Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
MAKES LOUD POPPING NOISE WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE EXTREME RIGHT OR LEFT WHETHER THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN OR STANDING STILL. OCCASIONALLY, THE IGNITION WON'T TURN ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED, CLOSING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE STOPPED WORKING ON MY VEHICLE AND NOW I'M TOLD IT CAN'T BE REPLACED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RADIO & A/C STOPPED WORKING. THIS CRUISE CONTROL MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF IT'S ABILITY TO SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST THE CAR IN FLAMES AS IT DID ON MY 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHY DOESN'T THE GOVERNMENT ENFORCE THE RECALL LAWS? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY JUMP START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT RAIN WOULD LEAK IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS DURING RAINY WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF EITHER FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE DRIVER TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING THE WIRE HARNESS TO BREAK OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND THE MECHANIC REPLACED TRANSPONDER HARNESS. *AK *MR
1) LEAK FROM MANIFOLD, INVOLVED REPLACING WHOLE MANIFOLD. 2) PAINT PEELING FROM BUMPERS. 3) AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE. 4) SPECIAL SWITCH DEVICE LOCATED UNDER DASHBOARD THAT CONTROLS COOLING/HEATING FOR THE VENTS IN THE DASHBOARD FAILURE. 5) GENERATOR WARNING LAMP FAILURE.
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, AND FIRE WENT OUT. WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED.*AK
VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT IN BAD WET WEATHER CONDITIONS. WHEN THE PADS WERE REPLACED VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT AT ANYTIME. DEALER RESOLVED THE PROBLEM . VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 8 DIFFERENT TIMES. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WHEEL AND WHEN AKING TURNS THERE WOULD BE A NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. ALSO WHEN PRESSING BRAKES RADIO MAKES A STATIC SOUND, AND WHEN PLAYING TAPES THERE IS ALSO A SQUEALING NOISE POWRE MIRROR SWITCH STICKS IN THE DOWN POSITION.*JB
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED LEAKAGE. YH
HORN REQUIRES EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO ACTUATE, AND MUST BE ACTUATED AT A TINY HORN SIGN EMBOSSED IN COMPONENT. IN A PANIC SITUATION IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SOUND WARNING.
CAR REFUSED TO START ON 7 OCCASIONS. WILL TURN OVER BUT WILL NOT START. HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE. HAD TO LEAVE OVERNIGHT TWICE AND RETURN NEXT DAY WHEN IT STARTED. ON THE OTHER OCCASIONS IT STARTED AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. HAVE HAD IN DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE REQUESTED REFUND FROM FORD.
WHILE TEST DRIVING VEHICLE AT 25 MPH AN DWITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD DUE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK.
IGNITION FAILED. YH
IGNITION COIL FAILED CAUSING NO START CONDITIONS. MJS
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER
DESIGN OF THE FUSE PANEL LOCATION INTERFERES WITH APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL.
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 .