2009 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 2009 Lincoln Town CAR filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5

What fails most often

1 Engine 40% of all complaints
2 Vehicle speed control 40% of all complaints
3 Air bags 20% of all complaints
4 Steering 20% 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: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Air bags: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Steering: 1 complaints (20% 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 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine	2	0	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0	0
Air bags	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	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 car accelerates on its own when hitting the brakes., while in motion. ( periodically.)
Engine · 2018-10-06 · NHTSA complaint #11138750
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 lincoln town car. The contact received a recall notification of the nhtsa campaign id number 13v385000 (steering); however ,the contact was unable to have the vehicle serviced under the recall since the part was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem.
Steering · 2013-11-04 · NHTSA complaint #10550790
As I was approaching my left turn into the community I live in and driving about 45 mph, I stepped onto the brake and the car engine started accelerating. There was a vehicle approaching in the opposite direction which was the reason I was trying to stop.
Engine · 2012-06-18 · NHTSA complaint #10462067
While the contact was driving 45 mph the brake pedal was engaged, followed by an unintended acceleration and the speed increased to approximately 70 mph. The gear was shifted from drive to neutral and the vehicle was able to slow down. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint.
Vehicle speed control · 2010-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10325125
Tl contact owns a 2009 lincoln town car. When a passenger sits in the front passenger seat the air bag deactivation light will come on even when the appropriate weight is occupying the seat.
Air bags · 2009-08-24 · NHTSA complaint #10281555

When owners complained

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

20091
20101
20121
20131
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, vehicle speed control, air bags. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: unintended acceleration (40%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 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 2009 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 2009 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.