1999 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 1999 Lincoln Town CAR filed 148 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 148
involving a crash: 18

What fails most often

1 Air bags 20% of all complaints
2 Suspension 14% of all complaints
3 Visibility 14% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
5 Steering 10% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
7 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
8 Structure 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.

Air bags: 29 complaints (20% of all), 12 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 21 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Visibility: 20 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 19 complaints (13% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 15 complaints (10% 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 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 148 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

A/C or heater10 · 7%
airbags did not deploy9 · 6%
smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 6%
windows, sunroof8 · 5%
airbag warning light7 · 5%
vibration6 · 4%
warning lights, check engine6 · 4%
brake failure4 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss4 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	29	12
Suspension	21	1
Visibility	20	1
Service brakes	19	3
Steering	15	2
Electrical system	13	1
Engine and cooling	13	0
Structure	12	1
Powertrain	7	0
Equipment	5	0
Tires	5	0
Vehicle speed control	5	2
Engine	4	0
Fuel/propulsion system	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. A police report was filed and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised by a sheriff not to drive the vehicle in case the air bags deployed independently. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Air bags · crash · 2014-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #10627981
Upon deployment of the side air bag, the contact, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pushed aside into the center console, and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle rolled over a parking lot divider, and crashed into another vehicle. The contact sustained minor injuries.
Air bags · crash · 2006-10-05 · NHTSA complaint #10170023
The driver's side front, driver's side impact and passenger front air bags did not deploy during an accident. The only air bag that deployed was the passenger's side impact air bag. (lawyer, david duhigg on behalf of consumer)
Air bags · crash · 2005-02-10 · NHTSA complaint #10109457
When this vehicle was started up and shifted into drive it accelerated up to 40 mph on its own, resulting in an crash. The dealer has been contacted.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-10-05 · NHTSA complaint #849921
Front driver seatbelt does not lock. Unknown when or why this occurred. All other seatbelts in car still functioning. Not repaired yet. Would this be covered under any type of federal warranty?
Seat belts · 2023-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #11519232
The contact stated that he drove the vehicle several more times and the steering failure recurred while driving at various speeds. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed.
Suspension · 2022-12-28 · NHTSA complaint #11499152
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 lincoln town car. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of noticed liquid dripping from the air vents. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for diagnosis and repair. The diagnosis was a failure with the intake manifold.
Engine · 2020-02-03 · NHTSA complaint #11306764
Takata recall: steering wheel has smoked before lightly, interior lights have stayed on,steering wheel has done a 360 turn,corrosion on the side panel and panel(chrome) has fallen off.
Steering · 2019-06-20 · NHTSA complaint #11221391

When owners complained

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

19982
199918
200010
20017
200211
200311
200416
200510
20065
200710
20084
20105
20112
20123
20134
20148
20156
20163
20171
20184
20192
20203
20221
20231
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,662 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 148, above average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, suspension, visibility. Total complaints: 148. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (7%), airbags did not deploy (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.