RoadVitals

1999 Lincoln Town Car Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
20
Latest Sep 8, 2014
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.
14%
of 148 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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 visibility

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

Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 2014
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE AIR VENTS AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE COOLANT ALSO DRAINED ONTO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEATER CORE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,824.

NHTSA ID
10631535
Incident
Feb 9, 2009
Mileage
105,824 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Aug 22, 2014

WHEN IT RAINS THE WATER RUNS OFF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE WATER GOES DOWN TO THE GROUND BETWEEN THE KICK BOARD AND THE FENDERS AND PROPERLY DRAINS TO THE GROUND. THE PROBLEM IS: ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE WATER FROM THE WINDSHIELD COMES IN THROUGH THE KICKBOARD AREA FLOODING THE FLOORBOARD. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM. WATER COMES IN AND DAMAGES THE CARPET. LEAVES A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10627561
Incident
Aug 1, 2001
Mileage
52,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 25, 2014

INTERSTATE, 4 LANE RUSH HOUR, NO WHERE TO GO AND I CAN'T SEE. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE THIS IS THE 4 TH TIME THIS MOTOR HAS GONE OUT. 4 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS AND FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE SOMEBODY DIES. THIS IS A DUPLICATE COMPLAINT BECAUSE I LEFT OUT SOME INFORMATION ON PREVIOUS SUBMITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605862
Incident
Jun 17, 2014
Mileage
154,735 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 25, 2014

INTERSTATE AT RUSH HOUR, 60 MPH NO WHERE TO GO ?????????? VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605854
Incident
Dec 20, 2012
Mileage
147,335 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 15, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

CRASH - WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED DURING HEAVY RAIN STORM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10218107
Incident
Apr 14, 2007
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 26, 2006

I HAVE A 1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE WINDSHIELD ADHESIVE HAS FAILED APPARENTLY FROM HAVING BEEN PARKED OUTDOORS FOR 25 DAYS. THE WINDSHIELD HAS SLIPPED DOWN ABOUT ONE HALF INCH AND IT IS LEAKING. IT IS LOOSE ENOUGH THAT IT VIBRATES WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. I SEARCHED FOR A RECALL AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NONE FOR THE LINCOLN WINDSHIELD, I DID SEE THAT THE FORD WINDSTAR MINI VAN HAD A RECALL FOR USING THE INCORRECT URETHANE ADHESIVE(CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V020000). MY LINCOLN TOWNCAR WAS BUILT AT FORD'S WIXOM PLANT WHERE THE WINDSTAR VANS WERE BUILT AND NEAR THE SAME TIME. *JB

NHTSA ID
10169338
Incident
Sep 26, 2006
Mileage
39,750 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 2, 2004

HEATER CORE FAILURE. THIS CAUSES VAPOR AND ODOR FROM THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK THROUGH THE VENTS AND TO COAT THE WINDSHIELD WITH AN OIL-LIKE SUBSTANCE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED 10/04/04. WENT OUT AGAIN 11/24/04. FORD MOTOR COMPANY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. $737.54 TO HAVE HEATER CORE REPLACED. THEY 'THINK' THEY CAN PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURING AGAIN IF THEY DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT WILL COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $547.00, BUT 'NO GUARANTEE' THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND NO ADDITIONAL WARRANTY ON THE HEATER CORE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100941
Incident
Oct 4, 2004
Mileage
124,592 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 17, 2004

WINDSHIELD BECAME INOPERABLE IN HEAVY RAIN STORMS. IT HAD BEEN FOUR TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10088078
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
BrakesElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

CAR HAS A PROBLEN IN THE STEERING BOX. TOOK IT TO A SPECIALIST AND FORD DISCOUNTED IT. THEY SENT A LINCOLN REP DOWN AND HE JUST LIED TO ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM SAID IT WAS A FACTORY FLAW AND COULD NOT FIX , THEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR A PINGING AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR IT (NOTHING WAS DONE)THEN LATER ON A TRIP IT WENT HAYWIRE SOUNDED LIKE A BIG DIESEL TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAN LIKE CRAP , SUCKING GAS ALSO, THEN CHANGED DEALERS AND THEY SAID THEY COULDEN'T FIND A PING . I GRABED ME A MECHANIC AND WE TOOK A LITTLE RIDE AND BEFORE I COULD GET IT BACK IT WAS PINGING (TOOK THEM 3 WEEKS TO FIX WITH ME COMING UP ALMOST DAILY TO TEST IT, AND NOBODY CAN ADJUST THE HEAD LIGHTS ON THE CAR THAT IS BAD ITS IDIOT PROOF

NHTSA ID
10070305
Incident
May 15, 2003
Mileage
83,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 3, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE REAR VIEW DRIVER SIDE MIRROR KEEPS POPPING OUT, AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY MOUNT BRACKET. HAD PART REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, PROBLEM REOCCURED.*JB

NHTSA ID
8013285
Incident
Jun 19, 2002
Visibility
Filed Jul 3, 2002

WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER'S REAR VIEW MIRROR POPPED OUT OF THE MOUNT.*AK

NHTSA ID
763808
Incident
Jun 25, 2002
Visibility
Filed Mar 27, 2002

WIND ROAR AT SUNROOF WHEN OPEN OR CLOSED. DEALER HAS KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM BUT STATES THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL AND SO CANNOT REPAIR . THIS NOISE IS VERY DISTRACTING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ,AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. NLM

NHTSA ID
759898
Visibility
Filed Jul 12, 2001

WINDSHIELD IS LOOSE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT CONSUMER PUT FINGER AGAINST WINDOW AND PUSH IT THROUGH.*AK

NHTSA ID
892671
Visibility
Filed Nov 12, 2000

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LEFT REAR VIEW MIRROR SHAKES SO BADLY THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE IS SOMETHING OUT THERE BUT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE CENTER MIRROR TO SEE WHAT IT IS. LINCOLN CHANGED IT ONCE WITH NO IMPROVEMENT BUT I CONSIDER IT DANGEROUS. WAS TOLD BY OLATHE LINCOLN TO GET USED TO IT. AFTER 24,000 MILES I STILL AM NOT USED TO IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
736171
Incident
Jun 1, 1999
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+2 more
Filed Oct 4, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL LOSE ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS DUE TO A SHORT. DEALER HAD VEHICLE 3-4 MONTHS, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE .*AK VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. OUT SIDE DOOR PANEL CAME OFF. BRAKES ARE SPONGY. WINDSHIELD FAILED. SEAT MALFUNCTIONS. DASH LITHTS AND STEREO FAILED AT DIFFEERENT TIMES. *YH

NHTSA ID
872250
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Tires & wheelsVisibility
Filed Sep 11, 2000

EXTREME AND EXCESSIVE HOT AIR IS DISPENSED FROM THE SIDE WINDOW DEMISTERS WHICH INCREASES THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE WINDSHIELD AND DASHBOARD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT, HIGH INTERNAL NOISE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. *MJS

NHTSA ID
554486
Visibility
Filed Apr 21, 1999

DEFROSTER SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER PROPERLY. THE POSITIONING OF THE VENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED CORRECTLY. SO THE WINDOWS DO NOT GET CLEARED. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND SAYS ITS A FACTORY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
836947
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WINDSHIELD ANGLE PERMITS REFLECTIONS OF THE DASHBOARD COMPONENTS AND STREET LIGHTS, ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
609277
Visibility
Filed Jan 22, 1999

WINDSHIELD DESIGN CAUSING REFLECTIONS WHICH CREATE POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
543491
Incident
Sep 29, 1998
Visibility
Filed Nov 13, 1998

SUN ROOF HAS A GAP IN THE SEAL. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THE SHE IS DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS WHEN INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER STATES IT IS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR, CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
830752
Incident
Nov 1, 1998

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 .