I worked for a taxi company we put about three million miles a year on Crown Vic’s. We did replace many of the shafts you are talking about but you had plenty of notice it was going bad because the steering would stiffen up so much it was hard to drive. Never once did they ever lose steering completely

@FoundonthestreetUSA

5 ай бұрын

I didn't have any warning and I had the recall repair too

@shafiqxl

4 ай бұрын

Damn, 3 million annually!

@valkyriesurvives5109

2 ай бұрын

​@@shafiqxlif this was sarcasm I'll clarify for you, 3 million per year combined across all the vics in the fleet

I have been working on Crown Vics since they first came out, for a large municipal government fleet services department. Never seen anything like this. I live in Phoenix, AZ. Nothing rusts here. I have a 2006 Grand Marquis that I bought 11 years ago, with 97,000 miles on it. It now has 381,000 miles on it, and still runs like new. There have been a few problems (rear air suspension, drivers door window regulator, blend door actuator, alternator, serpentine belt tensioner, and a couple of other minor issues. The transmission has never failed, nor has the intake manifold. These failures happen a lot more on P71 models. Not only do they get abused, but their much lower axle ratio causes them to wear out faster. I recently bought a like new 2007 Grand Marquis from the original owner, which came with a stack of service receipts, and only 36,000 miles. Yep, 36,000, not 136,000. Basically a brand new car. I maintain all my cars a lot better than the epa written service manual says to, and I inspect them on a regular basis. The steering shafts on both my Grand Marquis are fine.

@Vile-Flesh

5 ай бұрын

Nice find on your '07 Grand Marquis. I got a 2011 Grand Marquis last summer with 76,000 miles. I knew the owner who passed away and I bought it from his daughters. I will keep that car forever. I think Grand Marquis is the better way to go instead of getting an ex-cop car.

@nick0164

5 ай бұрын

@@Vile-Fleshyeah after i got my 2010 cvpi i wished i got a grand marquis😂i bought it last year in june with 92k miles. i didnt know how to check idle hours, so a month after i bought the car i find out it has 5500🤦🏽‍♂️so far ive replaced the intake man, front sway bar links, rear shocks, driveshaft u-joints, drivers window regulator, and the rear drivers side window switch. but it has zero rust so im happy😭

@CrashBack7

4 ай бұрын

I bought a 2011 p7b 2 years ago for $1,550 from auction. It now has a little over 70,000 miles and has and had when I got it over 7,000 idle hours. I haven't put much into it since and it's been good to me. Shamu did just fail inspection though for code p0128. I'm going to change her thermostat.

A wise man once told me if you plan to keep a car forever plan on replacing everything it . Parts get old as well The crown Vic is classic on it own. Alot of GMT 400-800 trucks have had that issue as well.

@geraldscott4302

5 ай бұрын

The Crown Vic/Grand Marquis/Lincoln Town Car are 400,000 mile+ cars with VERY few parts needing to be replaced before that. Just maintain them properly. I change my oil every three thousand miles, transmission fluid (the 5 quarts you can get out) every 9,000 miles, the transmission fluid, filter, differential oil, and coolant every 27,000 miles. I have aftermarket transmission pans with drain plugs. I also change the air filter (stock) once a year.

@danielstadden1149

5 ай бұрын

​@@geraldscott4302I do all of that plus change the coolant, break fluid and THE POWER STEERING FLUID

@zzoinks

4 ай бұрын

​@@geraldscott4302I'm surprised how frequently you change the transmission fluid

@geraldscott4302

4 ай бұрын

@@zzoinks Remember, that's only changing 5 quarts, out of a total of 13+ quarts that are trapped in the transmission. If you are under the car to change the oil, it only takes a few more minutes to change 5 quarts of transmission fluid at the same time when your transmission pan has a drain plug. Doing it often helps keep the transmission fluid fresh. It's a LOT cheaper than a new transmission. These days most people wouldn't even consider replacing a transmission, they would scrap the vehicle and get another one. The problem is that we have reached the end of the line when it comes to continuing to buy newer vehicles. They no longer make vehicles that are worth buying. Keeping old ones going is the only option left. Maintenance and repair are the keys to making an old car last a really long time.

Currently rebuilding my e36 & e46, but replacing the PLASTICS with METAL.

This was actually recalled. I have a recall notice for it. And it apparently is mostly applied in rust belt states. I am not sure if this could result in fatal accidents always, but it definitely is a huge problem. Scary stuff still. Thank you for the video, spreading awareness to this issue. I bought a rust belt panther recently and luckily the recall was fixed with a brand new shaft.

@FoundonthestreetUSA

5 ай бұрын

I had the recall repair, but my shaft blew apart several years later, despite the repair

@yung_megafone

5 ай бұрын

I was about to say, although I replaced mine from seemingly normal wear and tear, when I was navigating alldata and the Ford FSM for these vehicles there are a couple TSBs regarding steering shaft separation. Great cars but they are machines and machines do have issues

@ismann9148

Ай бұрын

99% of the cars have already been checked for the recall though. Many of them were simply inspected and if the bearing was seated at the time, they took no action. Eventually, it starts sliding out and Ford will refuse to fix it then.

My "Ticking time bomb transmission" just got It's first proper transmission fluid change since It came off the assembly line. The yellow indicator plug was still there and the filter was dated for 2002. My 2003 Town Car has over 360,000 miles.

@michaeltutty1540

5 ай бұрын

The time bomb is simple to prevent. The rubber grommet holding the CV cable to the throttle mechanism deteriorates. There is a brass replacement. Done before it fails, the transmissions can last a very long time indeed. Simple fix to this is to go for one of the Box Panthers. They seem immune to these major issues. Just have to replace the steering box every 30 years or 200,000 miles. One of the rare cars with the 351W will out run any of the 4.6 litre cars as well as achieving significantly better fuel economy. The 4.6 uses as much fuel as my 78 Thunderbirds did and they had the 351M (5.8 litre Modified Block) with 3 speed automatic transmissions.

@danielstadden1149

5 ай бұрын

They recommend not doing that if you haven't kept up on the maintenance.

@mugen5204

5 ай бұрын

Might have had BG flush done, it is a fluid swap without removing the pan so the plug would still be in the pan. My fomoco reman had it in the pan when I did the J-mod so the police force did same as the assembly line.

@Wreakmayhem

4 ай бұрын

I'm lucky to read the dipstick

@fitstoned760

3 ай бұрын

​@@michaeltutty1540 I was wondering if you had a part number thank you in advance

This happened to me on my way home. Good thing there was nobody on the road, I stopped it in time before i went into a ditch. Ford paid for a new steering shaft.

@42luke93

5 ай бұрын

in 2024?

@juliobalderrama8525

5 ай бұрын

Yeah let me know because i bet ford is not replacing them for free in 2024.Mines just came apart lucky pulling in my driveway today.

I love my grand marquis regardless of some of these flaws, most already addressed by recalls. Thanks for posting these videos for the few late adopters (or die harders?) like me. My 2010 Marquis just reached 90k miles and keeps running like a champ.

@sandasturner9529

5 ай бұрын

Oh it's gonna keep running. Ya might end up selling it before it dies.

@geraldscott4302

5 ай бұрын

90,000 miles is nothing for a Grand Marquis, especially an '03 or newer. It should easily last past 400,000 miles if properly taken care of and maintained. Obviously anybody who lives in areas where they put salt on the road is not going to get that kind of mileage out of ANY vehicle. I've seen 5 year old trucks broken in half due to rusted out frames.

My aunt used to care for a woman who was paralyzed when the steering gave out on the Ford that her husband was driving. He was killed in the ensuing accident.

@ihatefsi

5 ай бұрын

Ford sucks lol. Always having issues and being cheap/greedy.

Thank you for posting this video! Sadly, I had to sell my beloved CVPI to a friend due to a back injury; but I will make sure that he knows about this as well!

I've got a 2003 Lincoln Town car and just saw this video randomly on KZread and I'm glad I did because now I'm going to crawl underneath my dash and check out what you're talking about.The car was originally by the owner of a Lincoln dealership in North Carolina so the recall might have already been done but I'm going to check it out anyway

@thetinpin

5 ай бұрын

Look for the bright green plastic thing sticking out. If you see that, you have a problem that needs addressing ASAP.

THANK YOU, ive been trying to spread the word about this for months after i noticed my steering system was failing

Thanks for the Info Brother! I'm in the Process of Rebuilding the Front and Rear Suspension on my 2000 MGM right now. And after seeing this Video I will add a Custom Steering Assembly to the mix! Thanks Again and Keep Rolling!

Appreciate the heads up on this my friend, definitely going to give mine a thorough look over now 🧐

Replaced my intermediate steering shaft on my 00 Maryland State Trooper, probably the most important fix I've ever done to the car in my 12yrs of owning it

Thanks Mr. Random, never thought I'd see the Dickson County HS parking lot on a KZread channel. I've always seen your Humphreys County plates haha

Appreciate the heads up! Stay safe.

Thank you for the information 👍 These are likely ignored or neglected parts on most any vehicle unless it actually breaks. People will be diligent about oil changes, upgrade or worship the engine, but the boring parts will be forgotten. But everything wears out eventually. A good reminder to inspect everything regularly and don’t just tolerate the operation being sub par. Even the worst designs can avoid failures with inspection, maintenance, and heeding any symptoms that arise.

3:30 I had that issue with an '04CVPI that was remedied in 2019 with a recall from Ford, unfortunately I had to pay as a private owner because the warranty cut off was 2005 for fleet cars still in service. The symptom was a vibration in the steering column through the steering wheel while turning. At the time I began following Mr Random Reviews and others in the Panther community on youtube and I recall a report of a Broward County Florida killed in the line of duty in a crash attributed to this flaw. After the job was done I sprayed as much of a can of PB Blaster onto the knuckles on the shaft where ever I could reach any of it through the engine bay. Will do the same on my newly acquired LTC as soon as its rust treated under the carriage.

@jcanfixall1585

5 ай бұрын

PB blaster is not grease, it's not designed as a long term lubricant...

@billmudd9915

3 ай бұрын

Spray fluid film on the u joints of the shaft every other oil change.

@ismann9148

Ай бұрын

@@jcanfixall1585 You wouldn't want to use grease as it'll collect dirt and destroy the joints quicker. The shaft is easy enough to replace anyway and you can still find some new old stock here and there. Just replaced mine.

@jcanfixall1585

Ай бұрын

@@ismann9148 the reason the lower shaft goes bad is from rust, if you keep it lubricated so it doesn't rust there's no need to replace it!!!

kinda glad i have the weird gear driven steering on the Aero series (97)

@SlikLizrd

5 ай бұрын

Bless those Aeros !! The famous 95 MERC is completely rust-free at 181,000 miles -- steering is PRIMO !!

@tanthalascoxwitt7364

5 ай бұрын

Almost 140k, Wisconsin/Minnesota car, rust free​, its a gem for sure@@SlikLizrd

@smokyFAB

3 ай бұрын

Reading this comment made me feel a little better. I have a ‘95 LX with 228,000, I should be just fine.

@SlikLizrd

3 ай бұрын

@@smokyFAB Good Luck !!

Yeah mine is a 2010 University of Alabama Campus Police car. I’ve checked the VIN twice on the NHTSA recall notice. It says 0 unresolved recalls, so I guess they were fixed years ago. I bought it in August, 2020.

My Vic have gone through 3 "common" problems already now I got to keep an eye out for the final 2 issue grand finally. My favorites where the blown spark plug and the leaky manifold.

You can fix the blue retainer clip with a zip tie. Mine was loose and popped out while I was doing a heater core. It snapped back in place and I used a zip tie to secure it. Zip tie has been in place for over a year with no issues. I’ll post a video about it.

the Steering Shaft is a long time issue going back to the crown vic forums. also of note 1999-2003 the engines were made in Mexican engine blocks and they had a problem where they would warp later down the line totaling the engine. some members on the forum's got the recall only to be called later on saying parts availability is hard and offered a trade in. this a long and very well known issue since the end of the crown vics production it started popping up. good video to, and important for those who do not know know these things.

Unfortunately, the Federal Exhaust Gas Passing Prohibition Ordinance (BABVVO) will soon prohibit the driving of combustion engines in public outside of rush hour traffic and established means of transportation, and exhaust gas passing will then become a traffic violation.

Mr Random, I had my 2011 Crown Victoria in at Krown for rust protection. Should I still worry about my steering shaft?

Thanks for the heads up I'll check it out

What bumper cover do you have on the white car in the 3 car lineup at the end of the video? It doesn't look like that Mach 1 bumper to me.

I just bought a 2011 last August. I took it to a Ford dealer. They ran the vin, the recall had never been done. They took care of it right away! No charge!

Thanks for the info. I had the recall completed on my 2007 CVPI here in KC a few years ago and haven't had a problem. I was sure this video would be about the pass ball joint failure issue that is so common on these. You will just be driving along and the front wheel assembly will break loose from the control arms. Scary and dangerous! I've seen it at least 2x.

@jefferyepstein9210

3 ай бұрын

It pops for months before it breaks

I have the play in the steering wheel! Grand Marquis. Thank you!

More frequently yes they are all 15 years or older now. These should be inspected on every vehicle safety inspection.. keep the shaft lubricated.

Hey good content on the potential hazards. Any word on this year's Panther Fest?

What years is this an issue with, because I'm working with an '89 so I am not sure if they redesigned it at some point to get to the problematic one or if it has always been that way.

Yup, my shaft blew apart while I was in the fast lane of interstate 84 at 75MPH! Lost all control, but was able to slow the car down, while it conveniently steered by itself from the fast lane to the emergency, during rush hour Friday night traffic. I could have been killed. Bought my Panther new in 2008, drove it 250K until the shaft fell apart, Repair cost were to high to justify saving. The shaft had been fixed once before after the recall.

Hey Mr random got a question for you can I use a 1997 evap sensor on my 2011 Crown Vic police interceptor

Damn bro that’s some scary stuff!…I bite my nails with the steering rack failure on the fpiu being electric. It’ll just turn off…that and the water pump. 🤐😬

Always good seeing an upload my guy.

Mines a 2011 NC car with 175,000 odo had the trans rebuilt and intake replaced but I going to have look into this though thanks for the heads up .

Does this issue effect the middle 1980's grand marquis. I have a 86 5.0?

I had that happen to my 96 cvpi twice and then I put a u bolt around the shaft inside the car and hasn't came off since

That actually happened to me when I was merging onto a highway....that was freaky. But I also have a 3 inches lifted p71 with 15 by 31×101/2 tire on this P71 and just spent 1300 dollars having steering rack rebolted to alluminum subfraim to steel frame.

Would this affect a 1996 Grand Marquis LS?

does this apply to early panther models like an 88 TC?

I had the steering shaft collapse on my 09 and break/pull out the green clip thing. I made a metal retainer for the bearing and replaced the upper and lower steering shafts with Motorcraft parts. No problem after that, but definitely something that shouldn't ever happen.

Personally went through the faulty intake manifold myself with my 04 grand marquis but other than that its been rolling non stop. I really miss it😢

@alanrogs3990

5 ай бұрын

My 06 just got a slight whistle at 1150 rpm but goes away after the car warms up. Any ideas? Hole in some hose?

Shifting linkage problems has been my main gripe with my 98 p71

That's funny I just realized your at my local New Holland dealer.

Yup my 2011 vic has this.

How you got those fog lightd on the vic bro

So with all this being said in the video... How do you address these issues?

I own a 2001 p71 thanks man i will get this checked out

Another great video. Thanks for what you do.

@MrRandomReviews

5 ай бұрын

👊

The 1993 F150 that I had - part of the steering shaft was Die Cast metal & it broke. It broke when I was turning the wheel sharp to hook up a boat trailer. The mechanic said it was not my fault, it was a shop that specialized in ford's & he seemed to be familiar with the problem. Die Cast metal is brittle. I still have the broken piece in with my scrap metal.

I totaled my Silver 2004 Marauder when the steering wheel locked up. Everyone said I was full of crap. I really miss that Car. !! I bought a Silver 2004 Crown Victoria Sport

Steering shaft issues ive had included some spraying of the knuckle with pb blaster and turning the steering wheel both directions to get the underside of the knuckle to lube it up. It has helped buuut.. ALSO TO NOTE SINCE IT HAPPENED TO MY MGM: at 3:22 in this video, pause the video and look at the metal piece covering the exhaust header next to the shaft (right below the oil dipstick), the metal can actually rot away from the bolts holding it and cause this flimsy piece to fall onto the shaft and push against it, causing a condition that feels like you lose power steering and you have to fight the wheel to get it back center when turning. Loosen the bolts a smidge and (when cool enough to move or use a pilers) remove the flimsy piece and retighten the bolts.

This has been a known problem for years, there was even a recall done about it, it's no less unknown then the ball joint's breaking on the older cars pre rack and pinion redesign of the front end

This happened to me about 5 months ago . Luckily the moment i parked in my driveway the steering wheel just collapsed into itself . I was wondering what the hell happened and then realized there was a recall on it later on . My steering column wasn’t corroded at the time I was living in Florida. Luckily it didn’t happen just ten minutes before as I was doing 85 on the highway .

@CityBoyGio

5 ай бұрын

The dealer covered the recall no problem free of charge this was in July 2023

@alanrogs3990

5 ай бұрын

@@CityBoyGio Nice. I had a Dodge Magnum that had an issue with some type of fuel sponge filter around the gas tank. When it got old the filter turned to mush. Well, one day I was driving and made a left turn and the car went totally dead in the middle of the intersection. No steering or anything. Very dangerous. It also had a recall and a dealer repaired it for free.

What about the Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Cars and the Mercury Marauders ??

Happened to my 91 foxbody, however it was the rubber biscuit which connects the shaft to the steering gear box.

Did this also affect the '79-'91 generation?

How can we replace it

So Does the 92-97 Crown Victoria have this problem also?

Can any one point me to an safer up grade on the steering linkage?

Great video!

Weld the shaft in I’ve done it

"Severe corrosion? What's that?" -Dallas, Texas

I just last year had the entire steering shaft replaced last year. I noticed too much slop and play. So I knew something was up. Luckily for me my brother is an auto mechanic so it cost me less money.

I had to put a hose clamp to keep my bearing in the fire wall in kept felling it out even tho I’ve replaced it 4 times

Does this affect Grand Marquis' as well? Mine is 2006 and is garage kept all the time.

@alanrogs3990

5 ай бұрын

@@buleyauto No give or wobble at all.

Yeah those intakes are not well made at all. I just replaced mine a couple years ago because the all plastic stock intake devoloped a leak near the thermostat housing, & what do you know, its leaking again near the rear of the intake. plus I have a strange squeeky noise when turning the steering wheel, & this is after I put in upper & lower joints

@paultaylor256

5 ай бұрын

Check your Pittman and idler arm .

11yrs ago i bought a 2000 crown vic at auction for $300, still driving it with over 200,000 miles, i can scrap it & make money on it. NOT a ford guy but best car ford ever made

🙄 The newest one is 13 years old. That's a maintenance issue.

Wow an old car with mechanical problems didn't see that coming

@alanrogs3990

5 ай бұрын

What's wrong with letting people know of potential problems?

@jetg2059

5 ай бұрын

There's nothing wrong but the same thing could happen to a ball joint or a tie rod you probably get a warning way before the failure like sloppy steering or noise

@damianlindsey6177

5 ай бұрын

Right. Like all the bullshit with the straight axle death wobble, or anything that deals with dodge ball joints.

I had a 2000 grand marquis with just over 200k that had the floaty steering wheel on the highway, the steering had no feedback from the road at all.

I live in California, and that's why I don't buy Rust Belt cars , one of my cars is Riverside California. The other one is Long Beach, California , it's one of the easiest things to check the steering shaft

I got a 2002 crownvic and 2003 marauder which is not affected. 2005 thru 2011 were recalled

How much did it totally cost to repair??

I don't have a Vic, but do have a friend with this chassis (TC) and will be letting him know about the issue, thank you!

I don't know when this became an issue, but I have a Crown Victoria from 1987 that's entirely original and have never had steering issues with it

What are the wheels on black Vic at start of video they look exactly the same as my boss 260 xr falcons Australia built 2004

@vulpe_the_valiant

4 ай бұрын

I’ve seen rims just like your Falcons on other ford vehicles here in the states. His are i believe 2006-2009 - S197 Mustang Premium 5 spoke wheels i believe. FORD MUSTANG OEM WHEEL 18X8.5 INCH 5 SPOKE 2006-2009 6R3Z1007AA 6R331007AD 6R331007AB 6R331007AC WIDE FLAT SILVER PAINT ORIGINAL RIM FACTORY ALLOY

@mrozboss

4 ай бұрын

Thankyou I always wondered if the xr6 and xr8 ba series used mustang wheels

going out to check things over right now

I had my brakes fail due to the lines rusting. Also had a tie rod pop off.

I called ford about this recall for my 08. They told me nothing was available and refused to give me further information on it.

I thought the play in the steering wheel was just how it was supposed to be 😬

I've got a 2002 Crown Vic that I bought new. I have never received any recall on it...this is the first im hearing about anything like this.

Gd info THANKS

Transmissions in these cars aren't even that bad - if you service it. But yes, check your steering column bearing. You can zip tie it quite easily to keep it from falling out. Huge blunder by Ford creating this issue.

Well i guess I'm glad that the transmission in the 03 i was trying to get rid of shat the bed before someone got hurt.

I really should get my car checked to see if this was ever done.

Such an awesome fleet. P71 P7B for life.

mine just likes to randomly lock the steering while turning left😎 also have a lil play. have to power it back in turns or it stays locked

@SKATETOSLAYER

5 ай бұрын

That's usually the part that's shown at 3:24 that causes that.

I believe mine is starting to show this issue. I thought it was the tires as I needed them badly. So after I put a new set of factory spec Goodyears on I even noticed it more. And mainly when switching lanes on the interstate 60-65 mph.

I got my suspension all new don’t keep old parts in these type of vehicles they do have that 4.6 motor that will give it that torque

These cars are Solid been around for years better then most on the road today 🔧🚗🇺🇸💪👊

I see why the part cost $4-500, even aftermarket and my own shops list prices, I got one without the bearing bushing and plastic cap, I actually had to break it in order to get it off of the old one

I saw the title and had a feeling it was about the steering recall. Idk about other vics, but I noticed in my 2011 p7b a brake line is rubbing up on the steering shaft so that's fun

Ball Joints are screwed, twice I had mine done.

They told me its not a recall, but a public service campaign.

Even though it was repaired under recall 10 years ago as long as your vehicle is on the road. By law you can take it back to the dealer in perpetuaty and they have to fix it free of charge the law is called the Morrison act