Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system9
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Steering5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Wheels4
- Exterior lighting3
- Suspension3
- Air bags3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 14 2002 Crown Victoria vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 12 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria failed the safety check 2.91% of the time — 45% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 107,713 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
3 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 13.1–14.7 L/100 km (about 16–18 mpg US), CO₂ 278–301 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Victoria · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 15.2 | 10.5 | 13.1 |
| Crown Victoria CNG · Full-size · Natural gas | 17.3 | 11.5 | 14.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria.
| 2003274 7 Nov 2003 | Fuel System On certain natural gas vehicles, in the rare circumstance that a flame from a vehicle interior fire becomes locally directed at the natural gas tank located imm… |
| 2002156 4 Sept 2002 | Fuel System On some natural gas powered vehicles, a "T" fitting that connects fuel tanks three and four may develop a leak when the ignition switch is in the ON position. … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN NATURAL GAS VEHICLES, IF A FLAME FROM A VEHICLE INTERIOR FIRE BECOMES LOCALLY DIRECTED AT THE NATURAL GAS FUEL TANK LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE REAR SEAT, THE FLAME COULD DAMAGE THE FIBERGLASS WRAP ON THE TANK WEAKENING THE TANK.
ON CERTAIN NATURAL GAS MODEL VEHICLES, A T-FITTING THAT CONNECTS FUEL TANKS #3 AND #4 CAN DEVELOP A LEAK WHEN THE SOLENOID VALVES ARE ENERGIZED, SUCH AS WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE ON POSITION OR DURING REFUELING.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637773 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INOPERATIVE ENGINE COOLING FAN. *TT |
| 637746 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE STUMBLE / HESITATION COLD ONLY CONDITION. *TT |
| 637736 | SOME RETAIL CUSTOMERS MAY PERCEIVE THE OPERATION OF THE DASH LIGHT DIMMING FEATURE AS BEING FAULTY. *TT |
| 637540 | OVERSPEED WARNING CHIME ACTIVATION WHEN TRAVELLING ABOVE 70 M PH / 110 KPH. *TT |
| 637533 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A ONE-TOUCH DOWN MODULE OR A DRIVERS DOOR MOUDLE MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE THE DRIVERS WINDOW MOVES DOWN WHEN ONE OF THE OTHER WINDOWS IS OPERATED. *TT |
| 637524 | ON SOME VEHICLES THE HEADLAMPS REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED AND THEN DEACTIVATED. *TT |
| 636417 | GUIDANCE FOR CNG TANK INSPECTION FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2, 1996. *TT UPDATE. *TT |
| 636408 | SOME DEDICATED CNG VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT DRIVEABILITY CONDITIONS OF HARD START / NO START / ROUGH RUNNING. *TT |
| 636263 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE VIBRATION AT 1100-1500 RPM. *TT |
| 636120 | SOME CNG VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AN EXTENDED RANGE REAR TANK, MAY EXHIBIT A REAR RIDE HEIGHT THAT IS BELOW SPECIFICATION. *TT |
| 636099 | SOME VEHICLES PRODUCED BEFORE 3/5/2002 MAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT RAPID FLASHING OF THE TURN SIGNALS. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 636049 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES PROPER PROCEDURES FOR PREPARATION OF SERVICE SHEET METAL PARTS COATED WITH ELECTRO DEPOSITION PRIMER (E-COAT). *TT |
| 636045 | ON SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE, THE FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) BELT MAY HYDROPLANE ON THE WATER PUMP PULLEY WHENTHE BELT IS SPLASHED WITH WATER. *TT |
| 636042 | SUBJECT REGARDING ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS TANK INSPECTION. *TT |
| 636009 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHBIT A SQUEAK / CREAK NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT OR RIGHT FRONT DOOR HINGE AREA. *TT |
| 635994 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK MAY BE INOPERATIVE, NOW ALLOWING THE OPERATOR TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM THE PARK POSITION. STOP LAMP OPERATION MAY ALSO BE AFFECTED. *TT |
| 635970 | SOME POLICE PACKAGE EQUIPPED VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A LOSS OF 4TH GEAR (OVERDRIVE). *TT |
| 630732 | CONCERNS WITH HESITATION/STUMBLE , COLD ONLY , WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR PARK TO REVERSE. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630431 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE VIBRATION BETWEEN 1100-1300 RPM WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS PLACED IN EITHER PARK OR NEUTRAL. *TT |
| 630368 | INFORMATION ON CLOCK FUNCTION IN RADIO. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
CNG TANK EXPLOSION
CNG TANK EXPLODING IN A FIRE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation