Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 19 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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE COMPLETING A TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM FAILED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V322000 (SUSPENSION: LOWER BALL JOINT), BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARS A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DUST COVER ON THE LOWER BALL JOINT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS WORN, AND THE BALL JOINT WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V322000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000. UPDATED 10/14/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/16/08. *JB
1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR MADE A GRINDING SOUND UNDERNEATH. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER. HE STATED THAT HE SAW A FRONT BALL JOINT DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE BALL JOINTS DID NOT HAVE ANY GREASE FITTINGS. THE CONSUMER HAD ALL OF THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED A RECALL REGARDING THE BALL JOINTS. HOWEVER, NO ONE INFORMED HIM THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE ACCELERATING AT 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM DETACHED FROM THE BALL JOINT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BALL JOINT. THE DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT FAILED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,447 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A SQUEEKING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. THE CONTACT TREATED THE WHEEL WITH WD-40 AND THE SOUND WENT AWAY. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN A PARKING LOT, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED AND WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS STEERING GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED. UPDATED 12/18/06. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT REACT CORRECTLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. THERE WAS A RECALL, #98V322000, CONCERNING THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED PRIOR TO PURCHASE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC.
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BALL JOINT SNAPPED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO GO INTO A DITCH, WHICH AVOIDED A SEVERE COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND, AND FELT THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE SWAY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. AFTER A THOROUGH INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TRAILER ARM BRACKETS BROKE. THIS TRAILER ARM BREAKING HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *MR
WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AT 2-3 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, STOPPED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED TIE ROD END WERE DRAGGING ON THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER STATED TIE RODS HAD DISCONNECTED. ALSO, THE BALL JOINTS WERE NOT LUBRICATED AND RUSTED. BOTH TIE RODS WERE REPLACED.*AK *JB *NLM
WHEN BRAKING , THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT. THIS MADE IT HARD FOR THE DRIVER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. *PH ALSO THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER FOUND THE EVAP CANISTER SOLENOID VALVE LEAKING. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SQUEAKING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FRONT CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *TS *JB
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD VEHICLE HITS BUMP VERY HARD. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT SHOCK ABSORBERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE WANDERING ACROSS ROAD, AND IT BECAME MORE SEVERE AT 70 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. *AK THE LIGHTS AIMED TOO HIGH DIE TO HEAD LAMPS MISALIGNMENT. *YH
LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL ; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*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
WHILE BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS FORCEFULLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. NLM
CONSUMER HAS A BAD WHEEL BEARING THAT CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL, A LOUD GROWLING NOISE, AND SHAKING OF THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
SHOCK ABSORBERS FAILED. NLM
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
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 .