FaultScore

1996 Ford Crown Victoria window and wiper problems

12 of the 358 complaints about the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 42,134 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Power Window Devices AND Controls 4 33.3%
Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System 3 25.0%
Windshield Wiper/Washer 2 16.7%
Electrical Heating Element 1 8.3%
Rearview Mirrors/Devices 1 8.3%
Visibility 1 8.3%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers across every Ford Crown Victoria year

1992 20 28.6%
1994 16 22.9%
1996 12 17.1%
1997 12 17.1%
2003 10 14.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Chunchula, AL

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WHAT I HEAR ABOUT THE GRAND MARQUIS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK IS RATHER DISTURBING TO ME I AM AWARE NOW THAT THESE CARS ARE CAPABLE OF CATCHING ON FIRE IF HIT FROM BEHIND. I CARRY THREE SMALL CHILDREN TO SCHOOL EVERY MORNING IN "THIS CAR" I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD CORP. ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SEEM TO NOT BE BOTHERED ABOUT THIS FACT. NOW TO MY OTHER PROBLEMS. I HAVE JUST REPLACED MY INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAUSE THE ONE THAT CAME WITH THE CAR CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT HE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE FORD CORP. HAS REDESIGNED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR THIS MODEL AND RAISED THE PRICE FROM ABOUT 250.00 TO ALMOST 500.00. IN JULY OF 2002 THERE WAS A PART THAT WENT OUT ON MY A/C UNIT THAT I HAD TO REPLACE (I HAVE TO CONTACT MY MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT PART IT WAS THAT WAS REPLACED) IN JULY 2002 I HAD TO HAVE MY ROTERS TURNED, IN JANUARY 2003, I HAD TO HAVE THEM TURNED AGIAN AND HAVE MY RIGHT BACK ROTER REPACED BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER GOOD. (ALL THIS WAS DONE ON JANUARY 10 2003 NOW IT IS JAN. 20, 2003 AND MY RIGHT FRONT ROTER IS GRINDING AGAIN (I ALSO HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON ALL AROUND JAN.10,2003. MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS DROOPING BECAUSE IT NEEDS A NEW PIN PUT IN... MY CAR ALSO SEEMS TO BALK WHEN I PUSH ON THE GAS PEDDAL,MY CAR ALSO HAS A POPPING NOISE WHEN I HIT A HOLE OR TURN. WHEN I CALLED THE FORD CORP. ON THESE ISSUES THEY SEEMED LIKED THEY REALLY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THESE THINGS. MAYBE YOU MIGHT KNOW SOMEONE THAT I COULD CONTACT IN THE FORD CORP. THAT IS "HIGH UP" AND THAT WOULD LISTEN TO MY ONCERNS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, SINCERLY, DIANE

NHTSA complaint #10069858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 190,162 miles Mora, MN

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT

I OWN A 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA P71 INTERCEPTOR. I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THE ENGINE. THE RECALLED PART WAS NOT REPLACED BY THE DEPARTMENT THAT PREVIOUSLY OWNED THE VEHICLE, AND NOW IT HAS FAILED 6 MONTHS AFTER THE EXPIRATION LEAVING ME AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, AND RISK OF PERMANENT ENGINE DAMAGE OR FAILURE. FORD IS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH THIS REPAIR OTHER THAN A STANDARD NEAR $800.00 REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint #10053129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,134 miles Medford, OR

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF THE "INQUIRY/CONCERN" SENT TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY RELATIONSHIP CENTER: THE RIGHT FRONT ELECTRIC WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED ON 2/18/00 AT 42,134 MILES. IT COST ME A $50 DEDUCTIBLE TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE REGULATOR BECAUSE I HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE LEFT REAR WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED ON 11/28/00 AT 51,983 MILES. IT COST A $50 WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE TO REPLACE A FAULTY REGULATOR. THE DRIVER'S LEFT FRONT WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED ON 12/26/00 AT 52,465 MILES. IT COST A $50 DEDUCTIBLE TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE REGULATOR. THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED ON 7/3/03 AT 90,201 MILES. IT COST $209 TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE REGULATOR. CYCLE COMPLETE. ANY PATTERN HERE? FORD'S RESPONSE WAS SURPRISE AT THE CONSISTENT DEFECTS IN THEIR REGULATORS. THEY COULDN'T ASSIST FINANCIALLY BECAUSE I HAD USED AN INDEPENDENT TO FIX THE LAST WINDOW WHILE TRYING TO KEEP COSTS LOW. WAS THIS EXPERIENCE UNIQUE?

NHTSA complaint #10028584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 31,000 miles Anchorage, AK

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

I PURCHASED A USED 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA FROM CAL WORTHINGTON FORD IN ALASKA A LITTLE LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, I ALSO PURCHASED A PREMIUM WARRANTY POLICY AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS HEATED REAR-VIEW MIRRORS. A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO AFTER A SNOW STORM, THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR-VIEW MIRROR CRACKED STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. SNOW HAD COVERED THE MIRROR AND I ASSUME WHEN THE MIRROR HEATED, IT CRACKED. FOUR MONTHS AGO AFTER ANOTHER SNOW STORM, THE DRIVER??S SIDE MIRROR CRACKED STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS COLD AND WHEN THE MIRROR STARTED HEATING UP IT CRACKED. PLEASE NOTE - I ALWAYS BRUSH THE SNOW OFF MY CAR BEFORE I WARM IT UP. REQUEST ?? FORD MOTOR CO. REPLACES THE MIRRORS AT NO COST TO ME I CONTACTED CAL WORTHINGTON FORD AND ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THE MIRRORS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY REFUSED. I HAVE TWO REASONS FOR THIS REQUEST: 1) THE MIRRORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND POSE A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MIRRORS CRACKED BECAUSE OF A POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN. THE MIRRORS DIDN'T CRACK BECAUSE OF NEGLIGENCE CAUSED ON MY PART. 2) THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10010838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Katy, TN

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

CABLE THAT CONTROLS WINDOW MOVEMENT BECAME FRAYED, THEN BROKE ATTACHMENTS TO WINDOW THROUGH OVERSTRESSING

NHTSA complaint #723542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Toddville, IA

VISIBILITY

WHILE USING HIGH BEAMS IN RAIN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON.

NHTSA complaint #853697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceville, GA

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY WHEN IN USE. WINDSHIELDWIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN MIDDLE OF A DOWNPOUR. HAD TO STOP VEHICLE & GET OUT & JIGGLE WIPERS TO GET THEM WORKING AGAIN. THIS CAUSED HAVOC WITH THE DRIVER'S VISIBILIT. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT.

NHTSA complaint #850347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Stringer, MS

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

THE VEHICLE HAS MANY MORE PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT LISTED AND THEY STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. I HAVE ALL THE RECORDS WITH CORRECT DATES, TIMES, MILEAGES, AND ETC. OF ALL THE PROBLEMS. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MAIL YOU COPIES OF EVERYTHING ABOUT MY VEHICLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. // I USED A FAMILY MEMBERS COMPUTER TO SEND IN THIS COMPLAINT FORM SO PLEASE CONTACT ME BY MAIL OR TELEPHONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #706401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Port News, VA

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WHEN DRIVING AND TRYING TO USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS , WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY.SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAS TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RAIN STOPS IN ORDER FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE.

NHTSA complaint #836551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, TX

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

OWNER CONVINCED THAT HE IS BEING EXPOSED TO A PESTICIDE THAT MOST LIKELY USED IN THE HEATER SYSTEM TO PREVENT MOLD AND MILDEW, CAUSING ILLNESS.

NHTSA complaint #532810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, TX

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

VEHICLE EMITS PUNGENT CHEMICAL ODORS WHEN THE HEATER AND ESPECIALLY THE DEFROST IS ACTIVATED.

NHTSA complaint #531830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #602915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Ford Crown Victoria problems

← Full 1996 Ford Crown Victoria report