1986 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1986 Lincoln Town CAR filed 50 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 50
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 58% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
3 Structure 6% of all complaints
4 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
6 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
7 Wheels 4% of all complaints
8 Seat belts 2% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 29 complaints (58% of all).
Powertrain: 3 complaints (6% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 3 complaints (6% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (4% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 50 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire27 · 54%
unintended acceleration3 · 6%
stalls while driving2 · 4%
A/C or heater1 · 2%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 2%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 2%
seat belts1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	29	0
Powertrain	3	2
Structure	3	0
Vehicle speed control	3	1
Engine and cooling	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Wheels	2	1
Seat belts	1	0
Service brakes	1	0
Steering	1	0
Tires	1	0
Other	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The car jumped out of park and begin to roll away. When the car hit another car and came to rest, the transmission indicator was in reverse position.
Powertrain · crash · 2008-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #10239672
Right rear wheel sheared off, causing loss of control/accident. (new jersey state police report)
Wheels · crash · 1996-10-29 · NHTSA complaint #509413
When engaging into gear, there was a sudden unexpected acceleration of the vehicle. Tt
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1995-08-18 · NHTSA complaint #970720
Four year old managed to get into vehicle, touched gear box causing vehicle to roll forward; went thru fence, hit house; key was not in ignition. Tt
Powertrain · crash · 1995-08-09 · NHTSA complaint #970208
When the key was turned in the ignition there was a cracking noise followed by smoke coming from under the hood. When the hood was popped there was a fire in the center of the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire, and indicated it may have been something electrical that caused the fire.
Electrical system · 2004-11-05 · NHTSA complaint #10099514
While driving vehicle was lurching, then consumer noticed smoke coming from the tires. Dealer determined that right front brake was locked up, caliper and brake hose were replaced.
Service brakes · 2002-04-22 · NHTSA complaint #8008225
Straps that hold fuel tank in place have been rubbing on tank, fuel tank is leaking due to that. The tank needs replacing.
Fuel system · 2001-03-27 · NHTSA complaint #884316
The ignition switch is temperamental and the vehicle is stalling.
Electrical system · 2001-01-23 · NHTSA complaint #557769

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19956
199626
19974
19984
19992
20002
20012
20021
20031
20041
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,345 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 50, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1986 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, structure. Total complaints: 50. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (54%), unintended acceleration (6%), stalls while driving (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Lincoln Town CAR?

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 1986 Lincoln Town CAR 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 1986 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.