1989 Lincoln Town Car Owner Complaints

LETTER ON BEHALF OF CONCERN ABOUT THE 1996 RECALL ON LINCOLN TOWN CARS, HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW IS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON HIS 1989 LINCOLN TOWN CAR; SEND INCOMING LTR WITH REPLY TO ATTN: ALLISON JACKSON/FOLEY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEY DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER LEARNED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE TO THE CONSUMERS BROTHER-IN-LAW. *JB

NHTSA ID

10415676

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SCREW INSIDE THE REFLECTIVE CONE OF THE BULB WAS LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THE BULB TO SHATTER AND FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO SELL THE CONTACT A NEW BULB INSTEAD OF REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 500,800.

NHTSA ID

10323516

Incident

Mar 31, 2010

Mileage

500,800 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE PLASTIC CAP ON THE TRANSMISSION CABLE THAT CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE BODY BROKE. THIS MAD IT HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE PLASTIC CLIP BREAKING. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE IS A FACTORY DEFECT. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THEY WERE REPLACING THE PLASTIC CAPS WITH BRASS CLIPS. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10075907

Incident

Apr 29, 2004

Mileage

96,951 mi

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH REAR SUSPENSION FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE REAR END DROPPED AT LEAST ONE FOOT TO THE GROUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081815

Incident

Jun 5, 2004

Mileage

102,000 mi

AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND. A FEW SECONDS PASSED AND THE CONSUMER SAW THICK BLACK SMOKE AND A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN THE WIRING HARNESS. *JB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10044700

Incident

Oct 13, 2003

Mileage

76,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS HARD TO START UP VEHICLE DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB

NHTSA ID

8013278

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 10 MPH CONSUMER RAN THROUGH A MEDIUM AND SEAT BELTS NEVER LOCKED IN PLACE, PASSENGER ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD.*AK *JG

NHTSA ID

8012520

Incident

Jun 13, 2002

VEHICLE HIT A 8-10 INCH HIGH CONCRETE DIVIDER, PASSENGER HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD. SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER, SHE SUFFERED HEAD LACERATIONS/ NECK AND BACK INJURIES. DRIVER WAS NOT WEARING SEATBELT DUE TO MEDICAL REASON, HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN.*AK JG

NHTSA ID

8012055

Incident

Jun 13, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER HE HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND SAW A SMOKE, FIRE SHOT OUT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE SUGGESTING THAT THE TAIL SHIFT MALFUNCTION WHICH CAUSED FIRE (OHIO TRAFFIC POLICE REPORT# 10-91-158). *YD

NHTSA ID

565794

Incident

Mar 22, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS NO TETHER FOR CHILD CAR SEAT. *TT

NHTSA ID

564323

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN FIRE UNDER THE HOOD (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

NHTSA ID

562921

Incident

Jul 23, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, THE STARTER SOLENOID SELF ACTIVATED AND SLAMMED THE STARTER GEAR INTO THE FLYWHEEL IMMEDIATELY DISABLING THE CAR, THIS HAD CAUSED THE FLYWHEEL TO BREAK AND RUINED THE STARTER, CONSUMER WAS TOLD HE ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION AND WHEN TAKING OUT THE OLD SWITCH, THE PARTS FELL OUT INTO PIECES, NOW THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED THE AIR CONDITIONER WORKS WHEN IT HAD QUIT A COUPLE WEEKS PRIOR, CONSUMER IS NOW AWARE OF RECALL 96V071 AND FEELS THIS RECALL WAS THE CAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

562908

Incident

Sep 7, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

751112

Incident

Aug 22, 2001

PURCHASED CREAM PUFF TOWNCAR IN 1996. MID 1997, VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING AFTER THE ENGINE REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE. INDEPENDANT MECHANIC-NO HELP. FORD DEALER, SPENT ALMOST $1,000.00 TO REPLACE SEVERAL ITEMS. EACH TIME, I TOLD THEM TO CHECK THE IGNITION MODULE/COIL PICKUP. FORD DEALER SAID THAT WOULDN'T BE THE PROBLEM. ENROUTE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR EITHER THE 3D OR 4TH TIME AND TOTALLED THE AUTOMOBILE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO KEEP IT FROM STALLING. MY FAULT BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THE CAR AND GOING TO THE DEALER IN THE FIRST PLACE. MY FATHER HAS A 1985 CONTINENTAL WITH ONLY 30K MILES. SAME PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION MODULE WHICH HE JUST REPLACED. JUST HEARD THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THE WHOLE TIME. OF COURSE I CAN'T PROVE NOW THE MODULE WAS BAD SINCE THE CAR WAS TOTALLED GOING BACK TO THE DEALER. I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY 2 CENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

750296

Incident

Aug 1, 1997

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES AND WILL NOT STOP UNTIL IS TURNED OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID

881436

Incident

Dec 30, 2000

WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE MANAGER ASSURED ME THEY NEEDED TO FEEL THE BODY WEIGHT OF A PERSON BEFORE THEY "GRABBED." AFTER A RECENT ACCIDENT IN ANOTHER VEHICLE IN WHICH A SEAT BELT LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE, I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FEB. 8, 2001. AFTER A SERVICE MAN CHECKED BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS HE STATED THEY WERE BOTH MALFUNCTIONING. I SPOKE TO A PHIL LOWE WHO TOLD ME HE'D CONTACT ME LATER IN THE DAY. THAT AFTERNOON MR.LOWE CALLED ME AND SIMPLY STATED "THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO FOR ME." THEREFORE, BECAUSE I WAS LIED TO TEN YEARS EARLIER WHEN I WAS TOLD THE BELTS WERE FINE, I'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A SEAT BELT EVEN THOUGH I FAITHFULLY "BUCKLED UP."*AK

NHTSA ID

741052

AFTER TURNING IGNITION AND PUTTING VEHICLE INTO DRIVE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND HIT A STORE WINDOW. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. NO ONE HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

878087

Incident

Jan 4, 2001

THE ODOMETER MILES ARE NOT ACCURATE, IT IS READING MORE MILEAGE THAN WHAT THE CONSUMER IS PUTTING ON THE VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

558008

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK ENGINE CUTS OFF AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THE MANUFACTURERS STATES IT IS BEING EVALUATED. *YH

NHTSA ID

872912

Incident

Sep 17, 2000

SIDEWALL OF FIRESTONE (215/70R15) TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVNG, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM *TS

NHTSA ID

556212

Incident

Sep 7, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLERATED. BRAKES COULD NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THEY NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION*AK.

NHTSA ID

868178

Incident

Aug 20, 2000

THE PAINT SYSTEM OVER THE HOOD, ROOF AND TRUNK ARE ALL FAILING. THE TOP COLOR COAT IS FLAKING OFF WHICH IS A CONCERN WITH LITTLE CHILDREN EATING THE FLAKES. I HAVE HEAR CARS HAVING PRIMER AND COLOR COAT INCOMPATIBILTY PROBLEMS BEFORE WITH RECALLS BEING ISSUED BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR MY CAR. WAS A RECALL EVER ISSUED? OTHER LINCOLN OWNERS I SPOKE WITH SEEMED TO THINK SO? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

723574

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

721009

Incident

Mar 24, 2000

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE NEAR STEERING WHEEL, UNDER THE DASH DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER HAS VEHICLE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

857135

Incident

Feb 1, 2000

CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES THEN DISENGAGES BEFORE ATTAINING DESIRED SPEED. IT MAY NOT ENGAGE AT ALL AT ANY TIME, OR IT MAY DISENGAGE AT ANY TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR YEARS. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , BUT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. I PAID $1,000. FOR THIS REPAIR AND THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THEN THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND CONTINUES TODAY.

NHTSA ID

710512

Incident

Jan 1, 1999