AI Damage1997 Lincoln Mark Viii: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Lincoln Mark Viii filed 90 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 90
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 37% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 24% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 33 complaints (37% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 22 complaints (24% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 8 complaints (9% of all).
- Equipment: 5 complaints (6% of all).
- Steering: 5 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 90 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Headlights on my 1997 lincoln mark viii suddenly went out while driving on the highway at 70 mph causing a near fatal crash. I luckily ran off the road into a muddy grassy area and became stuck and not killed.
Vehicle was traveling down a busy urban street and while approaching an intersection, the driver begin turning slightly to change lanes and the steering wheel separated from the steering column, leaving the vehicle with no steering.
Fiesta lincoln mercury [address], mesa, [ZIP] [phone] is refusing to correct action under recall 05s28 nhtsa campaign number: 07v336000. Associated document rcrit-07v336-8625 listed the correct part numbers and procedure for the specific vehicle that is in question.
The contact stated that the refrigeration discharge line failed due to rust and corrosion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer because the air conditioner failed after they installed r134a refrigeration. The manufacturer was notified who stated he should call the dealer to get the vehicle repaired again.
The contact stated that the low beam headlights are known to burn out. The parts are no longer being manufactured so the only way to repair them is with a kit. The contact stated that this seemed like an expensive temporary remedy.
The contact stated that the front headlights burned out in the vehicle. The dealer stated that the replacement bulb was unavailable and would be placed on back order. They also requested a deposit for the bulb, which cost over $100.
The contact stated that the blender door is made out of plastic and breaks, which causes the heater and the defroster to fail. As a consequence, her visibility is significantly reduced during cold weather conditions.
I believe ford may be trying to lead you to believe they are fixing the problem; but, stalling! After all it has been 5 months since I was first notified, and I would like to be driving a safe auto. Please do what you can to get ford to step up to their asap.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,812 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mark Viii has 75 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 90, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lincoln Mark Viii?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, visibility, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 90. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (31%), A/C or heater (12%), vibration (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Lincoln Mark Viii?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Lincoln Mark Viii from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.