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Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis

3292 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2013 at 8:46 AM

You are in the Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Exterior, Sedan

Messages Page 57 of 330

#557 of 3292 1999 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sedan by bobemakk1

Nov 05, 2000 (10:26 pm)

I bought my 1999 Crown Victoria LX Sedan new. The ride is different than my 1988 Crown Victoria LX Sedan, it is not as soft, it has more road feel, but I do love the new car. The only problem I have is that the brakes are very squeaky. The car now has approx. 15,000 miles, and the brakes started this at about 8,000. I have brought the car back to two different dealers and they replaced the rear pads (it has 4 wheel disc brakes), but they tell me that this is a common problem. But I want it fixed...their response to me is unsatisfactory. I wrote to Ford and I am awaiting their reply. I feel the car is luxurious and good looking, and the squeaky brakes make it look and sound inferior, hence the old bad reputation Ford did have. I always bought them and have liked them....does anyone out there have the same problem...HELP!!! Please email me at Bobemakkaol.com with any replies, thanks.....Bob

#558 of 3292 First repair on 1998 CV... by Hacksaw

Nov 06, 2000 (3:40 am)

75,000 miles on my 1998 CV and it just got its first unscheduled repair on Friday: a whopping $200 for a bad multi-function switch on the stalk that controls high beams, washers, turn signals, etc... I'd have to jiggle it sometimes for it to work correctly.


I have the aftermarket warranty so it didn't cost me a dime, and I probably would have done it myself if it wasn't covered.


Ford has to do a better job at using quality components. This isn't an uncommon problem and happens on models across the board. Despite the milage, this is a relatively new car and there's no excuse for things like this to be breaking so soon. It's stupid but expensive repairs like this that really turn people off to Ford vehicles, and it shouldn't be. Another example: my sister-in-law had to spend almost $500 to get some ABS sensor/switch replaced on her Windstar with only 40,000 miles on it. Quality is job 1?


I love my CV and would buy another one. It's been a fantastic car in just about every way. But total reliability (especially pertaining to these nuisance repaiirs) is still a question mark in my mind.

#559 of 3292 ABS sensors by occupant1

Nov 06, 2000 (4:16 am)

are funny little things. $500 for a replacement is abuout right but you know what, that faulty sensor could start working again the next day. My mom took her 1995 Century into the Buick dealer because her ABS light was on and she showed them the light and they diagnosed it and it had a bad sensor on the LF wheel. She came back and they did a check before disassembly and the sensor was fine. Saved my Mom $460. She now has 142,000 on that car and my Dad has 161,000 on his 1992 Century. Mom may need a head gasket though, you can smell the coolant and see it leaking from the cylinder head but it doesn't get hot at all.

#560 of 3292 93 GM shocks by kingfishgus

Nov 06, 2000 (3:59 pm)

Thanks for the advise guys, I think. I'll need to give this some thought now before I start wrestling my GM around the garage. I can't believe they didn't think of anything easier, or haven't changed it by now. I'm using Gabriel VST shock so maybe I won't have to change them for a while if I ever get these on. Will definatley start with the left rear, I see what you mean about the lines running by there.
Another Ford design story - I had a friend who worked at the transmission plant in Ohio. When they shipped the first prototype Escort to them, they installed the, then newly designed, front transaxle assembly. With everything in place, there was no way to get the oil filter off the car without dropping down the steering gear.

#561 of 3292 Washboard vibration by lincoln5

Nov 06, 2000 (7:57 pm)

I have a 97 GM (40,000 miles) and recently have been experiencing a vibration from time to time at all speeds that feels and sounds like I am going over a washboard road even tho I'm not. It usually only lasts for a few seconds. The road conditions are usually asphalt with a coarse texture. I suspect the shocks. Anyone have any comments.

#562 of 3292 lincoln5 by kinley

Nov 06, 2000 (10:50 pm)

Have you changed your transmission fluid lately?Wife person's T Bird had the same vibration and installing Mercon V Semi Synthetic transmission fluid solved the "ripples in the road". I recommend you have the dealer do it as this fluid is rather pricey and they may give it to you at or near their cost which is umpteen $'S a quart. Remember to drain the torque converter housing too. Good Luck

#563 of 3292 Kinley by lincoln5

Nov 07, 2000 (3:42 pm)

Thanks for the response. How did you come up with this fix? Did Ford have a repair bulletin for this problem?


I am going to watch the problem more closely because I still feel it is related to the suspension in the rear. You don't feel much in the steering wheel and it only seems to occur on certain road surfaces.

#564 of 3292 shock by kingfishgus

Nov 07, 2000 (10:46 pm)

I chickened out (or was smart) after I saw what needed to be done on the rear ones. I needed a couple of tires anyway, so I got NTB (garage) to replace the rear shocks with the ones I bought for $10.95 labor each. Best $22 I ever spent. They slit the dust cover off the old ones and held the shaft with a vice grip. He then took a long open/box wrench and got to it over the mounting plate, like going from the center of the car outwards towards the tire. Was relatively easy to come off. After nut was loose, he spun the shock to unscrew the rest of the way. Came off pretty easy, but you'd have to be a contortionist, or a plumber, to get up in there like that without a lift.

#565 of 3292 lincoln5 by kinley

Nov 07, 2000 (11:41 pm)

"How did you come up with this fix?" I read another post in another topic regarding the "shudder" of the transmission. All of the cases were Ford cars from 95 t0 97 with less than 40,000 miles. It occurred with slight acceleration under 45mph up a slight incline. Find a newly paved, preferably blacktoped road, and test your car on it. If you have 40,000 miles, see if your owners manual recommends the changing of transmission oil at 30,000. Let us know if the oil change works for you. Good Luck.

#566 of 3292 torque converter shudder by kingfishgus

Nov 08, 2000 (5:28 pm)

From my experience this is extremely common. Ford had a problems with this for longer than 95-97. My 91 F150 with the, then new, electronic OD transmision had it till Ford changed out the transmision and torque converter at 50K miles. This was before the new transmission fluid came out. I've had it explained to my by a transmission shop that Ford designed the transmissions so they would shift smoother, not engage as rough and that led to the torque converter not locking up all the way. It just goes in and out multiple times. Lockup occurs somewhere around 45-50 mph although the shudder can happen whenever gears change under light load. My 93 GM has had it since it was new. Only fix is to change the trans fluid including the torque converter to the new stuff, and do it every 25000 or so miles. The dealer will also tell you they put some type of suction hose in the transmission to completely drain it but that may be BS. I've had this done 3 times now and about every 25-30K miles is starts shuddering again. I suppose there are parts available to fix it if you go for a trans rebuild but changing the trans fluid is relatively painless and not expensive. It also has the side benefit of prolonging the life of the transmission.
Its not a problem, it's a feature! Must have been desined by Microsoft.

Messages Page 57 of 330

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