FaultScore

1998 Lincoln Mark Viii headlight problems

12 of the 108 complaints about the 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii are about the lighting — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 101,000 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Headlights 8 66.7%
Exterior Lighting 2 16.7%
Interior Lighting 1 8.3%
High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch 1 8.3%

Lights across every Lincoln Mark Viii year

1993 196 34.1%
1994 134 23.3%
1995 115 20.0%
1996 84 14.6%
1997 34 5.9%
1998 12 2.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 104,527 miles Green BAY, WI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

UPDATE TO LAST COMPLAINT: THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT HAS FAILED, NO REPLACEMENT EXCEPT $1000 CONVERSION KIT. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH ONLY "BRIGHTS" ON FROM NOW ON. DANGER TO MYSELF AND THOSE I'M PASSING, PLUS IF THE "BRIGHTS" AREN'T ON, THEN I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS AND COULD GET PULLED OVER. PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT AT WORK. AFTER REPAIR, HEARING A BAD CREAKING NOISE. AIR SUSPENSION HAS TO FILL UP ALL THE WAY WHEN I START THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER 5 MINUTES OF IT BEING SHUT OFF. HAVE PAID $1,200 FOR REPAIRS OF SUSPENSION AND STEERING IN 6 MONTHS. (THAT'S WITH MY DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT). SERIOUSLY, I'VE HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS, HEADLIGHTS, NO HEAT, DOOR HANDLES SNAPPING OFF, AND THE AIR SUSPENSION GOING BAD. WHY IS FORD NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PARTS??? BECAUSE THE CAR IS RARE AND THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE???

NHTSA complaint #10865064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 101,000 miles Tulsa, OK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I OWN A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE 1999. RECENTLY, ONE OF THE HEADLIGHT LAMPS BURNED OUT. I ATTEMPTED TO BUY A REPLACEMENT BULB AT SEVERAL AUTO PARTS STORES WITHOUT SUCCESS. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALERS AND FOUND THAT THE BULB (SYLVANIA 9500) IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS NO STOCK OF AVAILABLE BULBS IN THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT FOR USED BULBS ON E-BAY. (FOR $199). I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND DETERMINED THAT LINCOLN'S REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS TO SELL A CONVERSION KIT (FROM HID LIGHTS TO HALOGEN) FOR OVER $1,000.00. I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE CHARGING $1,000.00 FOR A PAIR OF LIGHTS OR FOR ONLY ONE SIDE. AT THIS POINT I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE MY VEHICLE AFTER DARK. I CANNOT FIND A REASONABLY PRICED REPLACEMENT PART. I AM LEFT WITH LINCOLN'S "REMEDY" OF SPENDING AT LEAST $1,000 TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT BULB. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT IF I DO DRIVE THE CAR WITH ONE HEADLIGHT OUT THE OTHER ONE MAY GO OUT LEAVING ME WITH NO HEADLAMPS.

NHTSA complaint #10262952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Fostoria, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR, BUT HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CONVERSION KIT BECAUSE THE LIGHT BULB WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 207,199.

NHTSA complaint #10219682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,800 miles Eugene, OR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

1998 LINCOLN MARK VLLL LSC (HID HEADLIGHT BULB;PASSENGER SIDE). POOR NIGHT VISIBILITY DUE TO SEVER DEGRADATION OF OEM HEADLAMP SYSTEM. THIS MAKES NIGHT DRIVING ILLEGAL,DANGEROUS, AND JUST IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUT SOME SORT OF AFTERMARKET LIGHTING SYSTEM OR OEM REPLACEMENTS WHICH WILL SOON FAIL AND CAUSE THE ISSUE ALL OVER AGAIN. THERE IS NO AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENT BULB. FORD DID NOT CONTRACT WITH SYLVANIA TO MAKE ONE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY HID HEADLIGHT BULB WOULD NEVER BURN OUT. NOW I CAN'T EVEN SELL MY CAR. IF I DID FIND A BUYER, IT WOULD NOT BE LEGAL TO DRIVE WITH ONLY ONE WORKING HEADLIGHT. I COULD BE LIABLE FOR SELLING A DANGEROUS VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10218052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Melbourne Beach, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

LOW BEAM HEADLAMP FOR 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. REPLACEMENT LAMP NOT AVAILABLE FROM FORD OR THE MFG. SYLVANIA. UNSAFE TO DRIVE CAR AT NIGHT.

NHTSA complaint #10167692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

AFTER HAVING REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES DUE TO FAILURE WITH CONDENSATION DEVELOPING WITHIN THE UNIT, I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. IT WILL REQUIRE ANOTHER NEW SET OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES TO REPAIR THE COMMONLY KNOWN MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10163388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles NEW Braunfels, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS PLASTICC COVERING HAVE BECOME CLOUDY REDUCING HEADLIGHTS OUT PUT!

NHTSA complaint #10155023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER INDICATES THAT THE "DRIVERS DOOR IS AJAR". THE SIGN DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED AGAIN. WHEN DOOR LOCKS ARE DEPRESSED, THEY POP UP AGAIN AND THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL. THE ONLY OPERABLE SETTING OF THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR IS HIGH FAN/ THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BALLAST IS DEFECTIVE AND THE LOWBEAM SETTING IS DIM. IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE LAMP.

NHTSA complaint #739944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kent, WA

INTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN ENTERING A DARK TUNNEL HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS MOVED TO MANUAL SETTING TO OVERRIDE THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE, HEADLIGHTS COME ON IMMEDIATELY, AS THEY SHOULD, HOWEVER DASH LIGHTS ARE DELAYED UPTO 25 SECONDS CAUSING THE VECHICLE TO TRAVEL UP TO 1/2 MILE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MONITOR THE SPEEDOMETER OR CRITICAL GAUGES, OTHER LINCOLN MODELS I TESTED DON'T HAVE THIS DELAY IN THERE SYSTEM. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT ACCORDING TO EVERYONE I TELL ABOUT IT, ALTHOUGH WASINGTON STATE LEMON LAW RULED AGAINST ME ON THIS MATTER AND ENCOURAGES THE MANUFACTOR TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE A DEFECTIVE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #723447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corona DEL, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

RIGHT FRONT HEAD LAMP MALFUNCTION. YH

NHTSA complaint #609252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LA Jolla, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

FRONT LIGHT FAILED. MJS

NHTSA complaint #607825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Portland, OR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS ARE HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLAMPS WHICH CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH VISIBILITY IN SNOW STORM CONDITIONS.

NHTSA complaint #543990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii problems

← Full 1998 Lincoln Mark Viii report