1997 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR filed 314 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 314
involving a crash: 10

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 28% of all complaints
2 Suspension 16% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
4 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
5 Steering 7% of all complaints
6 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 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.

Engine and cooling: 87 complaints (28% of all).
Suspension: 50 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 43 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 43 complaints (14% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 22 complaints (7% of all), 2 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 cylnamed in 5 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 314 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire19 · 6%
stalls while driving18 · 6%
overheating, coolant loss17 · 5%
rust, corrosion16 · 5%
headlights and tail lights12 · 4%
vibration8 · 3%
warning lights, check engine8 · 3%
windows, sunroof8 · 3%
brake failure6 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise6 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	87	0
Suspension	50	2
Service brakes	43	1
Vehicle speed control	43	3
Steering	22	2
Exterior lighting	17	0
Fuel system	17	0
Electrical system	16	0
Visibility	16	0
Air bags	9	5
Tires	9	0
Structure	8	0
Engine	5	0
Equipment	4	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 air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The contact had a second accident, and the air bags did not deploy during that incident.
Air bags · crash · 2022-07-07 · NHTSA complaint #11472824
During each accident the air bags did not deploy. There was also no air bag light illuminated prior to each incident.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2006-09-25 · NHTSA complaint #10169269
While driving 45 mph the vehicle swerved to the left without warning . The consumer could not control the vehicle and the vehicle went through a guard rail. The vehicle flipped over three times down an embankment. The consumer suffered injuries to the spine and several limbs.
Steering · crash · 2004-07-01 · NHTSA complaint #10080265
Consumer states upon impact the air bags deployed and split providing no protection, causing injuries. Please provide any addition information. Ts
Air bags · crash · 2003-01-07 · NHTSA complaint #10002248
Abs system failed causing vehicle to spin out and tire blowout, loss of control resulting in accident ( no deployment of air bags during collision and seat belts did not restraint properly), injuries due to defects. Yh
Service brakes · crash · 1999-09-30 · NHTSA complaint #607156
While driving interstate highway at night and traveling 65 to 70 miles per hr., without any warning or symptoms, the headlights turn off. They then turn on and off a few times and then seem to correct themselves and stay on. This happens on trips after 1 hour or more. Has never occurred on shorter trips under 1 hour.
Electrical system · 2022-10-02 · NHTSA complaint #11487465
The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced.
Engine · 2016-05-10 · NHTSA complaint #10864176
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln town car. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at 30 mph, steam emitted from the front end of the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence.
Engine · 2016-05-10 · NHTSA complaint #10864179

When owners complained

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

199711
199820
199933
200017
200124
200233
200326
200437
200521
200618
200719
200828
20093
20107
20114
20121
20132
20144
20154
20162
20191
20222

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,286 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 314, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, service brakes. Total complaints: 314. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (6%), stalls while driving (6%), overheating, coolant loss (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 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 1997 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 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.