Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1986 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND INDICATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELECTRICAL THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK
THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TEMPERAMENTAL AND THE VEHICLE IS STALLING. *SLC
CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK
ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR REPLACED ON 11-23-96, NEW ALTERNATOR SHORTED OUT RESULTING IN FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK
WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE ALTERNATOR.*AK *JB
WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSED THE VEHICLE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD TO CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE AND COMPLETELY BURNED, CAUSING THE HOUSE TO CATCH ON FIRE.*AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL, SPECIFICALLY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO BURN. *AK
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO CATCH ON FIRE AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE/INJURY. *DH
CONSUMER STARTED THE CAR AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE INGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, 5 TO 10 SECONDS LATER, FLAMES WERE COMING UNDER STEERING WHEEL CAUSED BY FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH HEATS UP THE KEY FROM WARM TO VERY HOT. *SD
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT, CAUSING FIRE INI STEERING COLUMN. *DSH
IGNITION FIRE. *SD
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE STEERING COLUMN TO BURN. *AK
FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA WHILE PARKED AT THE DEALER, POSSIBLE DUE TO IGNITION SHORT. *AK
DROVE OUT OF PARKING LOT, ABOUT 1 TO 3 MINUTES LATER, SMOKE POURED OUT OF STEERING COLUMN, AROUND GEAR SHIFT LEVER; MINUTES LATER, CAR ENGULFED WITH FLAMES. *A
IGNITION FIRE. *AK
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.
Data on this page last refreshed .