE WHICH INCLUDES INSPECTION OF BRAKE LINES,
10366425 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH A POLICE INTERCEPTOR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED. SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT IT DID NOT STOP. WHEN THE VEHICLE DID STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
10237253 STEEL BRAKE LINE ON 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA RUSTED OUT. BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT MAKING THE BRAKES INOPERATIVE. HAD REPAIRS DONE AT LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Speed control deactivation switch fireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL19 complaints2002-03 → 2010-02crown-victoria-1997-cruise-control-fire
10226168 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AND WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE IS RELATED TO THE RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE AFTER THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD AN
10220790 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPAIRED THE HEATER CORE AND MANIFOLD, BUT NOW THERE IS AN OIL LEAK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE STATING THAT THE SPEED CONTROL COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT
10156328 DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A TREE WITHOUT WARNING. ALTHOUGH BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS, MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE
Steering linkage and gearbox failureSTEERING8 complaints2001-05 → 2015-11crown-victoria-1997-steering-failure
10795065 DRIVING EAST ON ALLEN STREET IN SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS STEERING CONTROL LOCKED UP RESULTING IN A CRASH WITH A GAS STATION PUMP POLICE CRASH REPORT ID 15-3725-AC CAR WAS TOTALLED OUT WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE NO NOISE WAS HEARD SECONDS BEFORE CRASH. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A
10595037 THE THREE BOLTS HOLDING THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO THE FRAME FAILED DUE TO CORROSION ALLOWING THE UNIT TO BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME LEADING TO A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *TR
10130359 DRIVER SIDE TIE-ROD SEPERATION '97 FORD EXPEDITION WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON HIGHWAY. LOSE OF STEERING CONTROL. SERIOUS ACCIDENT AVOIDED ONLY BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY BRAKING
Exterior lighting and lighting control module failureELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING8 complaints2004-08 → 2016-02crown-victoria-1997-exterior-lighting-failure
10836445 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLOCK, AND RADIO LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE
10669016 1997 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. VEHICLE HAS HAD REPAIRS DONE IN THE PAST AND STILL RECEIVES SAME PROBLEMS DUE TO RECALL. *TA THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHUT DOWN. A DIAGNOSE REVEALED A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. ONCE IT WAS REPLACED, THE CONSUMER DID
10494873 WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED AND WENT OUT. OVER THE PASS YEAR IT HAS INTERMITTENTLY DONE THE SAME. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND FORTUNATELY I HAD JUST STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. EACH TIME IT TOOK ABOUT 3 TO 5 MINUTES TO COME BACK ON. IT IS VERY
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.
Cite this
Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.
Wrench.Pro (2026). 1997 Ford Crown Victoria vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/1997/ford/crown-victoria
@misc{wrenchpro_1997_ford_crown_victoria_2026,
author = {Wrench.Pro},
title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 1997 Ford Crown Victoria},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/1997/ford/crown-victoria}},
note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}
