1987 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Ford Crown Victoria filed 41 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 41
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 34% of all complaints
2 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 12% of all complaints
4 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
7 Steering 7% of all complaints
8 Structure 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 14 complaints (34% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 7 complaints (17% of all).
Fuel system: 5 complaints (12% of all).
Seat belts: 5 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (10% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 41 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire12 · 29%
seat belts5 · 12%
rust, corrosion2 · 5%
steering or power steering problems2 · 5%
unintended acceleration2 · 5%
won't start1 · 2%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 2%
stalls while driving1 · 2%
transmission slipping1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	14	1
Vehicle speed control	7	0
Fuel system	5	0
Seat belts	5	1
Engine and cooling	4	0
Powertrain	4	0
Steering	3	0
Structure	2	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Tires	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

While parked noticed smoke coming from steering column, after disconnecting battery found 1/4 of ignition wiring had burnt.
Electrical system · crash · 1996-08-20 · NHTSA complaint #801119
Driver side seat belt did not hold driver in place upon rear ending another car. Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1995-06-15 · NHTSA complaint #966972
While driving 20 mph, the vehicle caught fire. By the time the fire department arrived, the engine compartment was engulfed in flames and the vehicle exploded. The vehicle was destroyed. Nhtsa campaign id number 87v131000 (fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system) was referenced.
Fuel system · 2008-05-09 · NHTSA complaint #10227132
If I had been at freeway speeds, loss of power steering and power brakes would have been very dangerous.
Electrical system · 2003-07-26 · NHTSA complaint #10029264
The spring inside the drivers side seat belt failed and as a result the buckle did not lock (buckle serial number 2cm328401 allied chemical).
Seat belts · 2003-06-03 · NHTSA complaint #10022132
Loud popping sound heard. Steering became difficult. Visible failure on right front as tire was turned toward the engine at the top and turned outward at the pavement. Rear upper body frame complete separation by 2 inches, and front upper body frame visible fracture and ready for separation.
Structure · 2002-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #761377
Left rear firestone tire, size: p205/75r15, dot: iculp2a078 experienced tread separation while traveling at approximately 60 to 65 mph on interstate 75. Inside of fender wall and trunk experienced damage due to this defective tire.
Tires · 2001-04-10 · NHTSA complaint #885544
Last week I started the car and drove about 200 yards when I noticed the "amp" light showing red on the dash panel and my wife concurrently yelling "there's smoke coming from under the hood".
Electrical system · 2000-10-10 · NHTSA complaint #732689

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199510
199612
19972
19984
19993
20003
20012
20021
20033
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,891 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 41, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, vehicle speed control, fuel system. Total complaints: 41. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (29%), seat belts (12%), rust, corrosion (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Ford Crown Victoria?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1987 Ford Crown Victoria from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1987 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.