1996 Lincoln Town Car Electrical Problems

HEADLIGHTS AND DASH PANEL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT FOR PAST 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE THIS BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS CAR SPEED AT 100 OR MORE MPH WHEN STARTING CAR BUT GOES TO NORMAL WHEN MOVING. I JUST REPLACED THE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR WITH A REBUILD VERSION AND THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM IS GONE. CAN'T BE SURE THAT THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE IS GONE TOO, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC FIX. I'M WONDERING IF A BATCH OF INTERMITTENTLY DEFECTIVE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATORS WERE OEM SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS CUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. MONTHS GO BY AND NOTHING HAPPENS; THEN THERE IT IS AGAIN. I WAS THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS HAUNTED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR BUT I WILL RETURN IT TO AUTOZONE TO GET MY CORE BACK UNLESS IT CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE IT IS DEFECTIVE. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SPENT A LOT AT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THIS. AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, I REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR TWICE OVER THE YEARS TO "FIX" THE ERRATIC SPEED AT STARTUP BUT WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. *KB

NHTSA ID

10419862

Incident

Aug 4, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY DRAINS SO FREQUENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN FOR LONG DISTANCES OR AT NIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 214,778 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,733. UPDATED 8/7/09 *CN UPDATED 080/11/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10267252

Incident

Jan 17, 2009

Mileage

212,733 mi

DEALERSHIP FAILED TO PROVIDE PROMPT REPAIR OF A FIRE HAZARD RECALL. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AS THE RECALL REQUESTED FOR THE SPEED CONTROL FIRE HAZARD, THE DEALERSHIP PUT AT LEAST FOUR OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF MINE AND THIS IS A SMALL DEALERSHIP. THIS WAS A WORK DAY FOR ME, HENCE THE APPOINTMENT, AND A REPAIR THAT WOULD TAKE LESS THAN 15 MINUTES WAS LOOKING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS. OBVIOUSLY THE DEALERSHIP MAKES MORE INCOME FROM REGULAR REPAIR JOBS, BUT THIS IS A LINCOLN PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED ON A PRIORITY BASIS SINCE IS PRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE DONE MY PART, I CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE OFF 2 OR 3 HOURS BECAUSE THE RECALL REPAIR IS NOT A MONEY MAKER FOR THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223259

Incident

Apr 2, 2008

Mileage

205,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHEN DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT ON AND OFF AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DIMMED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE PRESENT. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE NEAR THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 201,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB UPDATED 12/31/07

NHTSA ID

10203204

Incident

Mar 11, 2005

Mileage

160,000 mi

DT: 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHEN THE HORN WAS PUSHED IT WOULD STICK AND NOT TURN OFF QUICKLY. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE FUSE OUT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE HORN AND THE AIR BAG BECAUSE IT WAS ATTACHED TO IT. THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10131085

Incident

Jun 1, 2003

Mileage

35,000 mi

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER'S HOME CATCHING ON FIRE.*MR *NM

NHTSA ID

10135587

Incident

Aug 6, 2005

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A FENCE.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN LEFT AND RIGHT BUT THE WHEEL DID NOT RESPOND. REAR AIR SPRING WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CRACKING. THE VEHICLE STEERING A SUSPENSION PERFORMED POORLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS. THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE. THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT WORK. *NM

NHTSA ID

10117861

Incident

Mar 3, 2005

CAR STALLS BOTH WHEN IDLING READY TO MOVE AND TURNING CORNERS WHERE IT LOSES POWER STEERING

NHTSA ID

10069848

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

CAR STALLS WHEN RUNNING AND IN GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

755430

Incident

Nov 11, 2001

I WAS DRIVING THE LINCOLN ON A MOONLESS NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE WITH THE HIGH-BEAMS ON AND THE CD PLAYER OPERATING. SUDDENLY, THE LINCOLN'S HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO RAPIDLY OSCILLATE ON AND OFF. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. TO AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CD PLAYER AND THE HIGH HEADLIGHT BEAMS. FORTUNATELY, THE LOW HEADLIGHT BEAMS CONTINUED TO BURN, ALBEIT DIMLY. I TOOK THE LINCOLN TO THE DEALER LISTED ABOVE, BUT AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC CHECK DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BUT THEY HAVE REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT, IN MY OPINION, WARRANTS A RECALL OF THIS MODEL. *AK

NHTSA ID

753698

Incident

Oct 18, 2001

AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AND CLOCK SPRING WENT BAD BECAUSE AIRBAG SHORTED OUT. SAFETY FEATURE SHORTED OUT HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

880907

IN COLD TEMPERATURE HORN PAD WILL BECOME VERY STIFF AND HARD, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR DRIVER TO SOUND HORN. PROBLEM REPORTED TO DEALER, BUT NOT ABLE TO BE FIXED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

857874

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID

533691

Incident

Feb 9, 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. THE VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP BUT IT ALL WAYS STALLS WHEN IT IS ON THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

805780

Incident

Jul 10, 1996

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

804237

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF/STALLS. *AK VEHICLE HAS STALLED AFTER ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED, DEALER INSTALLED OCTANE BOOSTER AND VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN STALLED AGAIN, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS RAN FINE SINCE, HOWEVER SHE HAS NOT DONE ANY MOUNTAIN DRIVING AND THIS IS WHEN IT STALLED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

986602

Incident

Jun 21, 1996

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED FUEL PUMP TO STOP. ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

986375

Incident

Jun 29, 1996

FAILURE OF THE HORN, HORN DOES NOT WORK IN COLD WEATHER. TT

NHTSA ID

977930

Incident

Jan 20, 1996

MATERIAL COVERING HORN BUTTONS TOO FIRM, CAUSING DIFFICULTY DEPRESSING HORN IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. *SD

NHTSA ID

500719

Incident

Jan 5, 1996

HORN/AIRBAG PACKING GETS HARD IN COLD WEATHER, LEAVING HORN INOPERATIVE. *SD

NHTSA ID

490620

Incident

Dec 20, 1995