1993 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 1993 Ford Crown Victoria filed 182 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 182
involving a crash: 14

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 24% of all complaints
2 Vehicle speed control 18% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
5 Seats 8% of all complaints
6 Steering 8% of all complaints
7 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
8 Suspension 6% of all complaints

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

Powertrain: 43 complaints (24% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 32 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 25 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 22 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seats: 14 complaints (8% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 182 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire13 · 7%
transmission slipping8 · 4%
brake failure6 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts6 · 3%
windows, sunroof5 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 2%
rust, corrosion4 · 2%
unintended acceleration4 · 2%
A/C or heater3 · 2%
fuel system, fuel smell3 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	43	2
Vehicle speed control	32	2
Service brakes	25	1
Electrical system	22	1
Seats	14	3
Steering	14	2
Engine and cooling	11	0
Suspension	11	0
Fuel system	9	1
Visibility	9	0
Exterior lighting	6	0
Air bags	5	4
Latches, locks, linkages	5	0
Structure	4	0

What owners report

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

My husband was blinded by the driver airbag on a 1993 ford crown victoria in september 2002. It was a low impact single car accident at 8 mph. The airbag did not go off in a timely manner and blinded my husband instantly.
Air bags · crash · 2005-04-17 · NHTSA complaint #10118014
With only slight pressure, the vehicle slipped out of gear and rolled backwards down a hill, wedging a 16 year old female in the rear driver's side door, then pinning the female between two vehicles.
Powertrain · crash · 2002-05-06 · NHTSA complaint #761428
These tires are purportedly good for 3 years or 70,000 miles. They are also suppose to be good up to 112 mph. However, when the previous owner learned of our wreck , he provided me with receipts which showed that two other tires from the original four failed at 153,240 miles and 143,911 miles.
Tires · crash · 2001-04-19 · NHTSA complaint #743896
While pulling out of a lot at approximately 3-5 mph vehicle struck a pole, causing left front anchor bolt to pull out of the seat. Dealer/manufacturer were not contacted at this time. Feel free to provide futher details.
Seats · crash · 2000-06-15 · NHTSA complaint #863662
While in park position with key out of the ignition, and emergency parking brake activated, vehicle suddenly moved forward and caused a crash. After the crash, the occupant could not start vehicle and move it out of park position. Please provide further information.
Powertrain · crash · 2000-03-06 · NHTSA complaint #857993
Also, wiring harness in the steering column burned out(ignition), causing a fire. In addition, bolt that holds driver's seat to the floor came out which could cause the driver's seat to move unexpectedly. Please provide further information.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-02-22 · NHTSA complaint #857322
While sitting at stoplight vehicle was hit from the rear and pushed into a big 4x4, causing hood to fold in, and air bags did not deploy. Also during the accident both driver's and passenger's side seats collapsed, causing some injuries to both driver and passenger.
Seats · crash · 1999-06-14 · NHTSA complaint #839755
While the key is in the ignition and the vehicle in park postion and the emergency parking brake is activated, heard a popping noise. The vehicle rolled over, causing major injuries and loss of the vehicle. Cause unknown. Please provide details.
Steering · crash · 1998-10-16 · NHTSA complaint #829088

When owners complained

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

199518
199621
199721
199824
199929
200021
20019
20024
20035
20043
20055
20063
20075
20088
20102
20111
20131
20141
20151
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,225 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 182, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1993 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, vehicle speed control, service brakes. Total complaints: 182. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (7%), transmission slipping (4%), brake failure (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 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 1993 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 1993 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.