Head-to-head reliability
FORD Crown Victoria vs Toyota Camry
How the FORD Crown Victoria and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
FORD Crown Victoria vs Toyota Camry: The Crown Victoria has 954 complaints (95/year) and 37 recalls, while the Camry has 2,056 complaints (206/year) and 31 recalls. Crown Victoria owners report steering and lighting failures; Camry owners report power train and brake issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD Crown Victoria or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD Crown Victoria
The Ford Crown Victoria is a large, rear-wheel-drive sedan often used as a police car or taxi, known for simple, durable mechanicals. However, NHTSA data shows 954 complaints over 10 years (about 95 per year) and 37 recalls, with many owners reporting lighting, steering, and electrical problems. The steering issues include a recall for the pinion shaft, but some owners say the fix wasn't done or failed later. Overall, it's a sturdy car but expect to deal with aging electrical and steering components.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a popular midsize sedan with a reputation for reliability, but NHTSA data shows 2,056 complaints over 10 years (about 206 per year) and 31 recalls. Owners report power train hesitation, engine shuddering, brake noises, and electrical glitches, especially on newer models. While the Camry has fewer recalls than the Crown Victoria, the higher complaint rate suggests more frequent owner-reported issues. It's still a practical choice, but check for the specific problems noted.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD Crown Victoria | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 954 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 37 | 31 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 79 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 95.4 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 46 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 4 | 1 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
FORD Crown Victoria
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING285
- 02STEERING186
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM109
- 04POWER TRAIN82
- 05SUSPENSION75
Owners frequently report turn signals that blink rapidly or work intermittently, and headlight sockets that melt, causing bulbs to blow out. One owner replaced six sockets. This matters because melted sockets can lead to sudden loss of headlights, a safety risk.
Complaints include banging or clunking noises from the steering, and in one case the steering shaft separated with no warning. A recall for the steering pinion shaft exists, but some owners say the repair was not completed or failed later. This is critical because steering failure can cause loss of control.
Owners report instrument clusters becoming inoperable, including speedometers, and dash lights going out when headlights are turned on. These electrical gremlins can make it hard to know your speed or see gauges at night, increasing driving risk.
Some owners describe sluggish reversing, unintended shifting from reverse to drive, and stalling at high speed when passing. These issues can lead to unexpected acceleration or loss of power, which is dangerous in traffic.
“THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WORKS SOMETIMES BUT BLINKS RAPIDLY MOST OF THE TIME. NO BULBS ARE BURNED OUT. SOMETIMES THE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AND THEN THE DASH LIGHTS COME BACK ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. SOMETIMES THE DASH…”
“THE HEADLIGHT SOCKETS ARE MELTING, CAUSING THE BULBS TO BLOW OUT. WE HAVE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 6 SOCKETS, MOSTLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AND MULTIPLE BULBS. MHQ SAYS THIS IS COMMON. SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL? SHOULD FORD BE FIXING THIS? *TR”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners of newer Camrys report the ignition key getting stuck in Park, requiring battery disconnection to remove, and hesitation or shuddering with the check engine light on. These problems can leave you stranded or cause delayed acceleration.
Complaints include delayed throttle response when pressing the accelerator, with the car taking several seconds to move. This lag can be dangerous when merging or crossing intersections, as you may not accelerate as expected.
Owners report the electronic parking brake failing to disengage, requiring a tow, and clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area that dealers call normal. A stuck parking brake can prevent you from driving, and brake noises may indicate ABS issues.
Multiple systems like stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping can malfunction simultaneously. This can overwhelm the driver with warnings and potentially disable safety aids when needed.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
FORD Crown Victoria — 37 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermedi…
The risk: Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if neces…
The defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinoi…
The risk: If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lo…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermedi…
The risk: Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if neces…
The defect: Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinoi…
The risk: If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lo…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
FORD Crown Victoria or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Ford Crown Victoria has fewer complaints per year (about 95) than the Toyota Camry (about 206), but the Crown Victoria has more recalls (37 vs. 31). In practice, the Crown Victoria may have fewer owner-reported issues overall, but the Camry's higher complaint rate suggests more frequent problems, especially with power train and brakes. Both have serious safety-related complaints, so neither is clearly better without a thorough inspection.
Key differences
- The Crown Victoria has about 95 complaints per year vs. the Camry's 206, but the Crown Victoria has more recalls (37 vs. 31).
- Crown Victoria owners report melting headlight sockets and steering shaft separation; Camry owners report stuck ignition keys and electronic parking brake failures.
- The Camry has more crash-related complaints (171 vs. 79) and injuries (158 vs. 46), though the Crown Victoria has more deaths (4 vs. 1).
- Crown Victoria issues often involve aging electrical and steering components, while Camry issues cluster around power train hesitation and brake noises.
- Inspect headlight sockets for melting or discoloration, and test all turn signals for rapid blinking or intermittent operation.
- Check steering for clunking or banging noises, and verify that any open steering recalls (especially pinion shaft) have been completed.
- Test the ignition key removal in Park; if it sticks, it may require battery disconnection to remove.
- Listen for clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area, and check if the electronic parking brake disengages properly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic, focusing on the specific components mentioned in complaints.
- Check for open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN, and confirm they have been repaired.
- Test drive at various speeds, including highway merging, to feel for hesitation, shuddering, or delayed acceleration.
- Inspect all lights, including turn signals, headlights, and dash lights, for proper function.
- For the Camry, test the electronic parking brake and listen for brake noises; for the Crown Victoria, check steering feel and listen for clunks.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific FORD Crown Victoria or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD Crown Victoria vs Toyota Camry
- FORD Crown Victoria total complaints
- 954
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- FORD Crown Victoria total recalls
- 37
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- FORD Crown Victoria avg complaints/year
- 95.4
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- FORD Crown Victoria
- FORD Crown Victoria top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN