1990 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1990 Lincoln Town CAR filed 209 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 209
involving a crash: 22

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 30% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
3 Latches, locks, linkages 10% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
6 Visibility 6% of all complaints
7 Structure 6% of all complaints
8 Steering 5% 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: 63 complaints (30% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 31 complaints (15% of all).
Latches, locks, linkages: 21 complaints (10% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 17 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 16 complaints (8% of all), 9 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.

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

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 209 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire62 · 30%
stalls while driving11 · 5%
windows, sunroof8 · 4%
airbags did not deploy6 · 3%
steering or power steering problems6 · 3%
rust, corrosion5 · 2%
overheating, coolant loss4 · 2%
A/C or heater2 · 1%
engine failure or replacement2 · 1%
seat belts2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	63	1
Engine and cooling	31	0
Latches, locks, linkages	21	3
Service brakes	17	1
Vehicle speed control	16	9
Visibility	13	1
Structure	12	0
Steering	11	0
Air bags	9	7
Fuel system	9	1
Suspension	9	0
Equipment	4	0
Powertrain	4	0
Seat belts	4	1

What owners report

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

Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Vehicle was totaled. Consumer sustained spinal injuries. Dealer was notified. Photos attached.
Air bags · crash · 2002-04-11 · NHTSA complaint #8007406
While vehicle was at a stop, and consumer tried to switch transmission pawl, vehicle suddenly accelerated.consumer had to step on brake pedal, put vehicle in neutral, and turn off engine so tha tvehicle engine could go back to normal after having struck a block wall.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #834952
Dual airbags did not deploy during front end collision. Entire front end smashed, vehicle hit another vehicle at total standstill, vehicle at body shop awaiting inspection by insurance company, speed 10 mph.
Air bags · crash · 1997-09-23 · NHTSA complaint #816592
Consumer was preparing to back out of a parking spot when vehicle suddenly accelerated at a very high rate of speed, vehicle surged twice on the same day prior to accident, consumer stated acceleration speed was unbelievable and instantaneous.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1996-07-12 · NHTSA complaint #986801
Town car stopped at red light, started on green, another vehicle ran red light & smashed front of town car, driver & passenger air bags did not deploy.
Air bags · crash · 1996-06-21 · NHTSA complaint #985986
When engaging automatic transmission there was sudden unexpected acceleration. Tt
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1995-08-16 · NHTSA complaint #970567
Put vehicle into drive, it accelerated on it's own, brakes would not stop it, had an accident. Tt
Service brakes · crash · 1995-08-14 · NHTSA complaint #970424
The cruise control would not disengage when the brakes were applied, the vehicle began to speed up causing an accident. Tt
Exterior lighting · crash · 1995-05-31 · NHTSA complaint #966132

When owners complained

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

199542
199648
199721
199822
199926
200018
200115
20028
20035
20041
20053
20061

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,952 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 209, above 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.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1990 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 209. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (30%), stalls while driving (5%), windows, sunroof (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 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 1990 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 1990 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.