1998 Lincoln Town Car Engine Problems

all body frame has rust.

NHTSA ID

11541626

Incident

Aug 30, 2023

VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVER HEAT.ONCE IT GOT HOT, THE POWER OF CAR IS,WAS LOST. AFTER HAPPENING A FEW TIMES,I FOUND A VERY SMALL [PIN SIZE] HOLE IN THE THERMASTATE RECIEVING UNIT.THIS IS A PART OF THE MANIFOLD IT SELF. ALL ATTEMPS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HAS FAILED.! TRYING TO FIX THIS PROVED IMPOSSIBLE.THIS PART IS IN FACT MADE OF SOME TYPE OF PLASTIC.AS IT HEATS UP THE PLASTIC EXSPANDS, AND RE-OPENS THE HOLE,WHICH HAS NOW BECOME A CRACK. ALL EFFORDS TO FIND A SEALENT TO STOP THE LEAK,HAS FAILED. TO HAVE THIS CRACK REPAIRED MEANS THAT THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE MOTOR [MANIFOLD] MUST BE RE-PLACED. FORD RE-PLACED THE TERMASTATE HOUSING UNIT IN 2000-2001, WITH AN ALUMINUM PIECE,PROBLEM SOLVED.THERE ARE NO RE-CALLS,NOR EVEN A NOTIFICATION,SENT OUT, TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL STORNLY THAT THIS IS IN FACT A KNOWN PROBLEM,WHICH FORD WAS AWARE OF,BUT DECIDED THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN ENOUGH TO FIX IT.PLEASE NOTE::WHEN THE CAR OVRT HEATS IT SHUTS OFF THE POWER TO THE ENGINE!!! THIS COULD POTIENTIALLY BE AVERY DANGEROUS SITUATION,ESPECIALLY IN HIGH TRAFFIC,HIGH SPEED SITUATIONS!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10521255

Incident

Apr 17, 2013

Mileage

137,352 mi

I HAVE A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH LOW MILES (125,000). THE CHEAP PLASTIC THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OUT OF HAS CRACKED WERE THE HEATER HOSE CONNECTS IN THE BACK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE DRIVE-ABLE DUE TO OVERHEATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514652

Incident

May 31, 2013

Mileage

125,734 mi

FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SYSTEM. LOSS OF COOLANT, ENGINE OVERHEATED, LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC PRESENTED A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD SYSTEM IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SUBJECT OF AN EARLIER RECALL BY MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ID

10376028

Incident

Dec 1, 2010

Mileage

73,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED AND THE MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. HE REFERENCED AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2007. THE VEHICLE HAD CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT SINCE HE PURCHASED IT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10366853

Incident

Nov 10, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

1998 LINCOLN TOWNCAR PLASTIC INTAKE LEAKAGE PROBLEMS FROM CRACKS THAT ORIGINATED FROM OEM FAULTY DESIGN. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE, "FORD AND/OR HIS LEGAL DISTRIBUTOR DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT THE DESIGN OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE AND DID NOT CONTACT ME THEREAFTER IN REGARD TO THIS MATTER WHEN AND AFTER I PURCHASED SAID VEHICLE". IF FORD'S LEGAL DISTRIBUTOR HAD DISCLOSED THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE DAMAGE IS ENORMOUS. FORD SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR NEGLECT TO DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION FOR BUYER'S OF THIS VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262810

Incident

Mar 20, 2009

Mileage

102,783 mi

I TOOK MY 1998 LINCOLN TO A DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF ENGINE NOISE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT AND COLLATERAL DAMAGE COSTING $1400.00. THE DEALER ADVISED THIS WAS A RECALL ITEM BUT EXPIRED IN 2005. CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FORD WOULD NOT GRANT ANY CONCESSIONS AND BEING ON A FIXED INCOME, I'M LOOKING FOR SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF. I HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERS IN THE PAST FOR SERVICE AND NEVER ONCE DID THEY MENTION A RECALL, EVEN PRIOR THE EXPIRATION DATE. I NEVER RECALLED A NOTICE POSSIBLY BUYING THE CAR IN 2000 BUT YOU WOULD THINK THE DEALERSHIP COMPUTERS WOULD ALERT TO THE RECALL. YOUR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257021

Incident

Jan 12, 2009

Mileage

64,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE THERMOSTAT FAILED. REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. SHE BEGAN LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH HAVING HER VEHICLE REPAIRED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALER WAS ALSO UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE SHE NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 7/3/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. UPDATED 07/03/08.

NHTSA ID

10229083

Incident

Feb 27, 2008

Mileage

16,000 mi

PLASTIC MANIFOLD LEAKING AND OVER HEATING ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10225307

Incident

Apr 5, 2008

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ENGINE TURNED OVER, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACTUALLY START. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND A LOUD BOOM OCCURRED AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THERE WAS SMOKE AND LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE POWERTRAIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10220023

Incident

Mar 2, 2008

1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CAUGHT FIRE. ELECTRICAL FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT DRIVERS SIDE. CAR BURNT TO GROUND, FIRE DEPT. PUT OUT FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218218

Incident

Feb 15, 2008

Mileage

111,000 mi

THE FAN BLEW ONLY HOT AIR, AND IT DID IT ALL THE TIME WITHOUT STOPPING, WHETHER IT WAS ON OR OFF. THERE WAS NO WAY TO STOP THE HOT AIR FROM BLOWING RIGHT OUT. THE FORD DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE FOR $100, AND SAID THAT THE BLEND-DOOR WAS STUCK ON HEAT, AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME ANOTHER $1600 TO GET IT FIXED. THE MOTOR WASN'T EVEN BROKEN, AND IT WAS THAT EXPENSIVE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD APART TO GET TO THE PLASTIC PLENUM, WHICH THEY WOULD REPLACE WITH ANOTHER PLASTIC BREAKABLE PLENUM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10190226

Incident

Aug 8, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR HAD AN ANTIFREEZE ODOR. THERE WERE ALSO PUDDLES OF ANTIFREEZE IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS SLOWLY LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED.

NHTSA ID

10163790

Incident

Mar 7, 2006

Mileage

142,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH., ON A CLEAR DRY DAY, THERE WAS A SOUND HEARD RESEMBLING THE SOUND OF A TIRE BLOW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE TIRES WERE CHECKED FOR A FLAT. WHEN NO FLAT TIRE WAS FOUND, THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY DRIVEN TO A NEAR-BY SERVICE STATION. ON THE WAY TO THE STATION, A RECURRING HISSING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SPARK PLUG WAS BLOW OUT OF ITS THREADING FROM #8 CYLINDER AND THE SPARK PLUG FROM #7 CYLINDER WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THE HEADS WERE SENT OUT TO BE DRILLED AND RETHREADED.

NHTSA ID

10162935

Incident

Jul 10, 2006

Mileage

71,735 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND MISFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO OCCASIONS. ON THE FIRST VISIT, THE DEALER CHANGED THE #4 COIL. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT THE DEALER DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED WHICH WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CLEAN AND THE CONTACT WAS DIRECTED TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THIS VEHICLE IS MADE OF PLASTIC. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR THE MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER PRODUCED IN PLASTIC.

NHTSA ID

10156378

Incident

Apr 6, 2006

Mileage

162,000 mi

CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD-MY CAR OVERHEATED AND DIED. IT NEEDS REPAIR THAT IS ESTIMATED TO COST A LOT OF MONEY THAT I DO NOT HAVE!!! *JB

NHTSA ID

10150453

Incident

Feb 16, 2006

Mileage

83,532 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, THERE WAS WATER LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/09/06

NHTSA ID

10150357

Incident

Feb 15, 2006

Mileage

133,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THE VEHICLE WILL START, BUT NOT GO ANYWHERE WHEN PUT IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WILL THEN STALL; IT WILL RESTART AND GO AFTER WAITING 20 MINUTES. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM. ALSO, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10149655

Incident

Feb 7, 2006

Mileage

44,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING HOT, AT 45 MPH, AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT TEMPORARILY FIXED THE VEHICLE WITH ADHESIVE, BUT IT IS LEAKING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10149512

Incident

Feb 6, 2006

Mileage

125,000 mi

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. 1998 LINCLON PURCHASED 9/6/98. ORIGINAL OWNER AND CAR IS MAINTAINED AT DEALERSHIP AT APPROX 3500 MILES. FULL COMPLEMENT OF OIL AT TIME OF INCIDENT. 56087 MILES. FV826006ARM 4.6L . 1LNFM83WIWY718403. ENGINE WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10135299

Incident

Apr 10, 2005

Mileage

56,087 mi

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH FORD 4.6 LITER V-8 ENGINE CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. THE CAR HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. SO FAR, REPAIR COSTS HAVE COME TO $1250.00. THE LEAK ALSO DAMAGED THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WILL COST AN ADDITIONAL $400 TO REPLACE. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT MY COST BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE PART WAS NOT SAVED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10104679

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

102,000 mi

DURING RAINY WEATHER, THE SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10103418

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

73,000 mi

INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE, TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE NEED TO BE REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $967.40. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID BECAUSE THE COMPANY WAS OUT OF BUSINESS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE MANIFOLD REPLACED AT A SERVICE STATION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10079505

Incident

Jun 18, 2004

Mileage

87,986 mi

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. *AK ABOUT AN INCH AWAY ON THE WHEEL WELL, THERE WAS A 1/4 HOLE WHICH ALLOWED SALTWATER FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TO BE SPRAYED UP AND CAUSED CORROSION TO ACCUMULATE IN THE FUSE BOX. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10057988

Incident

Feb 9, 2004

Mileage

95,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10051002

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

Mileage

48,000 mi