2011 Ford Crown Victoria: common problems

Owners of the 2011 Ford Crown Victoria filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and seats. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Steering 54% of all complaints
2 Seats 17% of all complaints
3 Suspension 17% of all complaints
4 Engine 13% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
7 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 4% of all complaints

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

Steering: 13 complaints (54% of all).
Seats: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Suspension: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Engine: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 2 complaints (8% of all), 1 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 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion4 · 17%
headlights and tail lights2 · 8%
warning lights, check engine2 · 8%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 4%
stalls while driving1 · 4%
vibration1 · 4%
windows, sunroof1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Steering	13	0
Seats	4	0
Suspension	4	0
Engine	3	1
Powertrain	2	1
Electrical system	1	1
Exterior lighting	1	0
Service brakes	1	0
Structure	1	0
Visibility	1	0
Wheels	1	0
Other	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.

I am willing to provide images of the corroded part that can fail anytime soon. NHTSA Bulletin: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering · 2026-11-02 · NHTSA complaint #11775187
There is rust on the lower intermediate steering shaft and at the u joints of the shaft. When I took the other vehicles in for recall servicing I provided the vin # for the 2011 and was informed that there was no recall for it.
Steering · 2023-04-28 · NHTSA complaint #11519486
There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated he was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the intermediate steering shaft needed to be replaced.
Steering · 2021-08-06 · NHTSA complaint #11428047
Lower rear window defroster tab disconnects from glass, and does not stay permanently attached.
Visibility · 2020-07-13 · NHTSA complaint #11338977
The engine just ejected the #7 spark plug while driving straight on city, public roads and caused the car to dangerously and suddenly slow down. The car just behind me had to maneuver to avoid me.
Engine · 2018-06-02 · NHTSA complaint #11099324
Sometimes the dash lights go out when the headlights are turned on and then the dash lights come back on when the headlights are turned off. Sometimes the dash lights come back on even with the headlights are on but the dash lights are very dim.
Exterior lighting · 2017-04-24 · NHTSA complaint #10980214
Car stalls when in high speed passing gear. Turns over, will not restart. Happened multiple times. Was told by dealer this model has a history of this event.
Engine · 2013-11-25 · NHTSA complaint #10553794
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 ford crown victoria police package. The contact stated that the front rims would become cracked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure however, the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Wheels · 2013-10-23 · NHTSA complaint #10549219

When owners complained

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

20111
20127
20134
20141
20171
20181
20191
20202
20212
20232
20251
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Crown Victoria has 94 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.

What to check before buying

Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Crown Victoria?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, seats, suspension. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (17%), headlights and tail lights (8%), warning lights, check engine (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.