RoadVitals

1996 Lincoln Continental Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jul 9, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 48 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Lincoln Continental submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Jul 9, 2004

AUTOMOBILE DIMMING REARVIEW MIRROR IS NOT CLEAR,MELTING EFFECT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10080648
Incident
Oct 10, 2003
Visibility
Filed Feb 25, 2003

THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SIDE VIEW MIRROR CONTAINED FILM WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY.*JB

NHTSA ID
10009226
Visibility
Filed Dec 4, 2002

I HAVE CONTACTED LINCOLN ABOUT THE PAINT AND MIRRORS AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE MIRROR IS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS DISCOLORED AND DISTORED. I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR TO AN AUTOBODY SHOP PER DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DEFECTED PAINT JOB FROM THE LINCOLN. THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DT

NHTSA ID
770425
Incident
Jun 20, 2002
Visibility
Filed Oct 15, 2001

INSIDE REARVIEW AUTOMATIC DAY/NIGHT MIRROR IN MY 1996 CONTINENTAL HAS STOPPED DIMMING. THERE IS A SPOT APPROXIMATELY IN THE UPPER RIGHT MIDDLE OF THE MIRROR THAT DOES DIM AS IT SHOULD. AS SUCH, WHEN A CAR COMES UP FROM BEHIND (ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE BRIGHTS ON), IT BLINDS ME AND DECREASES MY "NIGHT VISION." NOT ONLY IS THIS AN ANNOYANCE, BUT IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOT A TSB OR WARRANTY ON IT. IT DOES COST $500.00. I HAVE E-MAILED THE COMPANY THAT MAKES THE MIRROR (DONNELLY CORP.) BUT THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED MY REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON REPAIR, WARRANTY OR REPLACEMENT. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE A "COMMON" PROBLEM WITH 1996 AND 1997 CONTI.. ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.. *AK

NHTSA ID
753240
Incident
Feb 15, 2001
Visibility
Filed Sep 13, 2001

BOTH MIRRORS ARE DISCOLORED AND DISTORTED, PRESENTING A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

NHTSA ID
752175
Incident
Jun 1, 2001
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jun 20, 2001

POWER WINDOWS/ REAR DEFROSTER AND HORN WERN'T WORKING CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MLP SENSOR WAS REPLACED, HELPED WINDOWS TO GO UP AND DOWN CORRECTLY. HORN STILL DOESN'T WORK. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED MANY SENSORS,TYRING TO FIND A REMEDY. *AK

NHTSA ID
890790
Incident
May 10, 2001
Visibility
Filed Dec 29, 2000

MY CAR WAS FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH A DONNELLY ELECTRONICS ELECTROCHROMIC INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR. THIS MIRROR DARKENS WHEN IT SENCES THE LIGHT FROM A CAR BEHIND YOU. SINCE 1996 WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, THIS MIRROR HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. WHEN IT FALES HALF THE MIRROR WILL DARKEN AND THE OTHER HALF WILL NOT. THIS IS EXTREMELY HARD ON THE EYES AT NIGHT, SINCE THE MIRROR HAS NO MANUAL ADJUSTMENT. IT'S PUT UP WITH THAT OR NOTHING. EVERY 1995 AND NEWER LINCOLN CONTINENTAL I HAVE SEEN HAS A BAD MIRROR. MINE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR TIMES NOW, AND NOW NOT ONLY THIS TIME DID IT DO THE SAME THING AGAIN, IT MADE A POPPING SOUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, CRACKED AND THEN BLEW FLUID ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY CAR. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS AND THERE ARE 2 COMPANYS THAT MAKE SUCH A MIRROR. HOWEVER, DONNELLY'S ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT FAIL. I HAVE 2 OTHER CAR WITH SUCH MIRROR SYSTEMS AND AFTER 10 YEARS THERE ARE STILL ON THERE ORGINAL MIRRORS. I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE MY CAR EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT EVERY LINCOLN CONTINENTALL 1995 AND NEWER HAS A BAD MIRROR. 1995 IS WHEN FORD MOTOR CO. SWITCHED FROM THE OTHER BRAND TO DONNELLY CORP. ON THE CONTINENTAL'S ONLY. THIS IS A REAL SAFTEY HAZZARD DRIVING WITH A MIRROR WITH 2 DIFFERENT REFLECTIVE SURFACES, AND NOW WITH THE MIRROR CRACKING AND BLOWING FLUID ALL OVER MY CAR I DO THINK THAT THIS MATTER MUST BE LOOKED INTO. I DO THINK THAT DONNELLY HAS A QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO ADDRESS IT. I HAVE CONTACTED JULES ROMAN FROM THERE COMPANY AND TOLD HIM OF THIS AND THEY PRETTY MUCH TOLD ME TOUGH LUCK, AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS ANY SAFETY CONCERN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE PARTS MANAGER AT MY LOCAL LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER SAYS DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOKED AT FORD'S WARRANTY CLAMES ON THESE CARS YOU MIGHT FIND A DIFFERENT STORY. OR BETTER YET PICK 5 OF THESE CARS AT RANDOM, I GARANTEE THAT THE DONNELLY MIRROR WILL BE BAD. I THANK YOU FOR YOU HELP....MIKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
738456
Incident
Oct 15, 2000
Visibility
Filed Sep 30, 1996

FILM COVERS THE WINDSHIELD WHENEVER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED.

NHTSA ID
509256
Incident
Aug 31, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Suspension13

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .