2002 Ford Crown Victoria Problems, Recalls & Reliability
71 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 17/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 75,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2002 sits among all Crown Victoria years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 37 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 50,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 22,000 and 118,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain model Dorman Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 7-0359, and OE Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, manufactured April 17, 2014, to September 28, 2015.…
Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2015. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, option 5.
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE…
Fix: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
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.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN INSULATOR BEHIND THE CURRENT SEAT BACK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
IN ORDER TO ENHANCE POLICE OFFICE SAFETY, MODEL YEAR 1992-2003 CROWN VICTORIA POLICE INTERCEPTOR (CVPI) VEHICLES WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH SHIELDS DESIGNED TO HELP PROTECT THE FUEL TANK IN HIGH-SPEED REAR-IMPACT CRASHES. FORD ALSO WILL BE OFFERING AN OPTIONAL…
Fix: FORD HAS ADVISED US THAT SHIELD KITS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE LATE OCTOBER AND WILL BE INSTALLED ON POLICE INTERCEPTOR VEHICLES AT NO COST. THE OPTIONAL TRANK PACKAGE WILL BE AVAILABLE BY THE END…
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.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED "T" FITTING ON #4 FUEL TANK AND TESTED FOR LEAKAGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 13, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 03V472000.
Technical service bulletins
88 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Crown Victoria TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria reliable?
The 2002 Ford Crown Victoria drew 71 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 17/100, scored against the model's worst year (1992).
What are the most common 2002 Ford Crown Victoria problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria are electrical (12 complaints), brakes & stability (9), and fuel system (8).
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Crown Victoria problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Ford Crown Victoria problems around 50,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 22,000 and 118,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.