RoadVitals

1998 Lincoln Mark Viii Suspension Problems

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

Data refreshed

Suspension 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.
9
Latest May 16, 2016
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.
11%
of 83 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 suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 suspension

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

Exterior lightingSteeringSuspension
Filed May 16, 2016

UPDATE TO LAST COMPLAINT: THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT HAS FAILED, NO REPLACEMENT EXCEPT $1000 CONVERSION KIT. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH ONLY "BRIGHTS" ON FROM NOW ON. DANGER TO MYSELF AND THOSE I'M PASSING, PLUS IF THE "BRIGHTS" AREN'T ON, THEN I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS AND COULD GET PULLED OVER. PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT AT WORK. AFTER REPAIR, HEARING A BAD CREAKING NOISE. AIR SUSPENSION HAS TO FILL UP ALL THE WAY WHEN I START THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER 5 MINUTES OF IT BEING SHUT OFF. HAVE PAID $1,200 FOR REPAIRS OF SUSPENSION AND STEERING IN 6 MONTHS. (THAT'S WITH MY DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT). SERIOUSLY, I'VE HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS, HEADLIGHTS, NO HEAT, DOOR HANDLES SNAPPING OFF, AND THE AIR SUSPENSION GOING BAD. WHY IS FORD NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PARTS??? BECAUSE THE CAR IS RARE AND THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE???

NHTSA ID
10865064
Incident
May 13, 2016
Mileage
104,527 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspensionVisibility
Filed Feb 4, 2016

I'VE HAD THIS GEM SINCE 2010, BOUGHT WITH 30,000 MILES...NOW HAS 104,000 MILES. IT WAS GREAT UNTIL 2014. WHERE DO I START? (1) NO HEAT- BROKEN BLENDER DOOR ACTUATOR...MANUALLY SET IT TO THE WARM SETTING FOR THE WINTER BEHIND GLOVE BOX. (2) DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED LAST YEAR(REPLACED FOR $100)...AND NOW THIS YEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE SNAPPED. (3) DOORS ARE CONSTANTLY "AJAR", ALTERNATING FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. (4) BALL JOINT IS STARTING TO WEAR BADLY, (5) DRIVER'S SEAT WON'T RECLINE, (6) STEERING WHEEL WON'T MOVE FORWARD/BACKWARD ANYMORE, (7) SUSPENSION IS STARTING TO GO...FRONT END LOWERS TO GROUND AFTER SHUTTING DOWN ENGINE. I'M SURE THERE'S MORE THAT I CAN'T THINK OF.

NHTSA ID
10824162
Incident
Feb 1, 2010
Suspension
Filed Feb 24, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY DROP TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THE BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BALL JOINT WITH A MASTER PRO CP426. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE A SECOND TIME, BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN AND REPLACED IT A SECOND TIME. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ UPDATED 03/30/11

NHTSA ID
10384353
Incident
Sep 17, 2010
Mileage
127,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 24, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OVER TRAIN TRACKS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME OFF AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT AND CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 131,000. UPDATED 3/25/11 *CN UPDATED 03/30/11

NHTSA ID
10384340
Incident
Dec 3, 2010
Mileage
131,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 30, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AS OF OCTOBER 30, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHEREIN ONE AIRBAG HAD DETERIORATED FAILED WITH A LEAK OR HOLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT INVOLVING AIR SUSPENSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED WITH ALL 4 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM AIRBAGS. UPDATED 11/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ID
10207434
Incident
Jun 1, 2007
Mileage
60,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 8, 2005

THE FRONT SUSPENSION SINKS DOWN ON THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE FRONT TO SCRAPE ON THE GROUND. THIS IS MAKING THE ABILITY TO DRIVE DIFFICULT. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER IS FAILING. *TC

NHTSA ID
10109284
Incident
Jan 3, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 15, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED. VEHICLE LOST SHOCK ABSORBERS AND DROPPED TO FRAME.*AK

NHTSA ID
8013958
Incident
Jul 1, 2002
Suspension
Filed Feb 1, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING FRONT SUSPENSION OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING PULLING, JERKING AND VIBRATIONS. *YC

NHTSA ID
607466
Incident
Feb 7, 1998
Suspension
Filed Feb 1, 1999

NOISE IN HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. YH

NHTSA ID
606559
Incident
May 21, 1998

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .