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2005 Ford Crown VictoriaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 193 owner complaints about the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-861 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.

33
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.0× the Crown Victoria median · #8 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 40%Owner complaints19321 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage80kExterior lighting, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 25, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria has problems

193 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
Exterior lighting992
Steering362
Electrical system211
Power train141
Vehicle speed control114
Engine82
Seat belts72
Air bags61
Suspension50
9 other systems283

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

5 recalls

2005 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.

40%repaired · 2018 Q3

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 15V-861 · Dec 22, 2015 · 296,004 vehicles · 119,249 repaired

Risk. A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

70%repaired · 2016 Q1

Rack and pinion: pinion shaft

Recall 14V-704 · Nov 5, 2014 · 36,888 vehicles · 25,916 repaired

Risk. Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

61%repaired · 2015 Q1

Steering

Recall 13V-385 · Aug 29, 2013 · 355,000 vehicles · 215,967 repaired

Risk. If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Wiring: interior/under dash

Recall 05V-206 · May 9, 2005 · 132,800 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE INSULATOR MIGHT EXPERIENCE CHARRING OF THE OUTER LAYER, BURNING ODOR, OR SMOKE WHICH MAY ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A FIRE.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do exterior lighting problems start?

80kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 86 exterior lighting complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
8under 30k miles56under 100k miles30100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2005 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
NHTSA crash tests

2005 Ford Crown Victoria safety ratings

2005 Ford Crown Victoria 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2005 Ford Crown Victoria frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
7 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Loss of headlamp/exterior lightingDP15002 · closed Aug 11, 2015
    No recall
  2. Loss of Steering ControlEA13004 · closed Nov 15, 2013
    Led to recall 13V-385
  3. LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTIONPE08066 · closed Mar 24, 2009
    No recall
  4. Loss of Steering ControlPE12025 · closed Apr 26, 2013
    No recall
  5. Steering Column Shaft ObstructionPE14021 · closed Nov 21, 2014
    No recall
  6. Loss of headlightsPE15028 · closed Jan 8, 2016
    Led to recall 15V-861
  7. FRACTURE OF THE STEEL WHEEL RIMRQ04007 · closed Dec 20, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Crown Victoria owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that the headlights had become intermittently inoperable while driving at night. The contact personally replaced the fuses and undisclosed parts, per the information found online; however, the failure persisted. The odometer was…
Complaint 11720404 · Feb 25, 2026
Safety recall for the LCM was repaired by lameroux Ford in Brookfield but the bypass was not preformed and the lcm is still acting up. Called and they want to charge me to look at the work they failed to do properly. Brought it to another mechanic who verified the LCM was not bypassed.
Complaint 11538603 · Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front headlights became inoperable creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed that the…
Complaint 11485162 · Sep 19, 2022

Own a 2005 Crown Victoria?

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