1989 Lincoln Continental steering problems

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED. SOMETHING IS STILL DRAINING ALL OF THE POWER AWAY. THE FRONT-SEAT THREE-POINT SEAT BELTS GO SLACK WHILE DRIVING AND DO NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. FORD SAYS IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. THE FRONT AND REAR AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN THE BACK END GOES WAY DOWN THEN BACK UP. THE FRONT OFTEN HAS ONE SIDE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN WHILE THE OTHER SIDE GOES ALL THE WAY UP. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REPLACED. STILL, IT CANNOT KEEP THE CAR ANYWHERE NEAR CONFORTABLE. THE WINDSHIELD GETS AN OILY FILM ON THE INSIDE THAT WON'T GO AWAY. FINALLY, THE SPEED CONTROL SOMETIMES STARTS ACCELERATING FOR NO REASON AND/OR WILL NOT DEACTIVATE WHEN "OFF" IS PRESSED. EHH, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR NOW. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THESE COMMENTS.

NHTSA complaint #749107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

INNER TIE ROD FAILED. MJS

NHTSA complaint #548735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, UNLOCKED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES.

NHTSA complaint #544599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING OCCURS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #544259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

I PURCHASED THE CAR AT 87,300 MILES AND PUT 1500-2000 MILES ON IT. WORKED LIKE A DREAM = PREVIOUS OWNER SAID HE HAD TAKEN CARE OF CERTAIN PROBLEMS THAT LINCOLN MERCURY SAID COULD POSSIBLE BE WRONG WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. (HAD RECEIPTS) - AT AN OIL CHANGE I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED LOOKING AT DUE TO A POWER STEERING LEAK - TOOK IT IN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC "THE BENZ CONNECTION" AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE POWER STEERING RACK - HAD IT CHANGED AND STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM. SO THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING HOSE - THEN NO POWER STEERING. TOOK IT BACK - THEY REPLACED THE RACK ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS - THEY TOOK IT TO BILL GILL AND THEY REPLACED THE RACK ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN RETURNED IT TO ME AT 89,295 MILES - AFTER 12 WEEKS WITHOUT A CAR. POWER STEERING WAS STILL VERY HARD AND HAS SOFTENED SOMEWHAT, HOWEVER THEN THE SUSPENSION DROPPED AND POWER STEERING CAME BACK ALTHOUGH STILL "HARD AT TIMES" NOW NO SUSPENSION (RIDE CONTOL) AND AFTER BOUNCING FOR A WEEK THE DIRECT COMPUTER LINK HAS GONE OUT - - - I THINK PERHAPS FROM THE BOUNCING TO THE UNIT? THE CAR SITS ABOUT 5" FROM THE GROUND --- I HAVE KEPT IN CONTACT WITH BILL GILL AND THE BENZ CONNECTION AND WAITED THE THREE WEEKS THAT BILL GILL SAID I SHOULD TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STEERING. WELL, NOW I HAVE ALL THESE MAJOR PROBLEMS - THE DCL JUST WENT OUT TODAY 12/25/1998. BILL GILL DID NOT RETURN MY CALL OF 12/22/1998. I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THE LINE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT LINCOLN MERCURY ON 11/25/98 AND WHEN I CALLED THEM BACK ON 12/22/98 THEY HAD NO RECORD OF MY CONVERSATIONS OTHER THAN I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. ON 12/24/98 I MAILED A LETTER CERTIFIED MAIL TO LINCOLN MERCURY( UNFORTUNATELY I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I HAD PUT IN AN "R" INSTEAD OF A "4" FOR THE EIGHTH DIGIT IN THE VIN). TODAY I FOUND THIS ON THE INTERNET./ PLEASE HELP ME.... THANKS./ - FOR SOME REASON THE RECAP SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED - BUT I DID NOT SELECT THAT AT ALL.... DID

NHTSA complaint #701592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

I PURCHASED THE CAR AT 87,300 MILES AND PUT 1500-2000 MILES ON IT. WORKED LIKE A DREAM = PREVIOUS OWNER SAID HE HAD TAKEN CARE OF CERTAIN PROBLEMS THAT LINCOLN MERCURY SAID COULD POSSIBLE BE WRONG WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. (HAD RECEIPTS) - AT AN OIL CHANGE I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED LOOKING AT DUE TO A POWER STEERING LEAK - TOOK IT IN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC "THE BENZ CONNECTION" AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE POWER STEERING RACK - HAD IT CHANGED AND STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM. SO THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING HOSE - THEN NO POWER STEERING. TOOK IT BACK - THEY REPLACED THE RACK ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS - THEY TOOK IT TO BILL GILL AND THEY REPLACED THE RACK ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN RETURNED IT TO ME AT 89,295 MILES - AFTER 12 WEEKS WITHOUT A CAR. POWER STEERING WAS STILL VERY HARD AND HAS SOFTENED SOMEWHAT, HOWEVER THEN THE SUSPENSION DROPPED AND POWER STEERING CAME BACK ALTHOUGH STILL "HARD AT TIMES" NOW NO SUSPENSION (RIDE CONTOL) AND AFTER BOUNCING FOR A WEEK THE DIRECT COMPUTER LINK HAS GONE OUT - - - I THINK PERHAPS FROM THE BOUNCING TO THE UNIT? THE CAR SITS ABOUT 5" FROM THE GROUND --- I HAVE KEPT IN CONTACT WITH BILL GILL AND THE BENZ CONNECTION AND WAITED THE THREE WEEKS THAT BILL GILL SAID I SHOULD TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STEERING. WELL, NOW I HAVE ALL THESE MAJOR PROBLEMS - THE DCL JUST WENT OUT TODAY 12/25/1998. BILL GILL DID NOT RETURN MY CALL OF 12/22/1998. I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THE LINE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT LINCOLN MERCURY ON 11/25/98 AND WHEN I CALLED THEM BACK ON 12/22/98 THEY HAD NO RECORD OF MY CONVERSATIONS OTHER THAN I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. ON 12/24/98 I MAILED A LETTER CERTIFIED MAIL TO LINCOLN MERCURY( UNFORTUNATELY I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I HAD PUT IN AN "R" INSTEAD OF A "4" FOR THE EIGHTH DIGIT IN THE VIN). TODAY I FOUND THIS ON THE INTERNET./ PLEASE HELP ME.... THANKS./ - FOR SOME REASON THE RECAP SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED - BUT I DID NOT SELECT THAT AT ALL.... DID

NHTSA complaint #701592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

I DID BUY THIS CAR AS IS, BUT ONLY TEST DROVE FIVE MILES. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM THE DEALER AND TRIED THE CRUSIE CONTROL AND WHEN IT IS TURNED ON IT KEEPS GOING UP IN SPEED AND IS HARD TO SHUT OFF THIS IS VERY DANGERIOUS, ALSO THE STEERING TRYS TO LOCK WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE. I PURCHASED THE CAR 11/12/98 AN CALLED THE DEALER 11/14/98 TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AND THE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT, THEY HAD THE CAR FOUR DAYS AND I GOT IT BACK 11/20/98 AND IT WASN'T FIXED. WHEN I CALLED THEY SAID IT WOULD COST TO MUCH TO FIX AND THAT THEY UNHOOKED IT BUT IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE STEERING TO THEM BUT NOW I FEEL THEY SOULD TAKE CARE OF BOTH PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE SAFTEY RELATED AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #700794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #534257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING HOSES REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #503900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING BELT REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #503131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

STEERING RACK SNAPPED.

NHTSA complaint #505150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT WAS REPLACED THREE AND THE REAR WAS REPLACED TWO TIMES THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES THE POWER STEERING AND CV JOINT REPLACE.

NHTSA complaint #971692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES

BROKEN TIE RODS. TT

NHTSA complaint #959541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.