Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis

snizave · June 2003

The transmission is starting to fail on my 92 CV. Overdrive is now gone, but the other gears seem to be functioning properly. I really need this car to last me at least a little while longer, and was wondering if any of you knew the gear ratios for figuring the RPMs I'd be running when on an interstate in 3rd gear. I know the manual says it's safe to shift to 3rd(regular drive) at any speed, but I'm wondering if going for an extended period at around 70 mph in 3rd will be too stressful on the vehicle. I use my car for work, I'm a part time pizza delivery driver and a full time student, and I don't know what I'll do if it dies on me. Although this problem is frustrating, this car has been wonderful. Purchased at around 120,000 miles for $2000, it now has 171,000 miles. Not a bad return on my investment. Thanks a lot,

Mike

kinley · June 2003

was changed or you don't know when it was last changed, try getting your O/D back by just changing the oil and filter in the transmission and remember to drain the torque converter also.

Trust the work to a transmission shop for sometimes the "experts" at jify lube install the wrong filter. Good Luck.

snizave · June 2003

Kinley, thanks for the suggestions. The transmission shop I took it to said that it probably wouldn't be worth it for me to change the fluid. I know the fluid isn't in good shape, it has that burnt smell to it, but I just added some Lucas transmission fluid additive. I might take it to another place here at home, see what they think about replacing the fluid.

Mike

dbc123 · June 2003

Mike Your 92 has the AOD trans with a 1.0 to 1 3rd gear ratio. Your axle ratio would be 3.08 unless you have the performance or trailer tow options. This would yield about 25.2 mph per 1000 rpm in third or about 2700 rpm at 70 mph. This is a very safe speed for the 4.6 and you should not overstress it at all. Bear in mind that the fuel consumption will be a lot higher. Kinley's comments about changing the fluid are correct. Occasionally (but not always) I've seen this correct trans problems, especially if the fluid is burnt.

phrogdrivr · June 2003

I've got a 2000 GM that has a loud clicking noise coming from, I think, the left front wheel. The clicking speeds up along with the speed of the wheel rotation. I've taken the wheel off a few times and haven't found anything loose and can't get any noise out of it rotating it by hand. Any suggestions on what I should look for? Thanks.

kinley · July 2003

Component Description:
14. FUEL:CARBURETOR:UNKNOWN TYPE:MANIFOLD:INTAKE NHTSA Number: 619445
Bulletin Number: 01M02
Bulletin Date: MAR 2001

Vehicle: 1997 Ford Crown Victoria
Summary:
OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM REGARDING ADDITIONAL COVERAGE ON CERTAIN 4.6L SOHC SOME OF THE COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLDS USED ON 4.6L SOHC ENGINES MAY DEVELOP INTAKE MANIFOLDS. SOME OF THE COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLDS MAY DEVELOP FATIGUE FATIGUE CRACKS AT THE COOLANT CROSSOVER DUCT. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN CRACKS AT THE COOLANT CROSSOVER DUCT. *TT ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE WHICH, IF NOT SERVICED, MAY CAUSE ENGINE OVERHEATING. COMPLETE LOSS OF COOLANT MAY RESULT IN ENGINE DAMAGE OR ENGINE FAILURE. *TT

vidtech · July 2003

the sad thing is ford is not covering the intakes on their grand marquis as i have recently found out.i had to pay the dealer to fix an obvious design flaw in the part.the replacement part has even been improved.the section which fails is now made from aluminum and there is an added support bracket behind the alternator.

dzthinking · July 2003

I own a 92 GM with 186,000 miles. After we had the transmission rebuilt at 75,000 the car has been wonderful. About 6 months ago the shop said the vibration sound I was hearing was the fuel pump going up. I took it back recently - the noise is now very loud and sounds like a fog horn under the hood. The mechanic said he took the air filter off and put his hand over the hole and the noise stopped. He did not know how to fix it. The noise is worse. The car accelerates when the noise starts; I have to put the brakes on to slow the car down when that happens. If I'm driving along the road and have my foot off the accelerator, when the noise is there the car will surge forward and drift, surge forward and drift, as the noise intensifies and diminishes. The same rhythm as if I had the AC on and the condenser? was working... I would like the car to last another year. (Looked at Lexus the other day and found the discussion on Edmunds about transmissions - in fact there seems to be something wrong with a lot of cars we were looking at - VW Passat, Lexus ES300, Acura TL, Subaru Outback...) GM did not get a good writeup in Consumer Reports - is Ford making them as good as they used to? Forgive the long email please - I don't know whether to keep the old or buy somehting new...

kinley · July 2003

Idle air bypass valve resonator tube assembly and am told it costs about $20. plus installation.

dzthinking · July 2003

Thank you!! I will call the mechanic tomorrow and fixing it will give us the time we need to decide on which new car to buy.

canuckvic · July 2003

Hi all -- I just bought my first CV -- A 1992 LX with leather and the whole bit. Bought it at an estate sale. Just before the previous (and original) owner died, he had the AOD tranny rebuilt at a national tranny chain. It accelerates fine but I find it decelerates slowly (especially at mid to higher speeds). When I take my foot off the gas, it takes a bit too long for the car to decelerate without having to use the brakes. Tranny shop said that the rebuild has to "break in" but I don't really buy that. Any comments? Is this just a factor of the mechanical nature of the AOD vs. AODE? I'm comparing the tranny to a new Japanese tranny, so maybe I'm just not used to a mech AOD. Otherwise, the CV has got to be the best used buy going!

kinley · July 2003

"When I take my foot off the gas, it takes a bit too long for the car to decelerate without having to use the brakes."

If you want more "engine braking" take it out of 'Overdrive'. When in O/D and you take your foot off the gas, it's really in "COAST" until you get down to 37 mph, then the transmission shifts down to 3rd.

canuckvic · July 2003

Wow, thanks for that. I didn't realize that OD wasn't supposed to shift until it gets way down to 37mph (which makes a lot of sense now). Any problems if I shift to D at higher speeds? Or it it better just to brake? I suppose brake repairs are cheaper than transmission repairs.

shmang · July 2003

Does to '03 model has the TSB about gas tank safety? If it does, can you just bring your car in and have the dealer fix it for free - I assume this is a very easy fix since Arizona police can have their cruiser fixed in a few minutes.

Thanks

dbc123 · July 2003

Gas tank issue has been flogged to death on this board. Use the search to find answers.

kinley · July 2003

Usually no. When in pursuit, the police usually lock out of O/D for better control. In my experience, I've locked out of O/D at 60 mph while descending a steep road without any problems. Last time was coming out of Lake Tahoe.

canuckvic · July 2003

I'm glad that there shouldn't be any problems doing this, but did you shift from 60 with an AOD tranny? The reason I ask is that with AOD it goes from OD to D to 1. I get nervous that I might accidentically shift from OD to 1. An electronic lockout would be better, but what can you do. On an unrelated note, does anyone have a good cheap source for '92 headlight lenses? Mine have turned yellow from UV.

kinley · July 2003

Ford engineers took this possiblity into consideration when they designed the AOD tranny. The result is when you shift from OD to 1, the "brain" of the tranny will not let the engine over rev by putting you in the appropriate gear depending on your speed at the time. Let's say your are cruising at 60 and the selector is accidentally moved to 1, the tranny will shift to 3rd and when the car slows to about 40, shift to second, and when the car slows to about 25, it will shift into first.

grogman1 · July 2003

Errrr - I just missed an opportunity to pick up a '98 Merc GM LS - 39K miles with alum wheels, traction control for $9K. Truly spotless, 1 owner,old geezer driven. My question - from a used standpoint, are there any model years that seem to be more prone to problems and therefore should be avoided? I'm not up to speed on the changes that have been made between the model years. Thanks much - I enjoy the info provided in the posts.

dbc123 · July 2003

Most, but not all, of the discoloration on early 90's headlights is on the surface. Use an aggressive polish or light (white) rubbing compound. A couple of applications will usually improve the lenses considerably.
Each model year has it's own quirks but none of them are really bad. Early 90's tended to have more trans issues while late 90's swapped that for resin manifold failures - still overall about the best american autos from a reliability and longevity standpoint.

R92688 · July 2003

To Canuckvic,
My headlight covers on my 95 CV turned yellow and I read from another website that using toothpaste for polishing the surface will remove the yellow oxidation. I tried it and it works nicely. I have been polishing the covers for several years now. The fine sand in the toothpaste works effectively to remove the layer of oxidation.

kinley · July 2003

canuckvic · July 2003

Thanks people -- I'll try polishing before I spend anything on new lenses (toothpaste -- who woulda thought?)

Funny how so many of my friends assume the CV is a 'gas guzzler' -- I don't think it worse than an Explorer or other largish SUV. I get 23-24mpg with a light right foot. I'm sure SUV's are right around there or worse. Anyway, my wife is totally sold on this vehicle now -- she really appreciates the quiet, serene ride as compared with a small Japanese car. The CV is the best kept secret on the used market.

canuckvic · July 2003

BTW: Toothpaste worked great to clean off the yellow from the headlight lenses!

My temperature gauge sits near the bottom of the 'Normal' range most of the time. I'm a little worried the engine is running cool...does anyone else experience this? Seems to me the gauge should be in about the middle of the normal range. I just flushed the cooling system but that shouldn't make much difference.

ronald18 · July 2003

Dealers and discount service centers in my area want $150 to $200 to replace the spark plugs in my '99 GM. They all cite the high price of the plugs. When I checked with a local auto parts store they had the original replacement Motorcraft platinum plugs for $2.49 each. I have two question. First, has anyone replaced their sparkplugs for less than $150 at a service shop? Second, can anyone who has actually replaced the plugs on a 4.6 V8 with the "coil on plug" arrangement tell me if there are any unusual problems with changing out the sparkplugs?

iusecad · July 2003

In December I had a local NAPA shop do a tune-up on my '98 Vic. They put in platinum plugs @ $5.41 each, and plug wires @ $6.30 each. Then they have a line that says: Labor - Tune Up $90. (But I also had a new belt & fuel filter done with that.)

But anyway, plugs-wires-labor = $183.68

And since I never really studied my bill until now, I'm a little surprised I let them get away with charging me $5.41 a plug...

Runs great though, and I get 25 on extended hwy runs.

goldranger · July 2003

Ronald18,
It is the labor that costs. Was at a tire store the other day when an elderly man asked about plugs on a 91GM. They looked in their book and labor was 2.5 hours. I just got an 02 GM and also have a factory CD maintenance manual, so I looked at changing the plugs. From memory; remove the big plasic cover over the engine, i think you have to remove the tube from the air filter to the throttle body, unplug the wire connection to the coil on each plug, remove the coil (one small screw/bolt each) blow the dirt/sand away, carefully lift the coil and boot. (don't remember if coil and boot come together), remove the plug. Turn the instructions upside down and put the new ones in.....
I plan to change my own probably around 50K even though the books says they are good for 100K. If you want, let me know and I'll try to post word for word what the instructions are of perhaps I could e-mail to you if you want.

kinley · July 2003

Pacific Lincoln R & R'd spark plug wire set at $76 per hour times 2.5 hours = 190.00
Kit Distributor Wire FMC F8PZ 98.76
Hazard waste chg 9.50
Sub total 298.26
Sales Tax 26.25
Total Charge 324.51
NO new plugs were installed, just the wire(s)

A Belated Christmas present to me.
Pacific Lincoln is no longer in business.

pat · July 2003

Uhh, at this point in the calendar (which advances at frightening speed these days!) you might think of it as EARLY!!

: )

iusecad · July 2003

with money like that, they should still be in business.

Must be a Lincoln thing. In the mid eighties my dad had an '84 Town Car. When he bought it, one of the hubcaps was a cheapo plastic K-Mart one so he went to the L-M dealer to price a new one. I think it was in the neighborhood of $180 for one. So he went to a little hubcap shop and bought a close match for around $40.

ronald18 · July 2003

Thanks all for the responses. My Haynes manual gives the same direction that was explained by Goldranger. Does not seem too difficult. I will most likely replace the plugs myself. The car has almost 94,000 miles on the original plugs with no drop-off in performance or gas mileage. I hear that it is important to use an anti-seize compound on the threads.

kinley · July 2003

pat · July 2003

Kirstie_H · July 2003

A reporter with a major midwestern daily newspaper is looking to interview a consumer who currently owns a Ford Crown Victoria, or got rid of one in the past month. If you fit the bill, please respond with your daytime contact information to jfallon@edmunds.com by July 28.
Thanks!

rogerdp · July 2003

I would like to get some opinions on whether or not to keep my current car. It is a 96 Grand Marquis GS with 41,500 one owner miles, looks and drives like new. I have maintained the car to a much more stringent schedule than recommended (2500 mile oil changes), etc. I hear so much about the composite manifolds cracking, that it worries me. Does anyone know the average mileage when the manifold is likely to become a problem? Also, (I'll bet Kinley knows this), in my factory manual it states that the front disc brake pads should be replaced when they reach 1/8" thick. What is the thickness of a new pad? The reason I ask is that I checked mine last week and they are 3/16" now. But if they were only 1/4" when new, I have several more miles left. If thicker, I need to be getting some pads now. I know this is long, but I appreciate the good opinions I read on this board. Thanks!!

dbc123 · July 2003

Ford does not list a thickness for new brake pads but I would estimate 3/8 inch. They are easily and inexpensively changed. (Rear minimun thickness is listed as .22 inch)
I've a 94 and 03 GM and can tell you that the real big improvment is the steering. The ride, however, is jiggly and busy due to much more shock damping. Nowhere near as smooth as the previous cars. This is probably less noticable in the TC as it has a longer wheelbase and uses the slightly softer rear air springs standard.
Resin manifolds sometimes fail as early as 30K miles and as late as 140K - or never! If the uncertainty of it bothers you, it can be replaced for about $300 parts and 3-4 hours labor.

kinley · July 2003

in my opinion, Ford is obligated to replace all of the probable failure intake manifolds so as to restore driver confidence in their product. It's like driving with a time bomb under the hood. When's it gonna blow? A buyer should not have to pay $300 plus to eliminate a known hazard before it explodes. I've a friend who traded a car like yours for a new Lincoln LS. Why he decided to reward Ford with his business after selling him a faulty intake manifold puzzles me.

dbc123 · July 2003

Ford has only replaced resin manifolds in PI (police interceptor) cars; they contend that failure is more prone in these cars due to severe use. They will only replace these AFTER failure - not as a precaution. The manifolds were used from 96-01 and there are probably more than a million cars on the road with them. Although it would be very costly; I agree with Kinley that Ford should replace them all before failure. That's not likely to happen as Ford contends the failure rate is relatively low. If I owned a car with one that had lots of life left as rodgerdp does, I'd spend the $600-700 to replace the manifold ( be SURE to specify the aluminum crossover version). This is still much cheaper than buying a new car that may not satisfy as much as the older car!

kinley · July 2003

As my 96-01 Formercoln 4.6 engine has the hazardous intake manifold which you replace after it breaks, I propose you replace it now with the aluminum crossover version. I'm willing to pay 50% of the cost just to restore confidence in my car you manufactured. You are to have my local dealer contact me within five working days to accomplish this task. Yours truly, Mr. Motorist.

rogerdp · July 2003

I have read your posts and appreciate the input. I'll let the brakes go a little while and check again. As far as the manifold goes ????? I agree with kinley that it seems a shame to reward Ford by purchasing another GM, but I would probably end up at the Mercury store again. There is nothing else out there that compares (V8 and RWD) unless you have $45,000.00 or more to spend and then you would have to go foreign. Replacing the manifold as dbc123 says is an option. I'll have to think it over. Thanks again!!

vidtech · July 2003

it is very frustrating that ford will replace the intakes on t birds and crown vic's but not the marquis.it is a very poor design.the alternator is partially fastened to the intake where the failures occur.

canddmeyer · August 2003

Seems most everyone here is happy with their car. I test drove a Crown Vic LX Sport Saturday, but I found the rear end tail happy. That kind of burst my bubble as I thought the car would have had better road manners for the top end model. I also drove an Impala LS and must admit the Impala handled better. I've long been a fan of full size cars & have been looking forward to owning one again & keeping my SUV parked awhile. The Vic was fully optioned & very comfortable, but just couldn't keep the rear planted. Anyway, since these cars depreciate fast but seem to last forever, I'll keep my eyes open for a 2-3 year old car someone might get bored with & let go cheap since this board continually praises the longevity of these cars.

pkwdena · August 2003

I'm new to this board. I have a 94 CV and a 97 GM. The GM replaced the CV as my everyday car nearly two years ago. The CV has 230,000 miles on it and has been very reliable with few mechanical problems. Recently, it stopped going in reverse. The transmission feels as though it slips in reverse and the car only moves in reverse when assisted by a slight incline and revving the engine. I had the lockup torque converter problem back at 40k, which I addressed by cutting the wire that powers the electric lock up. I also change the fluid at 50k intervals. Has anyone experienced the reverse problem?

mercuryguy · August 2003

Someone please help. I have a problem that pops up every once in a while.....Driving in tight areas (parking lots, etc) the car has a hard time turning right (and only right).....as if the power steering is out...but it isn't....the pump works fine. 1992 Mercury Grand Marquis LS

kinley · August 2003

captainj · August 2003

FYI, I have a 2000 Grand Marquis GS, I improved the quietness by adding sound insulation material (similar to dynamat) under the carpeting, but I didn't do a great job near the front wheel wells because I didn't remove the existing stuff and they wheel wells are hard to get to. This reduced sound by at least 1 decibel. I also got the Goodyear Eagle LS front tires (didn't replace the rears yet) and that was a big difference. These are the stock tires on the 2003 models I think. I recommend them.

I removed the locking wheel cover brackets on the steel wheels because I could not get them to stop rattling, I think they are a bad design. Also, the honeycomb wheel covers have been making clicking noises, I think they are a bad design too, I took them off so I am presently going for the "black look"

. I'm going to try to fix the wheel covers, I think I know why they are clicking.

As for overly firm spring rates, god only knows what manufacturers are thinking, we don't race our cars, try www.coilsprings.com, I got 20% less front springs and 30% less rears and it helped alot, but if I could do it again I'd go down about 40% from stock in the front, and 35% from stock in the rear. I recommend them.

Happy motoring.

pkwdena · August 2003

Have you ever checked your lower control arm balljoints? These joints fail after 100k miles due to the lack of grease fittings.

evolk · August 2003

1.) Our 97 CV (140,000 miles) squeaks every time we go over the slightest little bump or even small rise in the road. Last summer, I sprayed some WD-40 on any joints I could see on the inside of the front wheels. This took care of the problem- for about a day. Until it rained, then they were back- even worse. I have been told they are sourced from the rubber bushings or gromets for the connector arms, etc.,... Also, I noticed the ball joints are completely covered up and have no lubrication zert. Could those be the source? The sounds get worse when it either humid or rain is present. The sounds are rather loud and are fairly embarrassing. What can we do about these squeaks? Where are they coming from and has anyone else had this problem?

2.) Whenever we turn the steering wheel even the slightest bit, it makes a loud creaking noise. What is the source of that and how to stop it?

3.) As the car is high mileage now, I was wondering when should we expect to replace the transmission/have it rebuilt? Our Chevy Caprice went out around 130,000, and it is a much heavier car, so I am wondering when the other shoe will drop. Or, will it last longer because of the fact it is a lighter car?

4.) Starting to get more engine knocking. What causes this and how to stop? The owners manual says its somewhat normal if it is minimal.

Thanks for all of your help!

ronald18 · August 2003

I had the same problem on my 99 GM regarding the squeaks at the slightest bump. Someone on this board suggested lubricating all of the rubber contact points that the hood rests on. I did this with a silicone spray. No more squeaks.

captainj · August 2003

I second that: lubricate the hood contact points. I also adjusted those hood contact points/stops on my '00 Grand Marquis so the hood shut a little tighter. That has done the trick, I am so glad, as it was squeaking like a rubber ducky and it was even 'embarrassing'. I kept lubricating all the bushings to no avail as I was certain the sound was coming from somewhere down low.

Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis

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