NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2011

Lincoln Town Car recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 27 recall campaigns and 2,048 owner complaints for the Lincoln Town Car, covering model years 1995 to 2011. The 1997 model year drew the most complaints (314), and Vehicle Speed Control is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Lincoln Town Car VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

27 recall campaigns on file
2,048 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
17 model years with data (1995–2011)

most complaints: 1997 (314 for that model year)
top component: Vehicle Speed Control (292 complaints)
latest recall 14V704000 (reported Nov 5, 2014)

195 complaints reporting a crash (9.5%)
63 complaints reporting a fire (3.1%)
103 complaints reporting an injury (5.0%)
3 complaints reporting a death (0.1%)

Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year

17 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1997 model year has the most complaints: 314 of 2,048, or 15.3%. Next come 1996 (259) and 2003 (201). The fewest are for 2009, with 5 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Show the figures for all 17 model years

Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1995	165	16	10	8	2
1996	259	9	12	7	0
1997	314	10	6	6	0
1998	154	7	7	3	0
1999	148	18	7	11	0
2000	108	11	8	7	0
2001	161	21	4	16	0
2002	65	14	1	10	0
2003	201	14	0	6	0
2004	83	18	3	2	0
2005	119	17	2	9	1
2006	143	12	1	5	0
2007	84	19	1	9	0
2008	20	7	0	2	0
2009	5	0	0	0	0
2010	13	0	1	0	0
2011	6	2	0	2	0
All model years	2,048	195	63	103	3

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Lincoln Town Car components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Vehicle Speed Control is the component named most often, in 292 complaints (14.3% of all 2,048), followed by Engine and Engine Cooling (278) and Air Bags (260).

Components named most often in Lincoln Town Car complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Lincoln Town Car complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	292	14.3%
Engine and Engine Cooling	278	13.6%
Air Bags	260	12.7%
Suspension	249	12.2%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	236	11.5%
Steering	186	9.1%
Electrical System	154	7.5%
Structure	107	5.2%
Visibility	96	4.7%
Power Train	87	4.2%
Seat Belts	82	4.0%
Exterior Lighting	80	3.9%
Unknown or Other	60	2.9%
Fuel System, Gasoline	52	2.5%
Service Brakes	47	2.3%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Lincoln Town Car recalls

27 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Town Car, newest first. The 27 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 2011. The 1996 and 2000 model years appear in the most campaigns (8 each).

27 recall campaigns

Lincoln Town Car recall campaigns covering each model year
Decade	Years ending in 0	Years ending in 1	Years ending in 2	Years ending in 3	Years ending in 4	Years ending in 5	Years ending in 6	Years ending in 7	Years ending in 8	Years ending in 9
1990s						1995: 6 campaigns	1996: 8 campaigns	1997: 6 campaigns	1998: 7 campaigns	1999: 5 campaigns
2000s	2000: 8 campaigns	2001: 5 campaigns	2002: no campaigns	2003: 1 campaign	2004: no campaigns	2005: 3 campaigns	2006: 2 campaigns	2007: 3 campaigns	2008: 3 campaigns	2009: 3 campaigns
2010s	2010: 3 campaigns	2011: 3 campaigns

Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 14V704000
Reported Nov 5, 2014
Steering › Rack and Pinion › Pinion Shaft
Model years 2005–2011
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed.
Consequence:
Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 13V385000
Reported Aug 29, 2013
Steering
Model years 2005–2011
Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate.
Consequence:
If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If the steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 10V638000
Reported Dec 9, 2010
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Model years 2008–2011
Executive coach is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lincoln Town Car limousines. The fuel rail shield was left off during manufacturing. In a frontal impact the engine could potentially bend or rupture fuel lines if the replacement shield is not in place, causing those lines to leak fuel.
Consequence:
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy:
Executive coach will supply kits and installation instructions to have vehicles repaired at a facility of the owner's choice. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on December 1, 2010. Owners may contact executive coach at 888-322-9272.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 07V336000
Reported Aug 3, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control
Model years 1995–1998
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Consequence:
This could result in an underhood fire.
Remedy:
Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected October 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on August 13, 2007, and mailing completed by September 19, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 07V270000
Reported Jun 26, 2007
Suspension › Front › Hub
Model year 2007
On certain passenger vehicles, a front wheel bearing and hub assembly may fracture due to improper heat treatment.
Consequence:
If a hub fractures, it may potentially detach from the wheel knuckle, resulting in the wheel being retained only by the brake caliper assembly. As a result, the wheel may separate from the vehicle potentially resulting in a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect both front wheel bearing and hub assemblies and replace them free of charge. The recall began on June 22, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 05V518000
Reported Nov 9, 2005
Electrical System › 12V/24V/48V Battery › Cables
Model year 2005
On certain passenger vehicles, the battery cable includes a fusible link that may contact and subsequently chafe on a #2 cross member attaching bolt.
Consequence:
This condition may result in heat damage and could lead to a fire.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the fusible link and position it away from the cross member bolt. If the fusible link has already chafed and copper wires have been exposed, the fusible link will be replaced. The recall began on November 18, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673, or Lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 04V328000
Reported Jul 7, 2004
Suspension › Rear
Model year 2003
Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles.
Consequence:
This could lead to early bearing failure and ultimately to axle shaft fracture. In the event of axle shaft fracture, the vehicle would lose drive function and would coast to a stop. Loss of drive function could lead to a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings, seals,and axle shafts. The recall began on July 15, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 01V318000
Reported Oct 3, 2001
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module
Model years 1995–1997
Equipment description: passenger vehicles that have had the driver's air bag module replaced after April 5, 2000. The replacement driver's air bag module inflator may have insufficient welds that could prevent proper inflation of the air bag.
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, the driver's air bag may not properly deploy which could potentially result in less than the intended level of occupant protection.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver's air bag module. Owner notification began October 5, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 01V258000
Reported Aug 8, 2001
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Model years 2000–2001
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; Kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; Kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; Michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.
Consequence:
Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 01V227001
Reported Jul 16, 2001
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Model year 2001
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by TRW. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford Crown Victoria built at st. thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01 Mercury Grand Marquis built at st. thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01. Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01. Lincoln navigators built at Michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01. Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01. Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison plant from 3/13/00 - 5/25/01. Ford F-150 truck built at norfolk plant from 4/18/00 - 5/25/00; at Ontario plant from 5/10/00 - 5/28/01; at Kansas city plant from 9/11/99 - 5/25/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/9/01. Ford Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks built at Kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 5/27/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/19/01. Ford excursions built at Kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 10/2/00. Ford expeditions built at Michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began July 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Show 17 more recalls

NHTSA campaign 00V356000
Reported Dec 12, 2000
Tires
Model years 1998–2001
Vehicle description: certain limousines stretched over 60 inches fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 109, "new pneumatic tires," and No. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Consequence:
The vehicle weight could exceed the maximum load rating for the tire, increasing the risk of premature tire wear or blowout.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace all 5 tires (including the spare tire) with michelin tires (225/70R16 107T reinforced white sidewall) with a sufficiently higher load rating. Owner notification began January 10, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-248-0186.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V412000
Reported Dec 6, 2000
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
Model year 2001
Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (RCM) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or more of the screws that mount the circuit board in the housing missing. If some or all of the screws are missing, the performance of the occupant restrains could be affected.
Consequence:
In some cases, less than the intended level of protection in the event of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the RCM and crash sensors and, if necessary, replace them.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V364000
Reported Nov 13, 2000
Seat Belts › Front
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles with medium graphite seat belts fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 209, "seat belt assemblies." An incorrect front center seat belt and retractor assembly may have been installed.
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
Remedy:
All suspect vehicles have had the seat belts inspected or replaced by Ford.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V368000
Reported Nov 9, 2000
Seat Belts › Rear/Other
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles with midnight black or medium parchment seat belts manufactured on July 31, 2000, fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 209, "seat belt assemblies." An incorrect driver's side rear seat belt and retractor assembly may have been installed.
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the seat belts and replace the affected seat belt and retractor assemblies.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V270000
Reported Sep 13, 2000
Air Bags
Model year 2001
Certain passenger vehicles, limousines, and mini vans were built with a newly designed restraint control module (RCM). In some cases, the RCM does not recognize certain system faults that could result in an air bag or seat belt pre-tensioner unexpectedly activating during the self-test sequence at vehicle start-up.
Consequence:
This condition could result in personal injury.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the RCM in these vehicles. Owner notification began September 14, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V228001
Reported Aug 18, 2000
Seat Belts
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with TRW seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the date code on certain seat belt buckles of your vehicle and replace all seat belt buckles that fall within the suspect date code range. Owner notification began October 26, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V200000
Reported Jul 18, 2000
Equipment › Mechanical › Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer
Model years 1998–2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles have jacking instructions which, if followed, could cause the vehicle operator to place the jack on a frame weld when attempting to raise a rear wheel. If the vehicle is jacked up with the jack placed on the frame weld and if the vehicle is free to roll (wheels not blocked or chocked), the jack could yield and the vehicle may drop suddenly.
Consequence:
If this occurs and any portion of the operator's body is under the vehicle, the potential for personal injury exists.
Remedy:
Owners will be provided with a revised jack instruction and stowage card and jack warning label, as well as a supplement to the owner guide.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V157002
Reported Jun 12, 2000
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Model years 1996–2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket front passenger side seat belt assemblies that were sold by Ford parts departments from January 1, through June 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 209, "seat belt assemblies." The equipment involved is service stock seat belt assemblies, model nos. H 9977, h 9979, t 9063, and t 9217, built by TRW vehicle safety systems, inc. (TRW) manufactured from June 1, 1998 through May 21, 2000. Some of these seat belt assemblies may have been installed as service replacement equipment on the vehicles involved in the recall.
Consequence:
In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from January 1 through June 13, 2000.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V157001
Reported Jun 12, 2000
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Model years 1996–2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket driver's seat belt assemblies that were sold by Ford parts departments from January 1, through June 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 209, "seat belt assemblies." The equipment involved is service stock seat belt assemblies, model nos. H 9977, h 9979, t 9063, and t 9217, built by TRW vehicle safety systems, inc. (TRW) manufactured from June 1, 1998 through May 21, 2000. Some of these seat belt assemblies may have been installed as service replacement equipment on the vehicles involved in the recall.
Consequence:
In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from January 1 through June 13, 2000.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 98V322000
Reported Dec 16, 1998
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Model years 1995–1999
Vehicle description: certain 1996-1999 Ford Crown Victoria police, fleet, natural gas, and 1996-1999 Lincoln Town Car limousine vehicles that were produced with a lower control arm ball joint containing a one piece bearing; and 1990-1996 Ford Crown Victoria police, fleet, and NGV vehicles and 1990-1996 Lincoln Town Car limousine vehicles that have been serviced with either a ball joint containing the one-piece bearing or a front lower control arm containing a ball joint with a one-piece bearing. The one-piece bearing within the lower control arm ball joint can weaken slowly during use and eventually crack. This could result in separation of the ball and cap of the joint, allowing the control arm to drop to the ground.
Consequence:
If this occurs while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the lower control arm ball joints (2).
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 98V028000
Reported Feb 10, 1998
Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Model year 1998
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Consequence:
If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed.
Remedy:
Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 96V231000
Reported Nov 12, 1996
Air Bags › Frontal
Model year 1997
Two bolts that attach the driver air bag to the steering wheel were not installed during vehicle assembly.
Consequence:
In the event of a frontal collision, the air bag module would stay in position during deployment. However, the module could leave the steering wheel cavity following air bag deployment.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and install any bolts that are missing.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 96V135000
Reported Jul 18, 1996
Steering › Linkages
Model years 1995–1996
The pitman arms were not fully lubricated at the assembly plant. The "ball joint" at the outer end of the pitman arm can become contaminated and corrode.
Consequence:
Such corrosion can result in abnormal wear of the joint, resulting in separation of the joint. Loss of steering control can occur increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the vehicles and if the joint is found to have significant wear, the arm will be replaced. Those pitman arms not replaced will have the "ball joint" fully greased.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 96V109000
Reported Jun 24, 1996
Seat Belts › Rear/Other
Model year 1996
The elr/alr feature is used to accommodate child restraints. When servicing the rear belt assemblies, wrong parts could have been used which do not contain the automatic locking feature.
Consequence:
In the event of an accident, the seat belt assemblies may not properly secure the child restraint increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the rear belt assemblies with the appropriate design retractor and tongue assemblies.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 96V070000
Reported Apr 22, 1996
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Model year 1996
When in the secondary latched position, the driver door latches may open when subjected to transverse loads less than that specified in FMVSS No. 206, "door locks and door retention components."
Consequence:
The driver's door, when closed only to the secondary latched position, may not sustain a 1,000 pound transverse load.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver door latch.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 95V133000
Reported Jul 11, 1995
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Model year 1995
Improper installation of the rear brake line at the point at which the extended brake line first bends and extends over the left rear wheel area of the frame. If not installed with sufficient clearance, chafing of the brake line can occur in an area adjacent to the rear floor pan.
Consequence:
The rear brake line can leak or rupture resulting in reduced braking capability, loss of rear brakes, and/or loss of brake fluid reserves in the master brake cylinder.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the brake line for proper installation and/or damage and replace as necessary. Also a protective boot or sleeve over the brake line will be installed.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 95V063000
Reported Mar 27, 1995
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Model year 1995
The seal material between the fuel filler pipe and fuel tank may not have been fully cured during the molding process which could allow for fuel leakage.
Consequence:
Fuel leakage could result in a vehicle fire if an ignition source were present.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the fuel filler pipe-to-fuel tank seal with a new seal of different material.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Lincoln Town Car questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Lincoln Town Car have?

NHTSA lists 27 vehicle recall campaigns for the Lincoln Town Car, covering model years 1995 to 2011. The most recent, 14V704000, was reported on November 5, 2014 and is filed under “Steering”. The 1996 and 2000 model years are covered by the most campaigns (8 each).

Which Lincoln Town Car model year has the most complaints?

The 1997 model year, with 314 of the 2,048 complaints in NHTSA’s file (15.3%). The next are 1996 (259) and 2003 (201). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Lincoln Town Car complaint?

Vehicle Speed Control is the component named most often: 292 complaints, or 14.3% of all 2,048. Engine and Engine Cooling (278) and Air Bags (260) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Lincoln Town Car?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Lincoln dealer.

How many Lincoln Town Car complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 2,048 complaints, 195 report a crash, 63 a fire, 103 at least one injury and 3 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Lincoln models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lincoln VIN decoder with every Lincoln model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Lincoln MKZ 2006–2020 · 32 recalls · 1,661 complaints
Lincoln MKX 2007–2020 · 23 recalls · 1,416 complaints
Lincoln Navigator 1997–2027 · 68 recalls · 1,350 complaints
Lincoln LS 2000–2006 · 3 recalls · 982 complaints
Lincoln MKC 2015–2019 · 14 recalls · 594 complaints
Lincoln Continental 1995–2020 · 13 recalls · 590 complaints
Lincoln Aviator 2003–2027 · 51 recalls · 485 complaints
Lincoln Mark VIII 1995–2000 · 1 recall · 418 complaints

All Lincoln models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.

Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year

Most-reported Lincoln Town Car components

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

Lincoln Town Car recalls

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Pinion Shaft

Steering

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe

Vehicle Speed Control

Suspension › Front › Hub

Electrical System › 12V/24V/48V Battery › Cables

Suspension › Rear

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly

Tires

Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-Inactive

Seat Belts › Front

Seat Belts › Rear/Other

Air Bags

Seat Belts

Equipment › Mechanical › Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint

Exterior Lighting › Headlights

Air Bags › Frontal

Steering › Linkages

Seat Belts › Rear/Other

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap