1987 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Lincoln Town CAR filed 32 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 32
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 53% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
4 Equipment 6% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
6 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 3% 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: 17 complaints (53% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Fuel system: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Equipment: 2 complaints (6% of all).
Powertrain: 2 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.

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

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 32 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire14 · 44%
stalls while driving3 · 9%
won't start2 · 6%
seat belts2 · 6%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 3%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 3%
steering or power steering problems1 · 3%
windows, sunroof1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	17	1
Engine and cooling	4	0
Fuel system	4	0
Equipment	2	0
Powertrain	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	1
Service brakes	1	0
Steering	1	0
Tires	1	0
Visibility	1	0
Other	1	0

What owners report

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

Both front tires went flat, knocking down 20 feet wooded fence, and hit house. Consumer stated problem was related to the cruise control.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2001-04-30 · NHTSA complaint #887146
Ongoing tfi ignition module problem, all ignition components replaced, tfi 3+ times, still happens, car stalls and won't start. California has done something about this, when are you!? Now I have had an accident due to this ongoing problem. Do I have to get seriously injured or what????????
Electrical system · crash · 2001-04-23 · NHTSA complaint #744068
Total tread separation from tire while driving on the freeway at 65 ..m.p.h. Front right tire.
Tires · 2009-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #10276936
Four minutes after the engine was shut off, black smoke was seen coming from under the hood. The owner opened the hood and noticed the alternator was on fire. A mechanic extinguished the fire and no police report was made.
Electrical system · 2003-12-08 · NHTSA complaint #10050168
While driving radiator suddenly started to leak fluid. Upon the leakage from the radiator vehicle automatically shut down with no warning.
Engine and cooling · 2003-09-08 · NHTSA complaint #10038380
Strong gasoline odor inside car most noticeable with a window down, have checked for leaks and can't find it, seems like it may be coming from behind the dash.
Fuel system · 2003-05-09 · NHTSA complaint #10018443
Vehicle caught on fire in the steering column due to faulty ignition switch . Consumer noticed that tailights had turned on by themselves. 1 week prior to incident, radio had started to smoke and then failed. Please provide further information.
Electrical system · 2000-10-12 · NHTSA complaint #872813
Vehicle experiences a problem with rolling out of driveway. Vehicle was parked with key out of the ignition switch. Consumer's four year old child moved the shifter out of gear, causing the vehicle to roll down the street. Can nhtsa help or provide addition information.
Powertrain · 1999-09-29 · NHTSA complaint #849340

When owners complained

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

19953
199615
19972
19993
20003
20012
20033
20091

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,635 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 32, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 32. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (44%), stalls while driving (9%), won't start (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 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 1987 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 1987 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.