1996 Ford Crown Victoria Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 81about this part
- Share
- 29%of 276 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 111,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 81 complaints about the engine cooling of the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria, 29% of the 276 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 111,000 miles. 4 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I purchase my vehicle on october 24th, 2011 from a private party who said, the coolant leak , but the vehicle over heated when I drove it home less than 3 miles away the hood of my car was smoking. After taking it to a local mechanic with my friend who drove his car to ensure my safety, my car began to over heat after driving it for 10 minutes! I was so frantic that I thought I was going to burned up in the car. …”
NHTSA complaint #10436423, filed 2011-11, 35 miles“I have a 96 Ford crown vic I drove it home from work fine with no problems then I drove it to take my son to work it started to overheat there was no indication something was wrong. Then the temp went up and check engine light came on. I have change the thermostat but it still is over heating and water is coming out the exhaust and seems to be spitting out from top of motor. This car has only 59,00 miles on it.”
NHTSA complaint #10162810, filed 2006-07, 59,000 miles“I have one of the plastic intake manifold on a 1996 Ford crown vic that cracked. I contacted a dealer in tulsa and they said the recall was out of date and would not do the work. If they just recalled the part in 2004 or 2005 why would it not be covered now.”
NHTSA complaint #10151214, filed 2006-02, 200,100 miles“I recently got the vehicle and its already giving me problems. The car drifts to the side and the motor is giving me problems the car has not even reached 1500 miles since I got it and its already causing me problems.”
NHTSA complaint #10138194, filed 2005-09, 159,865 miles“While at work performing an alternator test on a 96 Crown Victoria with the 4.6 engine I was running the engine at 2000 RPM. There was a loud pop and then the engine compartment was filled with steam and hot coolant. I was almost scalded, as I was leaning over the engine to access the throttle linkage. The intake had cracked on the coolant runner behind the alternator about 2 wide. Our shop had to replace the customer's intake manifold and could not charge the customer for the parts or labor because the customer blamed us for the damage. …”
NHTSA complaint #10108190, filed 2005-01, 78,604 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10018959Dec 14, 2005Extended coverage program 05n04 - extended coverage for composite intake manifold. This program is being provided as a settlement to a class action lawsuit. The terms of the…
- 10014620Dec 1, 2004Charging system limitations.
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 | 2% |
| 2008 | 1 | 2% |
| 2007 | 2 | 4% |
| 2006 | 1 | 2% |
| 2005 | 3 | 2% |
| 2004 | 8 | 6% |
| 2003 | 7 | 3% |
| 2002 | 7 | 12% |
| 2001 | 8 | 15% |
| 2000 | 19 | 22% |
| 1999 | 23 | 17% |
| 1998 | 29 | 24% |
| 1997 | 84 | 29% |
| 1996 | 81 | 29% |
| 1995 | 12 | 5% |
| 1994 | 19 | 10% |
| 1993 | 11 | 6% |
| 1992 | 48 | 15% |
| 1991 | 7 | 13% |
| 1990 | 4 | 9% |
| 1989 | 9 | 13% |
| 1988 | 5 | 12% |
| 1987 | 4 | 10% |
| 1986 | 3 | 11% |
| 1985 | 2 | 10% |
| 1983 | 1 | 20% |
Other parts of the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria
51 complaintsFuel system
46 complaintsSteering
37 complaintsBrakes
31 complaintsVehicle speed control
19 complaintsElectrical system
12 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
12 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
11 complaintsBody and structure
9 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
6 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsTires
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology