Ford Faces Safety Probe of Crown Victoria Cars

Ford Motor Co. is facing a U.S. safety investigation of wheel cracks on 146,000 Crown Victoria sedans used as police cars and taxis because earlier recall repairs may not have eliminated the flaw.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reviewing 2003 through 2005 models to determine the effectiveness of last year’s recall, agency spokesman Tim Hurd said. The 2003 recall forced Ford, the No. 2 U.S. automaker, to redesign the wheels of the Crown Victoria after at least six complaints from police departments.

The safety agency said in a notice on its website that it was seeking to determine whether 25 complaints received about wheel cracks on the Crown Victoria, beginning with the 2003 model year, involved cars built with redesigned wheels.

Shares of Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford fell 6 cents to $14.74 on the NYSE.