FaultScore

1994 Ford Crown Victoria steering problems

13 of the 252 complaints about the 1994 Ford Crown Victoria are about the steering — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 103,000 miles.

A

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

TIE ROD Assembly 5 38.5%
Linkages 4 30.8%
Gear BOX (Other Than Rack AND Pinion) 2 15.4%
Steering Wheel/Handle BAR 1 7.7%
Shaft Pitman 1 7.7%

Steering across every Ford Crown Victoria year

1992 16 4.1%
1993 16 4.1%
1994 13 3.3%
1995 111 28.5%
1996 39 10.0%
1997 11 2.8%
1999 10 2.6%
2003 11 2.8%
2004 19 4.9%
2005 37 9.5%
2006 27 6.9%
2007 25 6.4%
2008 25 6.4%
2009 17 4.4%
2011 12 3.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 94,000 miles Fortville, IN

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE TIE ROD FELL OFF THE VEHICLE ON MAY 1, 2005. THE REPAIR SHOP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVING DIFFERENTLY BEFORE TIE ROD FELL OUT. WAS SITTING IN A PARKING SPOT, AND WAS JUST BACKING OUT WHEN TIE ROD FELL OUT. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10132265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 112,000 miles Stafford, VA

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM (TIE ROD) BALL JOINT CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS CONTROLLABLE AND PULLED TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS LATER TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE.*AK A CHECK OF TSBS/RECALLS REVEALED THAT FORD HAD INITIATED A RECALL FOR CERTAIN CROWN VICTORIAS, SPECIFICALLY 1990-1996 POLICE, FLEET, AND NGV VEHICLES. FORD (LOCAL DEALER AND CORPORATE) HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE PROBLEM BUT CLAIM THE VEHICLE WAS NOT THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL ACTION. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS EQUIPPED WITH A "HANDLING & PERFORMANCE PACKAGE" WHICH MAY HAVE INCORPORATED A STEERING LINKAGE SIMILAR TO THAT SUBJECT TO FORD'S RECALL. I'M CONCERNED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. FIRST, WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND INSPECTED ANNUALLY; THE JOINT SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. SECOND, THE JOINT COULD BE THE VERY SAME ONE THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. IN THE FIRST CONCERN, FORD SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILARLY EQUIPPED CARS ARE ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY. THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY WAS GREAT. IN THE SECOND, HOW DO I ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT THE JOINT WAS THE SAME ONE THAT PRECIPITATED THE RECALL? FINALLY, I PLAN TO DOCUMENT THE FAILURE (DIGITAL PICTURES ETC) AND PERFORM REPAIRS. HOW SHOULD I PROCEED WITH CONFRONTING FORD?

NHTSA complaint #10064097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

W. Suffield, CT

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THEN FOUND THE TIE ROD ON THE GROUND. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING DUE TO A LOSS OF CONTROL. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #567995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Suffield, CT

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER STATES WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT THERE WAS A NOISE HEARD UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT TIE ROD WAS ON THE GROUND. CONSUMER LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NLM JLG

NHTSA complaint #8020138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pompano Beach, FL

STEERING:LINKAGES

VEHICLE WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HAD VEHICLE ALIGNED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD. FORD ADJUSTED STEERING BOX, AND STATED THAT REPLACING GEAR BOX MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER LOWERED THE TIRE PRESSURE AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE STEERING PROBLEM. THE PITMAN ARM AND IDLER ARM HAD BEEN REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #8007743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Juneau, WI

STEERING:LINKAGES

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #740523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rochester, NY

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

HYDRAULIC CONTROLS WITHIN THE STEERING GEAR BOX DO NOT CENTER, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #868102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Hyde Park, NY

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

VEHICLE WANDERS WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. STEERING FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED STEERING BOX. BUT, PROBLEM CONTINUED & DELAER COULDN'T ADJUST IT ANYMORE. WHEEL ALIGNMENT COULDN'T BE DONE BECAUSE OF THE STEERING BOX ADJUSTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #860273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bedford, OH

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

HAD JUST PARKED VEHICLE AND STARTED TO WALK AWA,,SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN, DUE TOTIE ROD END FALLING OFF. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING VEHICLE IN. HAD VEHICLE TOWED.

NHTSA complaint #850751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo, NY

STEERING:LINKAGES

ON UPPER MT. ROAD, LEWISTON, NY WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN CAR SQUELED TO A STOP, FOUND BOTH

NHTSA complaint #709427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LA Salle, IL

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN

STEERING PITTMAN ARM BROKE OFF AT TAPER DUE TO NOT BEING SEATED IN CENTER LINK.

NHTSA complaint #506573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Roslyn, NY

STEERING:LINKAGES

STEERING LINKAGE CONTROL ARM DEFECTIVE, CAUSING POOR STABILITY.

NHTSA complaint #485260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

OLD Brookvil, NY

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING IN A TURNED POSITION. TT

NHTSA complaint #970173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1994 Ford Crown Victoria problems

← Full 1994 Ford Crown Victoria report