RoadVitals

1997 Lincoln Town Car Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jan 12, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 314 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Jan 12, 2004

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE HOOD POPPED UP WHILE DRIVING . UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY, THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE CORRECTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD ITS SECOND LATCH REPLACEMENT.*AK THE CONSUMER FEELS IT A BAD LATCH DESIGN BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENT PROBLEMS. *CB *JB

NHTSA ID
10048131
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesVisibility
Filed Aug 16, 2001

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE MADE A "CLUNKING" NOISE, AND ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND STATED THAT ABS SYSTEM HAD NO PROBLEMS, AND THIS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE NORMAL OPERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK THE WINDSHIELD GASKET IS SPLITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GLASS, THE FRONT DOOR WONT OPEN AT TIMES WITH THE REMOTE, THE FRONT EDGE OF THE VINYL TOP IS COMING LOOSE. NLM

NHTSA ID
894509
Incident
Aug 11, 2001
Body & structureBrakesHeating & air conditioning+5 more
Filed Jun 29, 2001

AN EXTREMELY STRONG MILDEW ODOR IS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. DEALER STATES ODOR IS DUE TO COIL WHICH IS TOO TIGHT AROUND AIR CONDITIONER, PREVENTING WATER TO ESCAPE, AND CAUSING MILDEW ODOR. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. BRAKES SQUEAL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, LUBED CALIPER SLIDES, REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS, MACHINED REAR ROTORS, HOWEVER BRAKES STILL SQUEAL. BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE COVERED WITH GEAR LUBE. DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. NOISE AND THIMPING FELT IN STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS, DEALER LUBED STOPS. LEFT FRONT WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WINDOW REGULATER. FRONT ROOF WELT LOOSE AND BROKEN, DEALER REPLACED. FRONT DOOR PULL TRIM MISSING. BLEND DOORS INOPERABLE, WILL NOT BLOW AIR THROUGH DEFROST VENT. ASH TRAY WILL NOT CLOSE. AC/HEATER EMITS A MUSTY/MOLDY ODOR, THE ODOR NOT ONLY PERMEATES THE PASSENGER, BUT IS ALSO IN THE TRUNK,THERE IS NO CONDENSATION BEING RELEASED BY THE AC, MANY THINGS ALONG WITH THE MOISTURE PURGE MODULE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS, SYSTEM HAS BEEN SANITIZED SEVERAL TIMES, AC MAX BUTTON DOES NOT WORK. MOTOR GOES ON 45 MINUTES AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THIS BLOWS THROUGH THE FRONT DEFROSTER AND STEAMS UP THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. DOOR HANDLE IS INOPERABLE. VINYL TRIM AT TOP OF CONSOLE IS LOOSE. ENGINE STALLED AT STOPS WHEN COLD, DEALER REPLACED MAF AND FUEL PUMP. *SLC

NHTSA ID
891648
Incident
May 28, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Mar 3, 1999

HOOD MATERIALS WEAK RESUTLING IN CONSUMER LEAVING FINGER INDENTATIONS IN THE HOOD WHEN CLOSING IT.

NHTSA ID
544239
Incident
Jun 25, 1997
Body & structureSuspensionVisibility
Filed Mar 2, 1999

THE WATER LEAK IS COMING IN FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER 1997 LINCOLN TOWNCAR OWNERS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WATER ENTERS THE CAR UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND RUNS DOWN THE FIREWALL UNDERNETH THE CARPET AND FORMS A POOL OF WATER UNDERNETH THE CARPET IN THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER TRIES TO SELL YOU AN UNDERCOATING AND DOES NOT GUARATNEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID
703948
Incident
Feb 28, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Feb 1, 1999

SUN VISOR DESIGN DOES NOT ADEQUATELY DEFLECT SUN FROM CONSUMERS VISION, POOR VISIBILITY. MJS

NHTSA ID
606883
Body & structure
Filed Feb 1, 1999

LEFT REAR WEATHERSTRIP DEFECTIVE WHICH WAS REPLACED, ALSO PAINT ON EACH SIDE OF FRONT GRILL CHIPPING OFF, WHICH WAS REPAIRED. *YC

NHTSA ID
606859
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Feb 11, 1998

OUTSIDE MIRROR WAS BENT.

NHTSA ID
530299
Incident
Jun 27, 1997

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .