FaultScore

FaultScore report

1986 Lincoln Mark VII problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1986 Lincoln Mark VII with NHTSA between 1996 and 2003. The largest single group is the electrical system.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

3

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

1 complaint reports a death.

How 1986 compares with every other Lincoln Mark VII

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1986 Lincoln Mark VII

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 3 30.0%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Engine & Cooling 2 20.0%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Equipment & Accessories 1 10.0%
Seats 1 10.0%
Tires 1 10.0%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Fuel & Propulsion 1 10.0%
Brakes 1 10.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 1996 peak 3 Dec 2003

NHTSA investigations into the 1986 Lincoln Mark VII

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

PE86067 Opened 29 Jul 1986 Closed 9 Sep 1986 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BRAKE FAILURE

ANALYSIS:THE 8 COMPLAINTS IN ODI COMPLAINT FILE REVEALED SUDDEN BRAKEFAILURE.FORD HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, 03250000, ON 1985 MARK VII'SFOR AN OUT OF POSITION WIRING HARNESS.IN THIS CASE THE BRAKING SENSORMAY SHORT CAUSING POWER BRAKE FAILURE.THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLSPERTAINING TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS SUGGESTED TOEVALUATE THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.STATUS:IR PREPARED.PROPOSED ACTION:TO OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.

Recalls on the 1986 Lincoln Mark VII

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1987098 295,731 units in Canada

Fuel System

ON VEHICLES WITH EFI OR CFI, THE SPRING-LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING USED TO CONNECT THE FUEL SUPPLY AND RETURN LINES TO THE EFI FUEL RAILS OR TO THE CFI THROTTLE BODIES AS WELL AS OTHER FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS NEAR THE DASH PANELS ON SOME VEHICLES, COULD DISENGAGE DURING VEHICLE USE. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, LOSS OF FUEL WILL RESULT, PROVIDING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE. CORRECTION: COUPLING RETAINER CLIPS WILL BE INSTALLED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES. NOTE: ESCORT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH EFI AND CFI. LYNX VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH CFI ONLY. EFI - ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION CFI - CENTRAL FUEL INJECTION

Recall 1986087 1,477 units in Canada

Brakes

VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE SYSTEM SUPPLY MOTOR THAT PROVIDES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE FOR THE THE REAR BRAKES AND POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR WELDING OF THE CONTACTS IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM RELAY. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BRAKE PUMP MOTOR WILL RUN CONTINUOUSLY CAUSING OVERHEATING AND WILL EVENTUALLY STOP OPERATING. AFTER 10 TO 15 NORMAL BRAKE STOPS, LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION WILL OCCUR, RESULTING IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND RISK OF VEHICLE CRASH. CORRECTION: PUMP MOTOR RELAYS WILL BE REPLACED.

Recall 1986086 756 units in Canada

Brakes

VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE SUPPLY MOTOR THAT PROVIDES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE FOR THE REAR BRAKES AND POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES.THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MAY NOT FULLY RETURN TO THE "ON" POSITION AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BATTERY CURRENT TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUPPLY MOTOR WILL BE INTERRUPTED. IN THIS CONDITION, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL SUPPLY 10 TO 15 NORMAL BRAKE STOPS PRIOR TO LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FUNCTION, RESULTING IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH. CORRECTION: IGNITION LOCK CYLINDERS WILL BE REPLACED WITH REVISED DESIGN CYLINDERS.

Recall 1986025 584 units in Canada

THE WIRING CONNECTIONS TO THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL SENSOR ON THE MASTER CYLINDER CAP WERE REVERSED DUE TO A DESIGN ERROR, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE SENSOR TO TRANSMIT A SIGNAL TO THE BRAKE WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL IS LESS THAN ONE-FOURTH FULL. THIS IS IN NON-COMPLIANCE WITH C.M.V.S.S. 105 - HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS.

Recall 1985107 51 units in Canada

THE FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE BODIES MAY HAVE A CASTING FLASH ON THE FACE OF THE THROTTLE BODY BORES. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, A PIECE OF FLASH MAY BREAK LOOSE AND MIGHT BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE THROTTLE PLATE AND BORE, PREVENTING THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. .

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Benson, AZ Fire

TIRES

IN TRYING TO PULL OUT OF SNOW, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE CAUGHT FIRE DAMAGING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. YH

NHTSA complaint #551739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Studio City, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #517299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Forked River, NJ Fire 1 killed

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE WHILE OWNER WAS ASLEEP. HUSBAND DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION.

NHTSA complaint #983230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Tampa, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10050455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10050455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10050455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE ORIGINAL RCALL LETTER 87V139000 FROM DEALER CONCERNING FUEL LINE LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #8007512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mansfield, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AT ANY SPEED. REPAIR SHOP CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #895442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Benson, AZ Fire

TIRES

IN TRYING TO PULL OUT OF SNOW, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE CAUGHT FIRE DAMAGING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. YH

NHTSA complaint #551739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Studio City, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #517299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK CAUSED THE WIRES IN THE IGNITION TO BURN OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #983647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Forked River, NJ Fire 1 killed

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE WHILE OWNER WAS ASLEEP. HUSBAND DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION.

NHTSA complaint #983230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EL Paso, TX

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVES FORWARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA complaint #982324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.