FordCrown Victoria2008Overview/ford/crown-victoria/2008/base/

2008 Ford Crown Victoria

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Crown Victoria.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2008 Ford Crown Victoria is a passenger car whose engine requires 6.0 quarts of 5W‑20 API oil and is paired with a four‑speed automatic transmission. It returns an EPA rating of 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg. Owner data show 50 total complaints for the model year, with steering identified as the top complaint area and four recalls issued. Across the 1990‑2011 production span the Crown Victoria’s complaint count peaked at 424 in 1992 and dropped to a low of 12 in 2010, placing the 2008 model well below the historical high but above the series’ best year, indicating a relatively solid but not flawless reliability record.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520042003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60TR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length211.8 in
Overall width78.3 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight4189 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 64.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume107 cu ft
Cargo volume21 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Crown Victoria of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 2008 Police Interceptor Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2008Police Interceptor Sedan 4.6L V87.60 sec15.80 sec250 hpRWD
2007Police Interceptor Sedan 4.6L V87.80 sec15.90 sec250 hpRWD
2004LX Sedan 4.6L V87.90 sec16.20 sec224 hpRWD
1999Police Interceptor Sedan 4.6L V88.40 sec16.50 sec250 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity13.9
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts59 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts60-64 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.70 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test16 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-195 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)20.0-60.0
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 ohms
Engine Oil Pressure20-45 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2500 rpm
Engine Oil Pressure40-70 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket18 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle50 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle118 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.732 in / 1.061 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 33 ft. lbs. Step 3: 9018 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
117 ft. lbs., Step 2: 32 ft. lbs., Step 3: 10517 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9066 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts with the specified engine oil.

130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
3Loosen bolts 360 degrees360 degrees
430 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
590 degrees90 degrees
690 degrees90 degrees
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1install 8 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across the production lifespan of the Ford Crown Victoria, there is a significant downward trend in federal complaints and technical service bulletins, dropping from a peak of 424 complaints in 1992 to much lower figures in the late 2000s. The 2008 model year sits firmly within this period of increased stability, recording 50 complaints, 4 recalls, and 3 investigations. This performance is nearly identical to 2007, which saw 49 complaints and 4 recalls, and slightly higher than 2009, which recorded 44 complaints and 3 recalls. The most frequent complaints for 2008 were related to steering (15) and vehicle speed control (10), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. Given that 2008 represents the low end of the generation's complaint and TSB arc, this is a good year to buy.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
18
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
50
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 50 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering15
Vehicle Speed Control10
Steering,Suspension5
Electrical System4
Steering,Unknown Or Other2
Power Train1
Exterior Lighting1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V704000Steering:Rack And Pinion:Pinion ShaftReported 05/11/2014

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… Remedy: 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…

13V385000SteeringReported 29/08/2013

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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 18 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DOR-L2Q6V-102019-09-18Electrical SystemThis SKU is a Radiator Fan. The customer communication requested return of unsold…
SSM 472012018-03-30EquipmentReplacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket…
SSM 460852016-09-21Engine And Engine CoolingThe Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing…
TSB1600722016-04-21StructureInpected or repaired under 13R01 - Requests for recall service action under 13S08
16-00722016-04-21SteeringFor 2005-2012 Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Grand Marquis and Town Car vehicles, Regional…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Crown Victoria. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Crown Victoria take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Crown Victoria have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Crown Victoria get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.