The transmission would slip into neutral when driving. Then I lost 4th gear. The transmission was completely rebuilt. Mechanic told me all CV transmission go out every 100 thousand miles or so. The pump goes out in the transmission. This is a constant problem, this is why the Police agencies put them up for auction. Heat easily kills the trany. If you own a Crown Vic with low miles put the coolest thermostat in that you can, and take off the bottom or lower air deflector. To much heat also causes the plastic air intake manifold to crack.

One will get 360 thousand out of the Crown Vic but you will go thru at least 2 transmissions and 2 intake manifolds as the manifolds are made out of plastic.

Crown Victoria's Police cars are put up for auction at about 80 thousand miles because of tranny going out. What kills the state trooper cars in sitting at an accident scene for an hour or two with engine idling and engine gets very hot killing the tranny pump and intake manifold.

Mechanics at the repair shops all said it's very common for these to trannies to let go before they reach 100,000 miles. It was actually possible to drive, but it slipped so bad i could barely touch the gas pedal. It's a problem that never came up in my previous car, a 1989 Crown Vic with essentially the same transmission, and it also doesn't seem to apply to newer ones with electric overdrive. In any case, it limped around long enough for me to get three estimates, but then the car was in the shop for a few days and it cost big bucks. It's fine since the rebuild, but i haven't put many more miles on it.