1998 Ford Crown Victoria complaints

THIS VEHICLE IS A FINE AUTOMOBILE, BUT IT HAS ONE GLARING DESIGN DEFECT. THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS ARE SHUT OFF WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE TURNED ON. I DISCOVERED THIS A WEEK AGO WHEN ON A VERY DARK COUNTRY ROAD. IN A 55 MPH ZONE 25 MPH WAS A MORE APPROPRIATE SPEED. WHEN THE HIGHBEAMS ONLY WERE ON I COULDN'T SEE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITH LOWBEAMS ONLY, I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING DISTANT. I DID FIND OUT THAT I COULD HOLD THE HIGHBEAM FLASHER IN THE UP POSSITION AND KEEP BOTH BEAMS ON WHICH ISN'T TOO SAFE DRIVING WITH ONE HAND. THIS CAN ONLY BE CALLED A VERY STUPID PIECE OF ENGINEERING. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT QUITE A FEW OF THE NEWER VEHICLES ARE BUILT THIS WAY. IT IS A VERY REAL SAFETY HAZZARD WHEN DRIVING DARK ROADS AS I FOUND OUT. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AND WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I FOUND OUT THAT THE CROWN VICTORIA IS ACTUALLY BUILT THAT WAY. EXCEPT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IT IS A GREAT CAR. IF EVERY VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY ON WELL LIGHTED HIGHWAYS THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.

WHILE ON A TRIP TO ARIZONA I RENTED A CAR FROM HERTZ. I WAS DRIVING FROM SEDONA TO PHOENIX ON I17 WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND STOPPED SUDDENLY. AT THE TIME I WAS PASSING IN THE LEFT LANE ON A GRADE OF ABOUT 15 DEGREES AT 70MPH. THE ENGINE STOPPED BECAUSE THE FUEL SHUT OFF SWITCH IN THE TRUNK CUT OFF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, OPEN THE TRUNK AND PRESS A RED BUTTON TO PROCEED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM WITH FORD AUTOMOBILES THAT HERTZ PRINTED A PHAMPLET DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AND RESOLUTION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. THE UNEXPECTED SHUT-DOWN OF AN ENGINE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE CONSUMER WENT OVER A RUMBLE STRIP ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. THE FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED BY RUMBLE STRIP ON ROAD. *AK *ML

SUSPENSION MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURINING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE. YH

TWO RUBBER HOSES EXTEND OUT OF EACH SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK, WITH THE WORDS "GAS/FUEL" PRINTED ON THEM. DRIVING VEHICLE OVER A ROCK COULD POSSIBLELY RUPTURE THE HOSE ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK RESULTING IN A FIRE.

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS. DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THE PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

GOODYEAR 16" SNOW TIRES CAUSING SEVERE HANDLING PROBLEMS.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A 35 DEGREE GRADE WITH THE GEAR SHIFT IN "PARK", KEY IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. DRIVER HEARD TWO LOUD "POPS", TURNED AND WATCH AS THE VEHICLE ROLL DOWN THE GRADE AND STRUCK A TREE CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. DRIVER RECALLS HEARING A CLICKING NOISE AS THE VEHICLE WAS ROLLING.

THE FUEL LINE IS EXPOSED UNDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND SOMETIMES DRAGS THE GROUND.

UNSPECIFIED.

STEERING TOO SENSITIVE, UPON CHANGING LANES, VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURY. QCAW

VEHICLE WITH THE POLICE INTERCEPTOR PACKAGE ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN VEHICLE RUNS OVER ROUGH SURFACE, THE AUTOMATIC FUEL SHUTOFF IS ACTIVATED AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSING LOSS OF LIGHTING.

VEHICLE KNOCKS WHILE DRIVING. NLM

MOTOR STALLED AT BOTTOM OF THE HILL WHEN MANUALLY GOING FROM SECOND TO DRIVE. WHEN RESTARTING THE MOTOR IT THREW ME ACROSS THE HIGHWAY INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE OF TRAFFIC.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. OWNER IS WORKING WITH DEALERSHIP ON REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT.*AK

DOME LIGHT SWITCH DESIGN IS VERY OBSTRUCTIVE TO DRIVER'S OPERATION AND VIEWING, CAN ONLY BE ACTIVATED BY DRIVER DUE TO LOCATION.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN REAR BRAKES ARE APPLIED LIGHTLY, CAR SLOWS DOWN.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES FOR NO REASON CAUSING LOSS OF POWER/CONTROL.