2000 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 2000 Ford Crown Victoria filed 85 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 85
involving a crash: 6

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
4 Suspension 11% of all complaints
5 Steering 9% of all complaints
6 Tires 8% of all complaints
7 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 7% 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: 19 complaints (22% of all).
Exterior lighting: 11 complaints (13% of all).
Fuel system: 11 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 9 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 8 complaints (9% 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 85 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights9 · 11%
A/C or heater8 · 9%
smoke, burning smell, fire5 · 6%
vibration5 · 6%
steering or power steering problems4 · 5%
stalls while driving3 · 4%
tires: bulges, blowouts3 · 4%
windows, sunroof3 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss2 · 2%
rollaway, parking brake2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	19	0
Exterior lighting	11	0
Fuel system	11	2
Suspension	9	0
Steering	8	0
Tires	7	0
Electrical system	6	0
Vehicle speed control	6	3
Visibility	5	0
Service brakes	4	0
Structure	4	1
Powertrain	3	1
Engine	2	0
Equipment	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.

Car was put in park and after about 8 minutes, slipped into gear and moved forward.
Powertrain · crash · 2003-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #10043757
Nhtsa#15402-02-I-003-000 fuel tank police vehicles: some high-speed rear impact crashes have resulted in fuel tank punctures and fire in cpvi-vehicles. Shield designed will be installed at nost: consumer called manufacturer to obtain the shield protector, but it will cost money. Ts .
Fuel system · crash · 2002-11-26 · NHTSA complaint #8023369
While coming to a stop vehicle suddenly accelerated. Consumer was not able to stop vehicle. Vehicle hit a pedestrian/ a parked vehicle, and a tree before coming to a stop. Pedestrian was injured, damage to vehicle was $ 3400.00. Since the accident vehicle had accelerated on its own 3 more times.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2002-04-11 · NHTSA complaint #8007383
Vehicle was stopped to turn; struck from behind; exploded in flames.
Fuel system · crash · 2000-01-31 · NHTSA complaint #718093
The new tire tread depth was 10.5/32 in. and remaining tread depth is 7/32 in. at it's greatest wear area. This 2nd sidewall egg tire was removed by a reputable tire dealership and inspected showing no visible damage to the inner or outer sidewall, tire tread or the rim bead.
Tires · 2024-12-18 · NHTSA complaint #11631514
I was driving nd I didn't see a pot hole so after I drove across it like a mile or more my head light started flicking nd after wen I drove for like 30min they turned of nd it also caused all the light to turn off inside nd out the car
Exterior lighting · 2020-03-17 · NHTSA complaint #11318531
The contact stated that the windshield had a foggy, hazy smoke screen and was not clear. The contact took the vehicle back to the independent mechanic where the windshield was purchased; however, no defect was noticed.
Visibility · 2019-09-12 · NHTSA complaint #11255160
While driving at various times electrical problems occur, headlights will go out along with instrument panel. Sometimes the fan on will come on and will cut off even when it is off. When temp is cold heater blows cold air. Hot outside heats works. Ac works fine in both climates.
Exterior lighting · 2018-04-14 · NHTSA complaint #11085086

When owners complained

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

20009
200112
200213
20039
20049
20054
20062
20073
20084
20093
20103
20121
20133
20143
20151
20162
20171
20181
20191
20201
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,931 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 85, about average.

What to check before buying

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

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, exterior lighting, fuel system. Total complaints: 85. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (11%), A/C or heater (9%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 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 2000 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 2000 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.