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1988 Ford Crown VictoriaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 42 owner complaints about the 1988 Ford Crown Victoria, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

62
CarFlaw IndexSolid year39% below the Crown Victoria median · #22 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints4214 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage125kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 9, 2010. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Ford Crown Victoria has problems

42 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system1810
Seat belts60
Engine and engine cooling51
Vehicle speed control42
Steering30
Power train31
Visibility20
Suspension10
Fuel system, gasoline10
1 other systems10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1988 Ford Crown Victoria recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 96V-071 · Apr 25, 1996 · 7,900,000 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: retractor

Recall 88V-028 · Mar 8, 1988 · 21,200 vehicles

Risk. SEAT BELT COULD BIND BETWEEN SEAT CUSHION AND SEAT BACKCAUSING THE RETRACTOR TO BE SLUGGISH OR UNABLE TO TAKE UP EXCESS BELT SLACK.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Crown Victoria year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Crown Victoria median. How we score

'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Ford Crown Victoria, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE COMP FIRESPE88101 · closed Jan 3, 1989
    No recall
  2. BRAKE LINE PUNCTURESPE91125 · closed Jan 15, 1992
    No recall
In owners' words

What Crown Victoria owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

1988 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 5.0 LITER 302 CUBIC INCH ENGINE (FUEL INJECTED). SECOND GENERATION (2G) ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TR
Complaint 10320358 · Mar 17, 2010 · 125,000 miles
NHTSA# 96-V-071-000: THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDE DUE TO VIN# DEALER NOTIFIED. *TR
Complaint 10018183 · May 5, 2003
AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING FOR 15 MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Complaint 983664 · Apr 26, 1996

Own a 1988 Crown Victoria?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.