Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 32 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| May 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 1996 | 3 | 6 |
| Feb 1996 | 2 | 8 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 9 |
| Apr 1996 | 2 | 11 |
| May 1996 | 2 | 13 |
| Jun 1996 | 2 | 15 |
| Jul 1996 | 2 | 17 |
| Nov 1996 | 2 | 19 |
| Nov 1997 | 1 | 20 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 21 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 22 |
| Oct 1999 | 1 | 23 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 24 |
| Sep 2000 | 1 | 25 |
| Oct 2000 | 1 | 26 |
| Apr 2001 | 2 | 28 |
| May 2003 | 1 | 29 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 30 |
| Jan 2004 | 1 | 31 |
| Jul 2009 | 1 | 32 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
6 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TOTAL TREAD SEPARATION FROM TIRE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 ..M.P.H. FRONT RIGHT TIRE. *TR
FOUR MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE OWNER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR WAS ON FIRE. *AK A MECHANIC EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FORD TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME TYPE ALTERNATOR AND OTHER COMPONETS AS HIS. *PH
WHILE DRIVING RADIATOR SUDDENLY STARTED TO LEAK FLUID. UPON THE LEAKAGE FROM THE RADIATOR VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. *AK
STRONG GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE CAR MOST NOTICEABLE WITH A WINDOW DOWN, HAVE CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND CAN'T FIND IT, SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE DASH. *JB
WHEN TURNING VEHICLE AT LESS THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR, VEHICLE WENT INTO HIGH THROTTLE MODE, AND ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JUMP CURB. BOTH FRONT TIRES WENT FLAT, KNOCKING DOWN 20 FEET WOODED FENCE, AND HIT HOUSE.*AK CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL.*JB
ONGOING TFI IGNITION MODULE PROBLEM, ALL IGNITION COMPONENTS REPLACED, TFI 3+ TIMES, STILL HAPPENS, CAR STALLS AND WON'T START. CALIFORNIA HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, WHEN ARE YOU!? NOW I HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. DO I HAVE TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WHAT????????
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH . CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TAILIGHTS HAD TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. 1 WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT, RADIO HAD STARTED TO SMOKE AND THEN FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS, FAILS TO START, AFTER FIRST 30 TO 45 MINS DRIVING DURING 95F PLUS OUTSIDE AIR TEMP, DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, DALLAS, TX. TFI REPLACED TWICE, COIL REPLACED, TPS REPLACED, AND TUNE UP STILL HAS NOT RESOLVED PROBLEM. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR DEATH EXISTS WITH THIS PROBLEM AS VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING. ONCE STALL CONTITION EXISTS VEHICLE CANNOT BE STARTED FOR AT LEAST 1.5 TO 2 HOURS, UNTIL ENGINE HAS COOLED ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR A RESTART. ENGINE TEMP GUAGE REMAINS IN NORMAL RANGE DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. ALSO BOTH COOLANT TEMP SENSORS, GUAGE, AND COMPUTER COOLANT SENSOR, HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
TRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT ARM. *TT
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
SUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM. *TT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 45.8 |
| 2009 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 57.1 |
| 2007 | 84 | 3 | 1 | 60.0 |
| 2006 | 143 | 2 | 0 | 47.8 |
| 2005 | 119 | 3 | 0 | 52.7 |
| 2004 | 83 | 0 | 1 | 51.8 |
| 2003 | 201 | 1 | 4 | 48.6 |
| 2002 | 65 | 1 | 3 | 60.7 |
| 2001 | 161 | 6 | 6 | 66.7 |
| 2000 | 108 | 9 | 4 | 64.8 |
| 1999 | 148 | 6 | 4 | 64.7 |
| 1998 | 154 | 8 | 5 | 60.5 |
| 1997 | 314 | 8 | 7 | 59.6 |
| 1996 | 259 | 10 | 6 | 61.3 |
| 1995 | 165 | 9 | 6 | 65.1 |
| 1994 | 155 | 5 | 4 | 68.0 |
| 1993 | 176 | 4 | 7 | 73.8 |
| 1992 | 249 | 4 | 7 | 74.5 |
| 1991 | 155 | 5 | 1 | 62.8 |
| 1990 | 209 | 4 | 2 | 71.3 |
| 1989 | 89 | 5 | 0 | 65.8 |
| 1988 | 99 | 5 | 2 | 71.8 |
| 1987Viewing | 32 | 6 | 0 | 65.8 |
| 1986 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 70.7 |
| 1985 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 63.3 |
| 1984 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 61.6 |
| 1983 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.