1998 Ford Crown Victoria Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a cracked composite intake manifold that leaks coolant and leads to overheating, along with front suspension and steering wear, headlamp lens fogging and lighting that cuts out, and fuel-system concerns such as the fuel shutoff switch cutting engine power. Many reports come in the 60,000-160,000 mile range, and several owners note that a related recall applied only to police, fleet or limousine vehicles rather than to their own car.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Cracked plastic intake manifold / coolant leak and

   • 17 complaints (14%)
   • median 92,272 mi at 7.1 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2016

   Complaints describe a crack in the composite intake manifold, a detached hose fitting on top of it, or a leaking manifold gasket, with coolant escaping and the engine overheating, sometimes with no warning. Several owners say the dealer replaced the manifold at their own cost, and some report being told their car was not covered by a manifold recall because it was not a police or fleet vehicle. A few also describe coolant or fuel vapors escaping from the manifold area. Reported across a wide range, from roughly 56,000 to 209,000 miles, often during or after warm-up.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the intake manifold has been replaced and with which part number, and check the coolant reservoir level and look for coolant residue or staining around the manifold and thermostat housing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My intake manifold for my thermostat is completely broken when I looked up online to see how much the part would cost me to have fixed it said there was a recall on the part because in between the years 1997-2006 Ford used generic plastic to make the part I just purchased the car off a guy like 6 months ago so if there were any recalls on the vehicle I had no idea till it broke on me and I looked it up I called a few Ford dealerships and also the main Ford headquarters in detroit and everyone's giving me the run around and telling me there …”

   NHTSA complaint #10876989, filed 2016-06, 209,026 miles

   “I own a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria with a v-8 (4.6 ) that has a plastic intake manifold which is cracked and leaking coolant . It is unrepairable and must be replaced . This plastic should have never been used and intake manifolds are not supposed to fail like this and they should all be recalled .”

   NHTSA complaint #10284878, filed 2009-09, 128,644 miles
2. 2
   Exterior lighting

   Headlamp lenses fog up and lighting cuts out

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 5,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1998–2016

   Owners describe moisture inside the headlamp assemblies that clouds the lens and reduces nighttime visibility, sometimes soon after purchase. Others report headlights, dash lights or all exterior lights flickering or going out while driving, with some dealers pointing to a lighting control module or multifunction switch and others saying no problem was found. Reported from very low mileage (as little as a few thousand miles) up to about 60,000 miles, typically during night driving.

   What to check: Inspect both headlamp lenses for cloudiness or water droplets, and test the headlights, high beams and dash lights at night, watching for flickering or intermittent dropouts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall my 98 Ford crown vic head lights turn on and off when I drive. It mainly turn on and off is when I have my high beams when in motion. I dont know wat causes it it recently started happinging”

   NHTSA complaint #10923834, filed 2016-11, 3 miles

   “My crown vic has 43759 miles on it. While driving down the highway at night the lights turned off (approximately 1.5 seconds)-flashed on-flashed off. I took the bright lights off & it quit turning off. I kept the brights off the rest of that trip but could still smell an plastic burning smell in the car when the lights were on. I took my car to the Ford dealer about 12-4-2003 and they told me it was a light control module--then they told me it was back-ordered nationally and would be 2 weeks before it came in. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10051117, filed 2003-12, 43,759 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Front ball joints, control arms and tie rods wear out

   • 10 complaints (8%)
   • median 84,000 mi at 11.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2015

   Complaints describe front-end noise, wandering or difficulty steering straight, and in some cases the front end dropping or a ball joint separating while driving. Several owners reference the lower control arm ball joint recall and say they were told their vehicle was not included, while others report tie rod or air suspension problems. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 155,000 miles, though some occur at lower mileage.

   Recall 98V322000

   What to check: Have a shop inspect the front ball joints, control arms and tie rod ends on a lift, and ask whether recall 98V322000 was performed for this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As described in recall number 98v322000, the lower ball joint broke apart while I was driving the vehicle. This vehicle was originally titled as a fleet vehicle which was part of the recall. The manufacturer refuses to get vehicle fixed. In fact, they say that there are no recalls at all on my vehicle when in fact there are that I know have not been fixed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10390315, filed 2011-03, 123,895 miles

   “I have a 1998 Crown Victoria with 40,000 miles. My front end was making a noise, so I took it into the dealer. I was told that both of my front control arms need to be replaced. Campaign # 98v322000 dec-15-1998 recall addresses this problem. The dealer states my car is not covered.”

   NHTSA complaint #10003498, filed 2003-01, 40,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Engine shuts off from fuel shutoff switch or fuel system

   • 20 complaints (17%)
   • median 114,000 mi at 8.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1998–2010

   Owners report the engine losing power and quitting, sometimes at speed or over rough pavement, which they attribute to the inertia fuel shutoff switch and which required pressing the reset button in the trunk to restart. Other complaints describe the check engine light returning after gas cap and solenoid repairs, a gas smell with power loss traced to the engine computer, and concerns about fuel lines or the filler tube not staying secured. Reported at varied mileages and ages, including during highway driving and on rough roads.

   Recall 03V4720001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel shutoff switch has tripped before and where the reset button is, and check under the car that fuel and brake lines are clipped securely above the tank.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While on a trip to arizona I rented a car from hertz. I was driving from sedona to phoenix on i17 when the engine lost power and stopped suddenly. At the time I was passing in the left lane on a grade of about 15 degrees at 70mph. The engine stopped because the fuel shut off switch in the trunk cut off fuel to the engine. I had to pull over to the shoulder of the road, open the trunk and press a red button to proceed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #701620, filed 1998-12

   “A fuel or brake line drops out of a clip under gas tank. This is not an isolated situation. I've seen this line dragging about 4 above the highway on other Crown Victoria's and mercury grand marquis that I pass on my way to and from work. It could rupture if the undercarriage makes contact with the pavement, such as elevated driveways, parking lot entrances, or pot holes. It could also be torn by road debris. My neighbor put my line back in the clip for me. He thought it was probably a fuel line, but he was not sure. …”

   NHTSA complaint #738226, filed 2000-12
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, no-start and wiring smoke or fire

   • 10 complaints (8%)
   • median 159,500 mi at 14.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2020

   Complaints describe the car failing to start, smoke from under the dash or hood, and blown fuses for the ignition coils and powertrain control module, with one independent mechanic attributing it to a short in the ground wiring. Several owners mention fire or smoke originating in underhood wiring, and some note that a speed control recall did not apply to their vehicle. Generally reported at high mileage, from about 89,000 to 237,000 miles.

   Recall 07V336000Recall 08V051000

   What to check: Ask whether the speed control deactivation switch recalls (07V336000, 08V051000) were completed, and check for scorched wiring, blown fuses or a burning smell under the hood and dash.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 1998 Ford Crown Victoria caught on fire in my driveway after sitting for 12 hours. The fire dept said it started in the electrical wiring under the hood. The car is now completely destroyed. There is a recall for the 98 Crown Victoria for this exact problem, but I am being told that my VIN does not have a recall on it. Ford motor company will not take any responsibility for this. I know that they are adding to the recall everyday. Am I supposed to wait until my car has been added, if it ever gets added?”

   NHTSA complaint #10201255, filed 2007-08, 89,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, smoke emitted from the vehicle. The contact stated that the fuse which controls the ignition coils and the powertrain control module under the dashboard blew. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who stated that there was an electrical short to the ground wire for the electrical system the vehicle was not repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11318675, filed 2020-03, 237,000 miles

Buying note. On a car of this age, the intake manifold, front suspension parts and underhood wiring are the items owners most often describe as failing, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on those areas is worthwhile. Ask for service records showing whether the manifold was replaced and whether open recalls were completed for this specific vehicle.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.