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 1988 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 41 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.
The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words
SEAT BELTS WON'T RETRACT. IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY AND SHORTING OUT RADIO AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. WANTING TO PREVENT FIRE FROM HAPPENING, BY TAKING CARE OF THIS NOW.
THE IGNITION SWITCH GIVES SPARKS AND COULD IGNITE THE CAR. FORD ADMITS OTHER 1988 LINCOLN TOWN CARS HAVE A IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND REPLACES THEM. THEY HAVE NOT INCLUDED MY VIN ON THE DEFECT AND REPLACEMENT LIST; HOWEVER, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND COULD IGNITE A FIRE AT ANY TIME. *TR
FUEL SYSTEM: ELECTRIC RELAY TO FUEL PUMP FAILED 6/21/02--CAR HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIR POWER WINDOWS: DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. WAS REPLACED IN FALL 2000 BY DEALER IN SEATTLE: "OLYMPIC LINCOLN MERCURY." PRESENTLY, SAME MOTOR FAILING AGAIN. ALSO, REAR PASSENGER WINDOW GEARS HAVE STRIPPED OUT--WINDOW MUST BE MANUALLY PULLED UP IF MISTAKENLY OPENED SUDDEN STALLING (APRIL 2002 TO PRESENT): HAD TO FIND ON INTERNET THAT "DISTRIBUTOR MODULE" WAS OVERHEATING AND CAUSING CAR TO STALL (ALL POWER LOST: NO STEERING, ONE PUSH ON BRAKES--I WAS ENDANGERED) NOTICE FROM FORD, THOUGHT THEY KNOW THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING AND FATALITIES HAD BEEN REPORTED. (THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPAIR SHOPS ABOUT IT, BUT NOT TO CONSUMERS.) I WAS STRANDED 3 TIMES, HAVING TO ABANDON THE CAR, THEN HAVE IT TOWED TWICE FOR REPAIRS. NEW "MODULE" SEEMED TO HAVE RESOLVED ISSUE--READ ON. OCT 15, 2002: CAR QUIT SUDDENLY, AT IDLE, WHEN STOPPED IN TURN LANE, WAITING TO TURN ACROSS DANGEROUS HIGHWAY. WOULD NOT START--HAD TO BE TOWED. NOV 27/02: ELECTRICAL ISSUES NIGHTLY DRAINING 1 WEEK OLD BATTERY. CAR HAS BEEN GONE OVER BY ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST, ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP, ALSO THE LOCAL FORD AGENCY--"NO CODES," BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. CAR DEAD AGAIN TODAY AFTER RETURNING FROM REPAIR SHOP YESTERDAY. WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO? CAR HAS 115,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN EXCELLENTLY MAINTAINED. EXCELLENTLY!
THE RELAY THAT HOOKS TO THE BATTERY STARTER] BROKE. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO ACCLELERATE IN FULL THROTTLE. CONSUMER CAME TO A COMPLETED STOP, BUT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. RELAY # 1E9TZ-11450B.*AK
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING A SMALL FIRE UNDER THE DASHBOARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE CUTS OFF A LOW SPEED WILL NOT START UNTIL IT SITS FOR A WHILE, THIS HAS HAPPEN MULT. TIMES, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A NUMBER OF TIMES , CAN NOT FIND THE CAUSE SEVERAL NEW PARTS HAVE BEEN PUT ON, TO NO AVAIL. *AK
I WOULD BE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60WITH MY FAMILY AND MY CAR WOULD SHUT OFF. I WOULD THEN PULL TO THE SIDE AND LET IT SIT FOR 20 MINUTES AND THEN IT WOULD RESTART UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN ''VERY DANGEROUS''. *AK
VEHICLE WILL STALL SUDDENDLY WHEN THE ENGINE GETS HOT. VEHICLE WILL RESTART, BUT IT HAS STALLED LEAVING CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTED TFHV MODULE IS TOO CLOSE TO THE HOT ENGINE. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *YH
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE FOR A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY ABOUT IT. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED IN REFERENCE TO THE RECALL. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE SWITCH SHORTED OUT MY RADIO WHICH I CAN NOT REPLACE UNTIL THE SWITCH IS REPLACED. THE FORD COMPANY SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS COMPLETE. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAN BE COMPLETE WHEN MY CAR WAS NEVER DONE. I HAVE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT IS SUPPLYING SHORTS THROUGH MY WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE RADIO. I HAVE CHECKED IT BY TESTING THE POWER TO THE WIRING HARNESS (IGNITION/ACCESSORY) AND SOMETIMES IT HAS POWER AND THEN SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A RECALL THE IS COMPLETED WHEN MINE WAS NEVER DONE. WHAT CAN I DO SINCE IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT CAUSED THE BURNED OUT RADIO AND ALMOST A FIRE IN MY VEHICLE?*AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED REPLACED THREE TIMES. YH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ELECTRICAL WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE.HOOD/STEERING WHEEL/SEATS AND REAR TWO TIRES MELTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. *AK
ENGINE FAILURE CAUSING FIRE. OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT.
CIRCIUT UNIT FAILED CAUSING DASH LIGHTS AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO SHOW FAULTY READINGS.
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE TWICE.
STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE, REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND CONNECTOR, REPLACED WIPER SWITCH.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT SPEED 40MPH, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, STEERING COLUMN FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
THE 'CHARGE SYSTEM' WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY.
THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED FOR THREE DAYS. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION.
FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH BURNED MELTING WIRES. NO FIRE OCCURED.
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL.
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL.
ELECTRICAL FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN STEERING COLUMN. RECEIVED RECALL LETTER, DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET SWTICH REPLACED. 96V 071000. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE AUTO, CONSUMER BEGINS TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL-PULLED OVER IN THE GAS STATION AND LIFTED HOOD AND FLAMES WERE THERE-NO INJURIES. *AK
CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL RECALL WORK WAS DONE AND NOW THE CAR NO LONGER WORKS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .