Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting96
- Wheels42
- Suspension27
- Power train25
- Electrical system20
- Steering11
- Vehicle speed control11
- Tires9
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Engine and engine cooling7
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 27 2003 Crown Victoria vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 14 people died inside them, and 4 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 2003 Ford Crown Victoria failed the safety check 2.25% of the time — 7% more often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 127,039 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
5 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 3 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 1 variant: combined 12.8 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 294 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Victoria · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 14.8 | 10.3 | 12.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria.
| 2015610 21 Dec 2015 | Electrical On certain vehicles, a defect in the Lighting Control Module could cause the headlight high and low beams to become inoperative without warning, causing the hea… |
| 2007055 2 Mar 2007 | Wheels The wheels of certain Police Interceptor vehicles may crack, particularly when exposed to severe loading in high speed pursuit situations. Often cracked wheels… |
| 2005146 16 May 2005 | Other On certain Police Interceptors and Commercial Heavy Duty (Taxi) vehicles, the dash outer sound insulator could sag and possibly contact the surface of the light… |
| 2004236 9 Jul 2004 | Suspension Certain Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, Crown Victoria commercial vehicles and Lincoln Town Car fleet vehicles. As opposed to civilian vehicles, the potent… |
| 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… |
| 2003191 11 Aug 2003 | Wheels On certain vehicles in police and taxi applications, the steel wheels could crack due to loads input to the wheels as a result of the unique tires and suspensio… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured October 3, 2001, to August 2, 2005. The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights.
ON CERTAIN POLICE INTERCEPTORS (CVPI) AND COMMERCIAL HEAVY DUTY (TAXI) VEHICLES, AT EXTREMELY HIGH OPERATING TEMPERATURES, THE SOUND INSULATING PANEL, LOCATED UNDER THE VEHICLE POSITIONED BETWEEN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THE UNDERBODY, COULD SAG AND POSSIBLY CONTACT THE SURFACE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
CERTAIN POLICE, COMMERCIAL, AND PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD TO FLEETS TYPICALLY INPUT HIGHER LOADS INTO THE VEHICLE CHASSIS OVERLOADING THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND AXLES.
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 POLICE AND TAXI VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, SOME OF THE WHEELS MAY DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE RIM NEAR THE WELD LINE THAT CONNECTS THE RIM TO THE DISK.
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 2003 Ford Crown Victoria: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637820 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (PATS) MAY EXHIBIT STEERING WHEEL LOCK AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT SELECTOR THAT WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. *TT |
| 637751 | SUBJECT REGARDING SEAT BELT BELTMINDER DEACTIVATING / ACTIVATING CLARIFICATION. *TT |
| 637736 | SOME RETAIL CUSTOMERS MAY PERCEIVE THE OPERATION OF THE DASH LIGHT DIMMING FEATURE AS BEING FAULTY. *TT |
| 637707 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR PARK BRAKE CLICKING NOISE. *TT |
| 637706 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CLICK OR RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEEL AREA. *TT |
| 637540 | OVERSPEED WARNING CHIME ACTIVATION WHEN TRAVELLING ABOVE 70 M PH / 110 KPH. *TT |
| 637524 | ON SOME VEHICLES THE HEADLAMPS REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED AND THEN DEACTIVATED. *TT |
| 637445 | A SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR POOR ADHESION OF THE DOOR TRIM PANEL CARPET INSERTS ON CERTAIN VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 2003 MARAUDER. *TT |
| 637440 | SOME VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 2003 MARAUDER BUILT FROM JOB1 THROUGH JUNE 11, 2002 MAY HAVE POOR ADHESION OF THE DOOR TRIM PANEL DECORATIVE CARPET INSERTS. *TT |
| 636417 | GUIDANCE FOR CNG TANK INSPECTION FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2, 1996. *TT UPDATE. *TT |
| 635964 | SOME POLICE INTERCEPTORS BUILT BEFORE 5/23/2002 MAY HAVE THE TAN AND PINK WIRES INTO ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR C2232D IN THE INCORRECT PIN LOCATIONS. *TT |
| 625804 | DEDICATED CNG REGULATOR BOWL KIT AVAILABLE. *JG |
| 10177863 | This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. |
| 10156863 | Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition |
| 10155551 | Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition |
| 10074793 | SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE. |
| 10056190 | FORD: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE, FOR SOME VEHICLES, TO 15 YEARS OR 250,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. MODEL 2003-2005 VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS. *PE |
| 10055936 | FORD: THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO A POSSIBLE CRACK ON SOLDER JOINT THAT CONNECTS RELAY TO CIRCUIT BOARD. MODEL 2003-2005 CROWN VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS. *PE |
| 10023943 | SOME 1997-2008 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V, 5.4L 2V, OR 6.8L 2V ENGINE--SPARK PLUG THREAD REPAIR PROCEDURE--NOT COVERED UNDER NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. *NJ THIS INCLUDES F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS. UPDATED 2/23/10. *PE |
| 10022298 | REDUCTION IN POWER AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE. *KB |
| 10018745 | WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR ROUGH RUNNING. *TT |
| 10017556 | NUMEROUS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WHEEL SPEED SENSOR (WSS) DTCS, SUCH AS C1145, C1155, C1165, C1175, C1296, C1297, C1298, C1299 AND C1222. *TT |
| 10014680 | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 04M05. STEEL WHEEL ADDITIONAL COVERAGE. *TT |
| 10014652 | UNCOMMANDED WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATION. *TT |
| 10014165 | ALUMINUM CORROSION - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of headlights
Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTION
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
FRACTURE OF THE STEEL WHEEL RIM
REAR AXLE FRACTURE
FRACTURE OF THE STEEL WHEEL RIM
CNG TANK EXPLOSION
CNG TANK EXPLODING IN A FIRE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation