FordCrown Victoria2009Overview/ford/crown-victoria/2009/base/

2009 Ford Crown Victoria

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Crown Victoria.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2009 Ford Crown Victoria is a traditional passenger car powered by an engine that takes 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil and routes output through a 4-speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA-estimated 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. With only 44 owner complaints logged—most centered on the steering system—and three recalls, this model year stands as one of the more dependable points in the nameplate’s 1990–2011 history, especially when contrasted against the 424 complaints recorded for the 1992 model.

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 economy16/24/19 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

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 / combined16 / 24 / 19 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.

7.6–8.4 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 FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity13
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
Engine Flywheel Bolts59 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
Optional BCI Group Number65
Optional BCI Cranking Performance750 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

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
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.732 in / 1.061 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.708 in / 1.037 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
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 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 90,000 mi; coolant every 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 45,000 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)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (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.

The 2009 Ford Crown Victoria sits near the end of a generation that shows a pronounced downward trajectory in federal complaints and regulatory activity. The 2003 model year recorded the generation's peak at 289 complaints, 9 investigations, and 122 TSBs; from that high-water mark, the trend line descends steadily—2005 brought 193 complaints, 2006 dropped to 52 complaints and 3 investigations, and by 2009 the vehicle logged just 44 complaints with zero open NHTSA investigations. The 3 recalls in 2009 represent a continuation of the low-recall pattern established since 2004, which saw only 3 recalls versus the 6–12 recalls annually from 1995–2003. The 18 TSBs in 2009 matches 2008 and remains well below the 63–122 range seen during the 2003–2005 period, suggesting engineering refinements had stabilized the platform. For the target year specifically, steering emerged as the leading complaint category at 14 instances, followed by fuel system (10) and powertrain (6), with only 5 crash-related complaints and 2 fire complaints recorded—numbers that do not indicate a systemic safety defect. This year-to-year arc places 2009 squarely in a mature, refined phase of the generation's lifecycle rather than an early-production trouble period. The concrete takeaway: the 2009 Crown Victoria benefits from the platform's troubleshooting trajectory, presenting fewer documented complaints and zero active investigations compared to earlier years, making it a comparatively sound model-year choice within this generation, all other factors being equal.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
18
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
44
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 44 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering14
Fuel System, Gasoline10
Power Train6
Electrical System2
Steering,Suspension2
Power Train,Electrical System,Visibility,Tires,Interior Lighting,Service Brakes,Engine1
Unknown Or Other,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Electrical System,Visibility/Wiper1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
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 470092018-01-10EquipmentThe Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are…

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 2009 Crown Victoria take?

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

Does the 2009 Crown Victoria have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Crown Victoria get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.