2005 Ford Crown Victoria NHTSA Investigations
NHTSA Crown Victoria Defect Investigations
The following investigations on the Ford Crown Victoria have been announced by the ODI. Interested in how this information is collected? Read more about investigations by the NHTSA.
Recent 2005 Crown Victoria Investigations
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LOSS OF HEADLIGHT FUNCTION Defect Investigation for the 2005 Crown Victoria
Vehicle Component: Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Summary: The Agency has closed this investigation based on its review of complaint reports, field and technical data provided by Ford and complainant interviews. Ford found that some lighting control modules (lcm) in the subject vehicles contained defective solder joints on the printed circuit board. This condition can lead to poor headlight performance ranging from intermittent outage and dimming to eventual headlights failure. The failure does not affect other lighting functions (park, emergency flasher, brake and flash to pass lights). The Agency is aware of a total of 306 consumers complaints and no report of crash, injury or fatality. Ford reports 2,074 warranty claims related to headlight failure linked to the lcm during the first three years of operation. About 12% (247) of these claims are specific to headlight failure while driving. The average warranty rate for headlight failing while driving is low (0.05%). Ford reports a slightly higher warranty rate experienced for the Crown Victoria police interceptor vehicles and this is attributed to the higher duty cycle of these vehicles (headlights on for longer periods). A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of Agency resources does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
More Details: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE08066 »
Status of Investigation: This investigation was closed on March 24 2009 and no recall was issued.
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FRACTURE OF THE STEEL WHEEL RIM Defect Investigation for the 2005 Crown Victoria
Vehicle Component: Wheels:Center Section*
Summary: During a September 23, 2004 meeting and in subsequent discussions in November, Ford advised the Office Of Defects Investigation (ODI) of their plans to introduce an improved steel wheel for manufacturing and service component use on the subject vehicles, indicating this would occur in December 2004. The new wheel design incorporates an additional manufacturing process (shot peening) which lowers tensile stress in the surface layer of the rim material adjacent to the circumferential weld. Theoretically this should improve rim durability by reducing fatigue crack initiation sites. Indications from Ford's accelerated testing methods show an improvement in the performance of the new wheel. In addition to prior safety recall 03V279 and service action (sa) 03M03, Ford will announce a new extended warranty sa for vehicles built prior to December 2004 that suffer rim fractures in service. The new wheel design will be used as a remedy. Ford advises that a sa is sufficient for addressing future wheel failures (including recall 03V279 remedy wheel failures) because: 1) failure rates are low based on Ford's analysis, and 2) driver warnings (repetitive slow air loss, and or steering wheel vibration) allow early and safe detection of cracked wheels. ODI has received 25 vehicle owner questionnaire (voq) reports (involving 22 vehicles) which allege a rim fracture of one or more steel wheels. About half the reports involve vehicles built with the remedy wheel used for recall 03V279, and most of the remaining vehicles were subject to the recall. The process of identifying pertinent Ford complaints is made difficult by Ford's prior recall and warranty program activities. The manufacturer complaint and warranty counts, which primarily involve failures of recall 03V279 remedy wheels, are based on analysis conducted to date and are considered to be conservative. Further investigation is required, thus ODI is upgrading this investigation to an engineering analysis (ea). During the ea, pertinent failure reports and consequences will be identified and reviewed. ODI and Ford will discuss details for conducting an audit analysis of failed wheels replaced under the new sa. Additionally, ODI is awaiting Ford's lab analysis of two wheels which were the subject of voq reports, one of which was involved in the noted crash event. A determination will be made as to whether Ford's service action is sufficient for addressing ongoing rim fractures.
More Details: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #RQ04007 »
Status of Investigation: This investigation was closed on December 20 2004 and no recall was issued.
* This defect investigation is filed under 4 related vehicle components.