1998 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Ford Crown Victoria filed 119 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 119
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 24% of all complaints
2 Suspension 15% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Steering 6% of all complaints
8 Structure 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.

Engine and cooling: 29 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 18 complaints (15% of all).
Fuel system: 17 complaints (14% of all).
Exterior lighting: 12 complaints (10% of all).
Electrical system: 8 complaints (7% of all).

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 119 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights10 · 8%
overheating, coolant loss9 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 8%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 3%
warning lights, check engine3 · 3%
loss of power / limp mode2 · 2%
seat belts2 · 2%
vibration2 · 2%
driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping1 · 1%
airbag warning light1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	29	1
Suspension	18	0
Fuel system	17	0
Exterior lighting	12	0
Electrical system	8	0
Powertrain	8	0
Steering	7	0
Structure	7	0
Visibility	5	1
Service brakes	4	0
Tires	4	0
Air bags	2	1
Electronic stability control	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	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 driving and having windshield wipers on, ,windshield wipers stopped working. Contaced dealer.
Visibility · crash · 2001-04-18 · NHTSA complaint #886231
During a front end collision, the passenger's and driver's airbags failed to deploy. The manufacturer has been contacted.
Air bags · crash · 1998-11-05 · NHTSA complaint #830190
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.
Electrical system · 2020-03-19 · NHTSA complaint #11318675
Had my car since 2014 I worked hard to buy it. It drove pretty decide untill electric problems started to occur. Then my passanger side wheel folded in while operating with my kids life or death situation im just a hard working father trying to provide a safe transportation for my family
Suspension · 2019-08-29 · NHTSA complaint #11252146
While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact noticed smoke under the hood of the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and notice flames underneath the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Engine · 2018-02-28 · NHTSA complaint #11075422
Bought a set of tires from ebay / simpletire. They were listed as new without any disclaimer. Ordered them jan. 11th 2018, and received them jan. 16th, 2018 via fedex. Checked the dot date code and saw that all four tires are over six years old.
Tires · 2018-01-19 · NHTSA complaint #11063658
While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle overheated without warning. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
Engine and cooling · 2016-11-03 · NHTSA complaint #10924141
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
Electrical system · 2016-11-02 · NHTSA complaint #10923834

When owners complained

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

199816
199926
200015
20019
20028
20038
20047
20054
20063
20073
20082
20092
20102
20111
20122
20131
20141
20151
20163
20171
20182
20191
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,153 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 119, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, fuel system. Total complaints: 119. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (8%), overheating, coolant loss (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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.