1998 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Lincoln Town CAR filed 154 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 154
involving a crash: 7

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 21% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
3 Suspension 12% of all complaints
4 Visibility 10% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
6 Structure 9% of all complaints
7 Steering 8% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 8% 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: 32 complaints (21% of all).
Service brakes: 20 complaints (13% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 19 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Visibility: 16 complaints (10% of all).
Electrical system: 15 complaints (10% of all).

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 2 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 154 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving8 · 5%
A/C or heater7 · 5%
headlights and tail lights7 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire7 · 5%
won't start4 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss4 · 3%
rust, corrosion4 · 3%
vibration4 · 3%
engine failure or replacement3 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	32	0
Service brakes	20	3
Suspension	19	1
Visibility	16	0
Electrical system	15	0
Structure	14	0
Steering	13	0
Exterior lighting	12	0
Powertrain	11	1
Fuel system	7	0
Vehicle speed control	7	1
Equipment	5	0
Tires	3	0
Engine	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.

While driving on highwy 84 east the right rear tire and wheel in my lincoln fell off and consequently caused me to lose control of my vehicle while trying to get it off the highway. Resulting in a crash. Upon recovery of the wheel and tire it shows where the axle broke off.
Powertrain · crash · 2004-07-29 · NHTSA complaint #10082919
While traveling 10 mph and without any indication brakes failed, resulting in vehicle hitting curve to stop. Please provide further information.
Service brakes · crash · 2003-01-27 · NHTSA complaint #10004744
Upon impact, dual airbags didn't deploy, and consumer was hurt. Dealership aware of problem.
Air bags · crash · 2001-05-09 · NHTSA complaint #887860
Shifted gear and vehicle surged in uncontrollable speed and merged into another vehicle. Then, came to a complete stop.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2001-03-22 · NHTSA complaint #883821
Subsequently, the radio & a/c stopped working. This cruise control module had to be replaced because of it's ability to spontaneously combust the car in flames as it did on my 1996 lincoln town car. Why doesn't the government enforce the recall laws?
Electrical system · 2013-11-15 · NHTSA complaint #10552317
The cheap plastic that the intake manifold is made out of has cracked were the heater hose connects in the back causing the vehicle to not be drive-able due to overheating.
Engine · 2013-06-01 · NHTSA complaint #10514652
The contact stated that the vehicle would not start and the battery warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to successfully jump start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the alternator was replaced but the failure continued.
Electrical system · 2012-02-22 · NHTSA complaint #10448962
Loss of coolant, engine overheated, loss of power and control in heavy traffic presented a serious safety hazard. Engine intake manifold system is a design flaw and subject of an earlier recall by manufacturer.
Engine and cooling · 2011-01-09 · NHTSA complaint #10376028

When owners complained

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

199820
199928
200014
200110
20026
200318
200412
20057
200612
20073
20086
20098
20101
20112
20121
20134
20181
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 154, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, suspension. Total complaints: 154. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (5%), A/C or heater (5%), headlights and tail lights (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 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.