# 1988 Ford LTD Crown Vic - Gear Change Issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** crownvictoria, ford\ **Created:** [March 16, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179 "2020-03-16T17:15:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/1 "2020-03-16T17:15:55Z")
Hi. So here’s the problem. If I start the car, then shift into reverse, the car will shut off. If I start the car, and let it sit for a bit, then go into reverse, the car will shut off. If I start the car, then go into drive THEN reverse, the car WILL stay on and reverse. I read online that it could be clogged fuel injectors, so I bought some fuel injector cleaner, put it in, then drove for a day and a half, and it’s still having this issue. Something like this has never happened before. Responses and inputs on what this problem could be would be much appreciated Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/2 "2020-03-16T17:30:19Z")
Could be the fuel pump.Its 32 year old car you know,anything can break at this point. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/3 "2020-03-16T17:30:35Z")
What happens if you start the car and then immediately shift into Drive? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/4 "2020-03-16T17:35:24Z")
Maybe someone can explain to me why if you have 6 threads in 6 months about problems with a 32 year old vehicle that is not even collectable why bother. I asked for an explanation , seems like a valid question. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/5 "2020-03-16T18:21:46Z")
> [@natexdog7417\_157562](#): > > Something like this has never happened before. 32 year old car. EVERYthing and ANYthing can fail at any time. I also notice you didn’t tell us what engine is in the car. No matter, sounds like an idle air control valve has failed and/or that passage in the throttle body is dirty. Wild donkey guess given what little you’ve told us. Edit: Maybe the idle air passage is clogged with the orange gunk you saw in the throttle body. ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/6 "2020-03-16T20:13:38Z")
I’ll not sure if it’s the fuel pump. We replaced it last year in February. Can the pump go bad after a year? ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/7 "2020-03-16T20:17:26Z")
Well, it’s an old car. I know it’s gonna have its problems. It’s also my first car. I bought it last year around February for $800. It was all I could afford. I wanna try to have it run as perfectly as I can for as long as I can. Hope that answers your question ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/8 "2020-03-16T20:19:29Z")
Does it just die dead, instantly when you shift, or does it struggle? ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/9 "2020-03-16T20:21:38Z")
The car has a 5.0 Engine. It’s also Automatic shift. Thanks for your input, I’ll check the idle air passage when I can. Let me know if there’s anything else you would need to know ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/10 "2020-03-16T20:21:51Z")
It struggles ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/11 "2020-03-16T20:26:55Z")
But when you just shift into drive, no problem? ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/12 "2020-03-16T20:41:28Z")
I just tested it again and as of now, when I shift into drive, it shuts off just like how it did when I go into reverse. But it used to struggle a little. ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/13 "2020-03-16T20:42:07Z")
It’s possible the torque converter lockup is malfunctioning. A good transmission shop could verify this. ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/14 "2020-03-16T20:45:42Z")
Alright, I’ll get that checked out when i can ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/15 "2020-03-16T20:45:53Z")
The car can idles fine, but when going into drive or reverse, it’ll just turn off, unless I press the gas a little and hold it as I shift. And this is only when I’m beginning a trip. If I were to go to the store or something and I’m trying to park by reverse, or correcting my car in the space, the car won’t turn off ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/16 "2020-03-16T22:39:49Z")
Does it stall when you shift into Drive also, or just Reverse? ---
**Author:** ![natexdog7417\_157562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/natexdog7417_157562/32/19952_2.png) [@natexdog7417\_157562](https://community.cartalk.com/u/natexdog7417_157562)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1988-ford-ltd-crown-vic-gear-change-issue/161179/17 "2020-06-24T23:10:09Z")
Sorry for the long wait. What solved this issue was increasing the idling speed slightly. The car hasn’t turned off on me since