Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 Lincoln Mark VII
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Brakes
318.8%
Electrical System
318.8%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Lights
212.5%
Median failure at 177,000 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
212.5%
Engine & Cooling
212.5%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Seats
16.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Seat Belts
16.3%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
16.3%
Body & Structure
16.3%
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.
Jan 1996peak 3Jan 2004
Recalls on the 1989 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 199209762,102 units in Canada
Emissions
CERTAIN 1987-89 MUSTANG 2.3 LITRE, 1986 MUSTANG & CAPRI 5.0 LITRE HO, AND 1987-89 MUSTANG & MARK VII 5.0 LITRE HO. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. THE SUBSTRATE IN THE CATALYST MAY RATTLE AND BREAK UP DURING NORMAL USE CAUSING EXHAUST EMISSIONS TO EXCEED THE STANDARD. CORRECTION: CATALYST WILL BE REPLACED WHERE NECESSARY.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Penndel, PAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT RESULTED IN FIRE AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF. INSURANCE ADJUSTER BELIEVED IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. RESULTED IN THE COMPLETE LOSS OF THE CAR, IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT SINCE NEW. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OTHER SIMILIAR COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN FILED BY OTHERS. THANK YOU, KURT PFEFFER
NHTSA complaint #710696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Yardley, PACrash2 injured
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE AT A RED LIGHT CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED AND RECLINED BACKWARDS, CAUSING INJURY TO THE CONSUMER. *AK
NHTSA complaint #843755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Piedmont, CA1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN CAR WAS STARED IT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSE IT TO HIT A WALL INJURING THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #541820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wilmington, NCFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #516873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 177,000 milesLittle Chute, WI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED. ALL LIGHTS SHUT OFF. CAR HAS FEATURE THAT TURNS ON LIGHTS @ DARK ETC. HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY. 10 DEG. IN COLD TEMPS (<20DEG) ALL LIGHTS GO OFF UNEXPECTEDLY W/ NO PREDICTABLE PATTERN.*AK FIRST HAPPENED LAST YEAR ON FREEWAY @ 65 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, SUDDENLY NO LIGHTS. TOOK ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS TO FIND MANUAL SWITCH & TURN THEM ON. NOW I TRY TO REMEMBER TO TURN LIGHTS ON W/O USING THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM IN COLD WEATHER. COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY EXCITING ON A DARK 2 LANE ROAD. SINCE ANY SYSTEM CAN FAIL, WHY DOESN'T IT DEFAULT TO ON ?
NHTSA complaint #10052554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
WHILE DRIVING COULD STEP ON THE BRAKES PEDAL, BUT BRAKES WILL NOT OPERATE AT THE TIME OF APPLYING, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WHEATER. DEALER SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH THE HYDRAULIC VACUUM SWITCH WHICH WILL NOT WORK ON TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8001304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Copperas Cove, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ELECTRIC PUMP FOR THE ABS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WIRING OF ACCESSORY SIDE OF THE IGINITON SWITCH. IF THE SWITCH FAILS VHEICLE WILL LOSE ALL BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL BECOME HARD AND VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP.
NHTSA complaint #869673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Copperas Cove, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRIC PUMP FOR THE ABS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WIRING OF ACCESSORY SIDE OF THE IGINITON SWITCH. IF THE SWITCH FAILS VHEICLE WILL LOSE ALL BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL BECOME HARD AND VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP.
NHTSA complaint #869673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Antonio, TX
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OVERDRIVE SLIPS
NHTSA complaint #713131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Penndel, PAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT RESULTED IN FIRE AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF. INSURANCE ADJUSTER BELIEVED IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. RESULTED IN THE COMPLETE LOSS OF THE CAR, IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT SINCE NEW. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OTHER SIMILIAR COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN FILED BY OTHERS. THANK YOU, KURT PFEFFER
NHTSA complaint #710696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Yardley, PACrash2 injured
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE AT A RED LIGHT CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED AND RECLINED BACKWARDS, CAUSING INJURY TO THE CONSUMER. *AK
NHTSA complaint #843755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Lenox, IL
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Lenox, IL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS
FOG LIGHTS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Lenox, IL
STRUCTURE
EXTERIOR CLEAR COAT PAINT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tamiment, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WHEN THE BATTERY BLEW UP, CAUSING ACID TO GET ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
NHTSA complaint #829759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Piedmont, CA1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN CAR WAS STARED IT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSE IT TO HIT A WALL INJURING THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #541820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Yakima, WA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER HAD THE SEATBELT ON, WENT TO UNLATCH SEATBELT TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE ,WAS UNABLE TO, SEATBELT BUCKLE WAS STUCK INSIDE LATCH. LATCH WOULD NOT RELEASE. HAD TO PULL OUT BUCKLE FROM LATCH TO GET OF VEHICLE. WHEN DOING SO, A PIECE INSIDE OF LATCH BROKE. BECAUSE OF THIS BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #819896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Massapequa, NY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE ENGINE STARTS SPORADICALLY. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE STARTS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #818714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wilmington, NCFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #516873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alexandria, VA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED 90% BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO THE ABS SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #977928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.