Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis

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Comments

  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    You're assuming the valve guides themsleves aren't worn and the valves aren't coked up from the burning oil. The valves need to be checked for play in the guides. New seals don't always fix the problem in the early 4.6.
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    Valve guides and valves themselves rarely are a problem with this engine, expecially in a relatively low mile car. Be careful that you don't do a lot of expensive and unnecessary work. I have personal knowledge of more that a dozen cars, including my own, that only required seals
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    Davids 10:Hope its OK for an old Englishman to add his 10pennyworth re:above problem.I had an new 03GM imported over here to the UK early 2002,in the hope of obtaining what I considered to be one of the last true American cars.But oh that ride. -see message #1556 posted on this board last year.I have tried various aftermarket suppliers of shocks,but they all seem to have given up on the big Fords back in the mid 80s or so,unless these new problems have caused a re-think.Your comment re: rear suspension jiggle is interesting.Does the front seem alright to you?My GM seems to be harsh and jiggly both back and front,and,as its an LS Ultimate,it has air springs at the back,which would back up dbc123 and my own theory,that the damping is at fault.I too would be very interested in whatever you can find out about these possible new shocks from Ford.I would love to get this machine riding like the limo it is!
    Kind regards to all
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I'm facinated by the fact that you imported a Mercury across the drink to drive in my ancestral home country! Especially when I'm considering a Jaguar for my next Sedan, especially after hearing what they've done to the ride on that fine cruiser.

    How much does it cost you to import a Ford from the colonies? Do your dealers there help you, or do you have to arrange it on your own? Is this the first time you've done that? They don't sell them there in any form?

    Just curious.

    BTW, my ancestors came from Birmingham.
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    don't they tax the heck out of cars with large motors?
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    Thank you for your interest guys.nvbanker,if I could direct you to message #1568 on this board,I gave a brief outline of your questions to genex,who shared your curiosity.As far as cost is concerned,what you need to bear in mind is that over here,buying and running a car is an expensive business,even small euro boxes probably cost more to us than any CV or GM does in the States.So bearing that in mind the £30,000 I paid for the GM (I can hear the WOWs from here)is still good value for money,and some £21,000 cheaper than an equivelant Jag XJ 4.2V8.I have always loved American cars from being very young.Up until recently their effortless transportation,(I suppose "speed and luxury" sums it up),was un-surpassable.They don't sell American Ford over here any more.Used to many years ago.We have no Lincoln/Mercury dealers over here at all.This is why I value this information system.
    BTW(like that abreviation!)I live in Lancashire 100 miles north of Birmingham.
    iusecad-your tax issue-No, taxation on large cars is only slightly more for our 12 months road tax,and the cut off point is only about 2000cc,I think.After all we have many large engined cars on the road,ie 6.7 litre Rolls,V12 Jags at 6.0 litres,and the big V12 BMW & Mercs.(They just make up the tax from the petrol these machines use.You don't want to know how much that cost.Neither do I !!Stopped worrying years ago.Just fill up,give in the old visa card,close my eyes and sign.)I do hope I have not bored everyones socks off,but if you get me talking motor cars,I could go on forever,and I am consious of being an "interloper" on your notice board.
    Have a good Christmas
    Best Wishes
    Jim
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I will go to #1568 post haste and learn! Drop in anytime, you're very educational.
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    I like my Vic; but probably not enough to import it like you did...

    oh, and just a general ? for the room: if your fuel gauge didn't work (its always on full) and the "low fuel light" never comes on - even when you know the tank is low - would you be tempted to replace the sending unit in the gas tank or the pod(?) in the dash? My gut says the sending unit, but the indie shop told me it'd be about $150 for the part and about the same for the labor. If I trade it for a Focus I think I'll let the dealer worry about it...
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I'm 90% sure it's the pump sending unit.
  • iusecadiusecad Member Posts: 287
    If I do it, I think I'll have 'em replace the rear springs too. I've read on other forums about '98s' springs sagging giving it a "body in trunk" look. Not to mention the hitch scrapes leaving just about every parking lot / gas station with a little hill...

    and maybe some POR-15 for the frame...
  • rrogers7rrogers7 Member Posts: 1
    #1 of 2 2001 Mercury GM stalls 10 to 20 times a day. by rrogers7 United States of America Dec 23, 2003 (6:55 pm)

    My 2001 GM has 37K. When it had about 34K, and was still under factory warranty, it started going dead at stop signs and red lights. It would also lurch, and lose power on hills. All this is at low speeds. On the Interstate, it ran fine.

    Took to dealer. Said diagnostic machine did not show fault. They replaced air sensor. Doing it again before I got off lot. Took it back. Replacment air sensor defective. Went dead, skipped, and lurched on way home.

    Took it back. Was told engine wasn't skipping at all, but transmissing slipping. That was what was causing lurching and skipping. Dealer replaced transmission, under warranty.

    Still have same problem. Can anyone help?

    Something else, while all this work was going on, factory warrenty expired. Now dealer claims they repaired original problem and this is something else. Strange the "Something else" started up with minutes after they 'fixed it."

    Since car out of factory warranty, dealers says I will have to pay for repairs. I maintain that problem developed while vehicle under factory warranty, and never fixed.

    Anyone know what might be wrong? If I am going to have to pay for repairs I won't take it to dealer.

    Also, who could I contact at Ford to discuss this? I feel like I am being given run around.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Hope you kept your paperwork for when they started addressing this complaint while the warranty was still in force. If you do, you shouldn't have a problem getting Ford to fix it and pay for it, but you'll need to talk to a Ford factory rep. Ask your dealer when the factory rep is coming, and tell them you want to speak with him. If they won't cooperate, call the Ford hot line. Be nice, but be relentless and keep insisting that a) they find the problem and fix it, and b) they pay for it under warranty.

    Secondly, these are tough problems to find and correct, and it could be a $2 subcomponent made by TRW or some subcontractor for Ford that is failing. If it's not tripping an error code in the computer, it makes it hard to identify. Unfortunately, I can't lead you in the right direction. Sounds like a fuel pump to me, but I could be so far off. Good luck.

    Remember, be nice, but relentless. Don't give up. Don't lose your temper or threaten legal action. That just closes down anybody from working with you and moves it to a venue where nobody wins.
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    Ditto to nybanker's suggestions. I had problems with a warped head on my '00 GM. Dealer repeatedly (for over a year!) told me the heads were backordered due to high demand. The first time I was told this, I demanded the service advisor so note on my repair order. Car eventually went past warranty (months and miles). A call to the Ford hotline referred me back to the dealer, which alleged it had no record of my problem! I presented a copy of their own repair order as my proof. Head was replaced at no charge. When sure all was well, I wrote a letter to Ford detailing the whole mess. A rep called. Ford does want to "do right" by its customer base, but we have to do our part, too. A little "precautionary paranoia" pays off. Keep records in a file until you dispose of the car! Oh yes; I no longer patronize the dealer who "had no record" of my problem! Good luck!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I agree, I do believe Ford wants to do right, and have evidence to that effect, but they seem to make an assumption that they can trust their dealers, which is not always the case. I never have these problems with my particular dealer, but know they go on all over with everybody's dealers. It's hard to manage everyone's attitude.
  • barnzybarnzy Member Posts: 10
    I had the same problem with my 2000 GM back in July. Local Ford dealer did a complete diag of ignition,fuel delivery, and emission systems. Situation was corrected by cleaning the fuel injectors, and decarbonizing (??) the engine. The car has run beautifully ever since, and the fuel consumption has improved dramatically. I thought the $388 repair bill was a little stiff, but over the last five months (and 10K miles) I have begun to accept it as a reasonable investment. The car now has 65K and runs better than it ever did.
  • ewolfe1ewolfe1 Member Posts: 3
    I want to check why my window will not roll up. It is stuck about half way down. I can let it down but when I try to pull it up manualy it hits a certain point and stops. I removed a screw at the bottom of the panel but I don't see any other screws. Should I just pry thepanel off?
  • vidtechvidtech Member Posts: 212
    once you have removed trim pieces and the arm pad the panels usually can be removed by lifting the panel upward.the bottom has hooks so you shouldn't have to pry anything,something will break.
  • ewolfe1ewolfe1 Member Posts: 3
    Vidtech:
    Thanks for your reply. I looked at the arm rest and other trim but can't figure out how to remove. If you can help me further it will be appreciated.

               ewolfe1
  • ewolfe1ewolfe1 Member Posts: 3
    Vidtech answere my question but I don't know how to remove arm rest and other trim. My problen is the window will not go back up. I tried to pull it up manualy but it a certain spot and will not go further. The motor will run if you put it in the down mode but when you try to raise it nothing happens. If I can get up I will somehow wedge it in the up position since we would rarely raise it up or down. There are only two of in the household andit is her car to drive to work. When we bought the car the previos owner{a friend} told mr not to let it down. He said it will go down about an inch and all you had to do push it up by hand I lowered and now thw problem. Thr car has 84k and is in excelent condition. It belonged to his wife who has passed away and has been well maitained.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Following are the three posts to which ewolfe1 refers...
  • vidtechvidtech Member Posts: 212
    i have found horizontal items can be pryed upward such as the arm rest.the vertical items have a hook at the top with pins at the bottom.pry the bottom outward then lift the item upward to un hook the trim piece..good luck
  • pazakpazak Member Posts: 16
    In June of '04, I will be in the market for a new car and I've got my heart set on a GM Ultimate. I have a few minor reservations about the car and I'm hoping someone here can answer my concerns.

      1) Don't laugh, but trunk room is a concern. The G.M. apparently doesn't have a fold down rear seat/pass thru so all my 6'6" fishing rods may be obsolete. I am hoping that I can sort of angle and wedge them. I can almost do that now in my "00 Sable ( Which does have a pass thru ), but I come up about 5 or 6 inches short.
      2) What is the true power rating of the upgraded stereo in the G.M. I contacted Ford and they sent me to Visteon. Visteon told me that it was an Alpine system rated at 20 watts per channel ( 4 channels ),but the Marauder has what appears to be the exact same unit and I have seen conflicting ratings between 100 and 140 total watts on that system. I don't understand why Ford wouldn't offer a high quality stereo option on a thirty thousand dollar car. And why is the trunk mounted CD changer a 350 dollar option on the G.M.,and only 185 dollars on the C.V. It is almost as if they didn't want anyone under sixty to buy a G.M.
     3) I live in Chicago, so winter conditions are a factor. I have been tooling around in front wheel drive vehicles for the past 17 years so I need somebody to please reassure me that I won't be getting stuck in snow all the time.
     4) Lastly, How true are the fuel efficiency ratings? Is 17/25 accurate?. My Sable was rated at 20 mpg city, but actually gets about 17.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Hmmmmm. Well.... 1) You're right.
    2) If you get the audiophile stereo option, you'll have all the watts you can stand. But the CD changer is not a popular option on this car, why they charge more, I don't know. But get it, it's worth it.
    3) Get Advance Trac (I think it's available on the ultimate) and you should be ok in the snow, although FWD may even be better still.
    4) Your mileage will be amazingly good. You can easily get 20MPG in town, 25 on the highway.

    It's an amazingly nice car for the money, in my opinion. And incredibly reliable.
  • ronslakieronslakie Member Posts: 58
    rrogers - Sorry I am late getting to you on this. I have a 2001 GM and had similar stalling problems and it ended up being the Idle Air Control Valve (IAC). I have read on other forums that failure of this component is quite common. It is not an expensive component ($30-$40 aftermarket) and fairly easy to replace.

    Ron
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    On my '00 GM, I routinely get 28 mpg highway and 25 around town with the smaller engine. A buddy with an '02 GM gets ~ 3 to 5 mpg less. He has a lead foot. I don't. Neither do I baby it. On a trip to CA this fall, I actually got 30 mpg on one stretch, but must have had a tailwind down the western slopes of the Rockies to get it. -----A few previous posts have complained about much worse mileage, but there must have been a reasonable (mechanical) explanation for them. ----I do agree about the desirability of having fold-down rear seatbacks, though. My 5 hp snowblower fits in the trunk with the lid closed, but long objects don't. ----- Traction has never been a problem in MI snows. I still have the Michelins that came on the car and 48000 miles on them. The "Precisiontrac" (or whatever they now call it) kicks in at times, but not often. With a little planning ahead, you can even blast through snow drifts. I upgraded from a '99 Sable and have not been sorry. The extra 600# of the GM helps, too. Good luck!
  • pazakpazak Member Posts: 16
    Thanks harmer and nvbanker for the info. I guess I'll be putting all my one piece fishing rods up for auction on ebay come June.

       I'll be very happy to get 17/mpg city. Anything more would be a bonus.

       Glad to hear the GM does well in the MI snow climate. I'm getting to old to push a 4000 lb. car.
     
        Visteon can't confirm that the GM Ult. stereo is the same Audiophile unit sold in the Marauder. Their tech assistance people don't seem very sharp. They tell me to contact Alpine. Ford tells me to contact Visteon, and Visteon tells me to contact Alpine. Neither of them can give me a tel. number for Alpine. Oh well,I'll pin'em down eventually. Thanks again
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    Sorry I forgot to mention that Crutchfield sometimes has CD changers for less than OEM costs, and they install with few or no hassles. I've bought quite a bit from the company and found the staff knowledgeable, honest and quite helpful. They likely have a Web site. --- Also, my '99 Sable actually got worse mileage than this '00 GM. The Sable had the Duratec engine, and, at high RPMs, was noisier than the GM's V8. The GM handles its weight so effortlessly that one hardly knows it's running. --- I wish they would redesign the GM's back seat to fold down, or even the rear armrest to open as a small pass through. Being able to take home a 2 X 4 or downspout from Lowe's would be great. Maybe FoMoCo doesn't think GM owners fish or do some of their own home repairs? Again, good luck with your decisions.
  • smmsmm7smmsmm7 Member Posts: 2
    The overdrive went out on my 91 CV and I was wondering if anyone has gone to junkyard bought another one and installed it themselves ?? I am thinking it should cost me about 600. but am not sure if it is do-able by me in my garage ?

    Do junk yards typically install trannys for a price ? The car is OK otherwise, thanks
  • hotrodlincoln1hotrodlincoln1 Member Posts: 62
    I would stay away from them. I have used them in the past, but I think a tranny install is a big enough pain to warrant the use a new (or better yet, rebuilt) unit that is going to last a long time. Shop around, ask around, and you will probably be able to get a good rebuilt for well under $1000. Also, if someone tries to charge you $600 for a junkyard transmission, they are trying to rip you off. I paid $90 for my used Torqueflite, and would never give much over (calculates a few year's inflation in head) $150 for one.

    On the other hand, if you are short on money, you can probably get away with just replacing your OD band and maybe the servo. Technical information on how to do that is available at crownvic.net
  • marlin77marlin77 Member Posts: 14
    Need a couple of thought's from the tech guys but this might be a bit early in the year for an answer. I just read an article that evaluated the 04 CV interceptors. said FORD increased the hp from 239 to 250 simply by using the air box and MAF meter from the marauder. still uses 87 octane. would this be a simple change out for my 03 LX sport? would the air box fit? seems like a 10-12 hp boost for a couple of hundred dollars is a bargain or would the chip be a factor.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    One (of many) good thing about RWD cars is cheaper to replace parts. Rebuilt RWD trannies are way cheaper and labor cost is way down too.
  • hotrodlincoln1hotrodlincoln1 Member Posts: 62
    Yes, it fits the 4.6 Crown Vic and Grand Marquis. There are some power gains from that. A chip will help too, but is not required. Instead of, or in addition to the airbox change, a gear ratio change will get you major gains in acceleration. Guys have been getting good results with 3.73's.
  • marlin77marlin77 Member Posts: 14
    thanks for the tip on the air box swap. some guys on other forums are telling me i'd need the chip replaced or reflashed though. i really don't see that as necessary either but than again my tech background is limited. service departments aren't much help with this. i thought about the gear also. i do a lot of hiway driving and figured the 3.73 is too much. maybe a 3.55
  • hotrodlincoln1hotrodlincoln1 Member Posts: 62
    I did some checking, and use of the Marauder MAF requires a chip. Brad Reinhart and Jerry (aka The Man) are said to have good ones. While you're at it, you may want to do the Jerry mod to your transmission. Since you have an LX Sport, I think you already have 3.27 gears. I personally wouldn't go to the trouble of up swapping just to go from 3.27 to 3.55. YMMV. A company called Angry Duck Tofu Racing (ADTR) makes high performance intake manifolds for your car.

    Info on the J-mod is at www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/
  • jackbjackb Member Posts: 1
    Shocked to hear of your stalling on your 01 GM. I had one and never had any problems. If your still looking for help, I suggest you call 1-800-392-FORD. and relate your problem to them.
  • barnzybarnzy Member Posts: 10
    After raving about how great my 2000 GM is running (at 66K), I was told at my last oil change that I have a leak in the torque converter front seal. The seal is about a $15 item, but they have to remove the tranny to get to it. Probably looking at a $600 or $700 bill. Hopefully this is not the start of a domino trend; but if it is, I'll be taking a serious look at the Ford 500 and Mercury Montego when they hit the dealerships (hopefully in March).
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    It's a little unusual to see a 4r70W trans with a seal leak with only 66K miles and 4 years. Are you sure it's actually leaking? Some "weeping" around the rubber inspection plug on the converter housing is not unusual and no cause for concern.
    Job 1 for the 500 is July 2004 so don't look for them until early fall.
  • evolkevolk Member Posts: 9
    About three weeks ago, I was driving my 97 CV to work (it was about 10 degrees out), and was not getting any heat to the passenger compartment, though the engine temp. guage needle indicated I should have had plenty of it. About 2/3 of the way to work (20 minutes), the heat finally came on.

    Typically, I forgot about it until the same thing happened last week when the temps were in the teens. What happened then was the engine ran very hot (though not in the red) (about 10 o'clock or 10:30), while I started to lose "geddy-yup" (power), and the engine started to really "knock" when I accelerated (during the last mile or two of the 25 mile trip). I was late to work and came to a stop to back in to the space when the engine stalled (locked up?) and I had to push it back.

    After a few hours sitting there, it started right up, with no engine knock.

    It made it 3/4 of the way back home before it started to knock again and I lost a lot of the "geddy-yup". Again, the temp. guage was running around the 10-10:30 area, but not in the red or even touching the "H".

    I nursed it home after my wife came and picked me up and we went to dinner and came back. I left the car sitting in the driveway until this last Sunday, when the temps got into the low 40's with sun. I opened up the hood and checked the coolant reservoir and it was frozen solid!...and didn't seem to have a high concentration of green anti-freeze color to it. I left the hood open and let the sun light hit the reservoir directly for a couple of hours. This melted it down for the most part, so I started the engine up and it sounded fine, with a slight knock. I added anti-freeze (about a half gallon), to the fill line in the tank, and let the car warm up quite a bit (20 minutes) and circulate the coolant. I've since run some short errands successfully, but the car still has a knock sound on the engine, but it slows down considerably when I coast down/brake to a stop.

    Any clues? Thermostat? Is the knock sound because I may have done serious damage to the block?

    Remedies?

    Car has 155k miles on it.
  • barnzybarnzy Member Posts: 10
    Turns out it was the rear seal, not the front. Am I sure it was leaking? No!! I'm passing on the Ford 500/Mercury Montego after learning that they'll only be available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive. Perhaps I'll just shoot for 100K on the GM (67K on it now).
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    My 94 currently has 155k. Looks and runs near new. These will last a long,long time with proper upkeep.
  • ragdollgirlragdollgirl Member Posts: 66
    Did you ever get the air bag short fixed? If so, how much did it cost? My 94 GM has the same problem, but I haven't fixed it because the mechanic couldn't tell me how it would cost since he wouldn't know how long it would take to find the short. It sure is annoying having that light blink all the time, not to mention the air bags don't work. Just wondering how you made out.
  • hotrodlincoln1hotrodlincoln1 Member Posts: 62
    This is why you should test your coolant.

    When you froze the radiator, the coolant in the engine had nowhere to go. As a result, you overheated the engine. Since coolant wasn't circulating, the temperature at the sending unit was probably much lower than what was happening in the water jackets.

    As for the knock, without hearing it in person, it's hard to say. You may have wasted a bearing (or several). You may have cracked the block, with all sorts of possible unpleasant results. Take it to a mechanic you trust and find out.
  • ragdollgirlragdollgirl Member Posts: 66
    Just wondering if anybody knows whether the 04 GMs have a better ride than the 03s. My 94 GM is great, but it has over 183k miles on it and I am starting to look for a new car. May not get a GM, though, if the ride hasn't improved. Any thoughts?
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    I too would like to know if Ford have improved the ride for 04,ragdollgirl.Hope someone has experience of the latest model,and can answer your question.By the way did anyone find out if Ford have released any new softer shocks for the 03s?
  • harmarharmar Member Posts: 94
    See posts # 2125 and 2135. Reason(s) unknown, but there was, according to those posts, to be a new shock issued in Dec. for '03 models. Details were uncertain. If Ford saw fit to issue a different shock for retrofitting the '03s, perhaps the message got through about buyer dissatisfaction? If so, the '04s would likely have the new shock. Lots of "ifs" there, but parts managers ought to know. If the Dec. shock has a new part number, then ask what the difference is between that and the '03 standard issue. Softer ride? Some investigative work is in order for interested parties. Good luck.
  • james130james130 Member Posts: 10
    I will try to make a few enquiries.If I do find out any "good news",it will be my pleasure to post a message.I am sure alot of owners would welcome softer shocks.
  • jrc346jrc346 Member Posts: 337
    I have been reading through these posts and noticed that many of you have 94 Crown Vics or GM's. I am about to dive into a ERG port cleaning on a friends 94 CV with ~117,000K on it because the check engine light is on, along with a poor idle while in gear. While I have seen this is a common problem with 93&94 Panthers, I want to make sure I am not doing something for nothing.
    I just wanted to take a quick poll and see if any of you 93 or 94 CV/GM owners had to have your EGR ports cleaned, and if you did, what were the symptoms that caused you to clean them? Thanks I really appreciate any responces any of you might have.
  • vidtechvidtech Member Posts: 212
    generally dirty egr ports will not roughen the idle unless the valve is stuck open a bit.when the ports plug up usually you will experience pinging and the NOX readings will be high during an emmission test.to test if the ports need cleaning i would disconnect the vacuum line running to the egr and attach a long piece of vacuum line to the fitting on the valve.you can use a vacuum pump or suck on the line yourself.during IDLE while sucking on the vacumm line to open the valve,the engine idle should roughen a lot or stall if the ports are clear and the valve is working.if nothing happens the ports are either clogged of the valve is defective and not opening.
  • jrc346jrc346 Member Posts: 337
    Thank you for your thoughts. You may have saved me some time. I saw how I could test the EGR with a vacuum meter, but I don't have one, and I didn't want to buy one just for this car. So I like your method and will defiently give it a try. I wont have a chance to work on it until Saturday, but I will let you know what happends :-)

    Any other ideas or stories out there?

    Thanks JRC
  • dbc123dbc123 Member Posts: 105
    I agree with the comments by vidtech. You can pretty much be assured that the egr ports are restricted if the car has over 100K and they have never been cleaned. Most seem to go 110-140K before becoming so clogged that the check engine light comes on. Cleaned my 94 at 120K and has been fine since (currently at 156K). Rough idle may be a different issue. Possibility: plug wires go bad at about this point and cause rough running. Also IABP valve could be faulty.
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