1986 Ford Crown Victoria Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria.

19851987
Complaints
35
Crashes
1
Fires
16
Injuries
0
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0

Worst 1986 Ford Crown Victoria Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#111 complaints

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Fires:10
#26 complaints

Electrical System:Ignition

Fires:1
#34 complaints

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria.

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
10
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Hood
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Unintended Acceleration
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Vehicle Speed Control:Linkages
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Other Ford Crown Victoria Years

1981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011

1986 Ford Crown Victoria — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 1986 Ford Crown Victoria has 35 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical System:Ignition:Switch with 11 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria?
Top reported problems: Electrical System:Ignition:Switch (11 complaints); Electrical System:Ignition (6 complaints); Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly (4 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
How safe is the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria?
NHTSA complaints for the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria include 1 crash-related reports, 16 fire reports, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1986 Ford Crown Victoria as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1986 Ford Crown Victoria?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Crown Victoria reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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