Is the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria a bad year?
247 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Crown Victoria years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria are in line with other Crown Victoria years. Exterior lighting and wheels stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2003 Crown Victoria owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 118,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 96 (39%) | 91k–152k miles · around this mileage | — |
| WheelsSTANDS OUT | 42 (17%) | 30k–118k miles · around this mileage | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Suspension | 27 (11%) | 54k–122k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Electrical system | 20 (8%) | 58k–126k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 11 (4%) | 97k–140k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 25 (10%) | 44k–81k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine | 12 (5%) | 35k–117k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 11 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 118,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 247 complaints: 14 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 5 report an injury.
2 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Mar 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Investigated rear end noise. Both axles have extreme ware . Bearing failure. And must be replaced. Ford recalled only police and commercial P70 P71 and P72 by order of nhtsa.
My 2003 Ford crown Victoria, developed a grinding noise in the rear end on 8/05/04. Took it to have it checked on 8/12/04 and found out that the rear axle bearings were bad and that they had cut into the axle shaft.
For over a year I heard a rumbling from the rear right of my car which a mechanic originally thought was a tire noise.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 118,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria: 7
The affected vehicles have a lighting control module (LCM) that may fail, resulting in a loss of headlights. A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
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. Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
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. If this occurs, the insulator might experience charring of the outer layer, burning odor, or smoke which may ultimately result in a fire.
Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles. This could lead to early bearing failure and ultimately to axle shaft fracture. In the event of axle shaft fracture, the vehicle would lose drive function and would coast to a stop. Loss of drive function could lead to a crash.
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. If the strength of the tank is significantly compromised, it could rupture, increasing the risk of a fire.
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. The cracks can ultimately result in rapid air loss from the tire and could affect vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Some high-speed rear-impact crashes have resulted in fuel tank punctures and fires in cvpi vehicles.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 4
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
NHTSA defect investigations: 9
Loss of headlights
Loss of headlamp/exterior lighting
Loss of headlight function
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
Fracture of the steel wheel rim
Neighbouring years
2002 Crown Victoria: 58 complaints, keep it · 2004 Crown Victoria: 138 complaints, keep it.
Every Ford Crown Victoria year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · All Crown Victoria years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria a bad year?
247 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Crown Victoria years. At 118,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: exterior lighting (96), wheels (42), suspension (27), electrical system (20), steering (11).
How many recalls does the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Exterior lighting (NHTSA 15V-861), Fuel system (NHTSA 06E056000), Electrical system (NHTSA 05V-206), Suspension (NHTSA 04V-328) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.