AI Damage1998 Lincoln Mark Viii: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii filed 83 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 83
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 29% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Visibility: 24 complaints (29% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 11 complaints (13% of all).
- Suspension: 9 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (8% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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 83 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 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.
I inidicated to the gentlemen that the answer he gave to me was not satisfactory nor was it logical becasue if I was hit from the rear at ta fast rate of speed and the airbag did not deploy but I hit the windshield or went through the winshield then based on his answer of solution the airbag still will not deploy.
Update to last complaint: the passenger side hid headlight has failed, no replacement except $1000 conversion kit. Have to drive with only "brights" on from now on. Danger to myself and those I'm passing, plus if the "brights" aren't on, then I have no headlights and could get pulled over.
(1) no heat- broken blender door actuator...manually set it to the warm setting for the winter behind glove box. (2) driver's door handle snapped last year(replaced for $100)...and now this year the passenger side snapped. (3) doors are constantly "ajar", alternating from one side to the other.
The brakes can quit working after the automatic parking brake release solenoid fails to release the rear brakes when the transmission lever is moved out of park. The rear brakes will then overheat after several miles, which causes the brake fluid to eventually boil and be expelled from the master cylinder.
The contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph, the front driver's side tire separated from the vehicle, causing the vehicle to suddenly drop to the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who stated the ball joint was broken. The mechanic replaced the ball joint with a master pro cp426.
Tl contact owns a 1998 lincoln mark viii. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph over train tracks, the front passenger side tire came off and the vehicle fell to the ground. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred three times before.
The dealer disconnected the rear abs sensor to ensure that the rear brakes would function properly; yet, it caused the vehicle to vibrate and the abs light to illuminate constantly. The failure and the current mileages were 88,000. Updated 8/25/10 updated 08/27/10
Recently, one of the headlight lamps burned out. I attempted to buy a replacement bulb at several auto parts stores without success. I contacted the local lincoln dealers and found that the bulb (sylvania 9500) is no longer manufactured.
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 3,991 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mark Viii has 75 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 83, about average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, exterior lighting, suspension. Total complaints: 83. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (19%), headlights and tail lights (11%), door locks, latches, handles (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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.