FaultScore

1997 Lincoln Town CAR body problems

11 of the 395 complaints about the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR are about the body and structure — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,000 miles.

A

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Body 4 36.4%
Structure 3 27.3%
Door 1 9.1%
Frame AND Members 1 9.1%
Hood 1 9.1%
Hinge AND Attachments 1 9.1%

Body & Structure across every Lincoln Town CAR year

1990 13 13.5%
1991 18 18.8%
1997 11 11.5%
1998 15 15.6%
1999 16 16.7%
2003 12 12.5%
2004 11 11.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 90,000 miles Stanton, KY

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE HOOD POPPED UP WHILE DRIVING . UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY, THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE CORRECTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD ITS SECOND LATCH REPLACEMENT.*AK THE CONSUMER FEELS IT A BAD LATCH DESIGN BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENT PROBLEMS. *CB

NHTSA complaint #10048131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oklahoma City, OK

STRUCTURE:BODY

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE MADE A "CLUNKING" NOISE, AND ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND STATED THAT ABS SYSTEM HAD NO PROBLEMS, AND THIS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE NORMAL OPERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK THE WINDSHIELD GASKET IS SPLITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GLASS, THE FRONT DOOR WONT OPEN AT TIMES WITH THE REMOTE, THE FRONT EDGE OF THE VINYL TOP IS COMING LOOSE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #894509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oklahoma City, OK

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE MADE A "CLUNKING" NOISE, AND ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND STATED THAT ABS SYSTEM HAD NO PROBLEMS, AND THIS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE NORMAL OPERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK THE WINDSHIELD GASKET IS SPLITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GLASS, THE FRONT DOOR WONT OPEN AT TIMES WITH THE REMOTE, THE FRONT EDGE OF THE VINYL TOP IS COMING LOOSE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #894509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oklahoma City, OK

STRUCTURE:BODY

AN EXTREMELY STRONG MILDEW ODOR IS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. DEALER STATES ODOR IS DUE TO COIL WHICH IS TOO TIGHT AROUND AIR CONDITIONER, PREVENTING WATER TO ESCAPE, AND CAUSING MILDEW ODOR. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. BRAKES SQUEAL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, LUBED CALIPER SLIDES, REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS, MACHINED REAR ROTORS, HOWEVER BRAKES STILL SQUEAL. BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE COVERED WITH GEAR LUBE. DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. NOISE AND THIMPING FELT IN STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS, DEALER LUBED STOPS. LEFT FRONT WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WINDOW REGULATER. FRONT ROOF WELT LOOSE AND BROKEN, DEALER REPLACED. FRONT DOOR PULL TRIM MISSING. BLEND DOORS INOPERABLE, WILL NOT BLOW AIR THROUGH DEFROST VENT. ASH TRAY WILL NOT CLOSE. AC/HEATER EMITS A MUSTY/MOLDY ODOR, THE ODOR NOT ONLY PERMEATES THE PASSENGER, BUT IS ALSO IN THE TRUNK,THERE IS NO CONDENSATION BEING RELEASED BY THE AC, MANY THINGS ALONG WITH THE MOISTURE PURGE MODULE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS, SYSTEM HAS BEEN SANITIZED SEVERAL TIMES, AC MAX BUTTON DOES NOT WORK. MOTOR GOES ON 45 MINUTES AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THIS BLOWS THROUGH THE FRONT DEFROSTER AND STEAMS UP THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. DOOR HANDLE IS INOPERABLE. VINYL TRIM AT TOP OF CONSOLE IS LOOSE. ENGINE STALLED AT STOPS WHEN COLD, DEALER REPLACED MAF AND FUEL PUMP. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #891648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oklahoma City, OK

STRUCTURE

AN EXTREMELY STRONG MILDEW ODOR IS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. DEALER STATES ODOR IS DUE TO COIL WHICH IS TOO TIGHT AROUND AIR CONDITIONER, PREVENTING WATER TO ESCAPE, AND CAUSING MILDEW ODOR. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. BRAKES SQUEAL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, LUBED CALIPER SLIDES, REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS, MACHINED REAR ROTORS, HOWEVER BRAKES STILL SQUEAL. BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE COVERED WITH GEAR LUBE. DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. NOISE AND THIMPING FELT IN STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS, DEALER LUBED STOPS. LEFT FRONT WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WINDOW REGULATER. FRONT ROOF WELT LOOSE AND BROKEN, DEALER REPLACED. FRONT DOOR PULL TRIM MISSING. BLEND DOORS INOPERABLE, WILL NOT BLOW AIR THROUGH DEFROST VENT. ASH TRAY WILL NOT CLOSE. AC/HEATER EMITS A MUSTY/MOLDY ODOR, THE ODOR NOT ONLY PERMEATES THE PASSENGER, BUT IS ALSO IN THE TRUNK,THERE IS NO CONDENSATION BEING RELEASED BY THE AC, MANY THINGS ALONG WITH THE MOISTURE PURGE MODULE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS, SYSTEM HAS BEEN SANITIZED SEVERAL TIMES, AC MAX BUTTON DOES NOT WORK. MOTOR GOES ON 45 MINUTES AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THIS BLOWS THROUGH THE FRONT DEFROSTER AND STEAMS UP THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. DOOR HANDLE IS INOPERABLE. VINYL TRIM AT TOP OF CONSOLE IS LOOSE. ENGINE STALLED AT STOPS WHEN COLD, DEALER REPLACED MAF AND FUEL PUMP. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #891648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arcadia, CA

STRUCTURE

LEFT REAR WEATHERSTRIP DEFECTIVE WHICH WAS REPLACED, ALSO PAINT ON EACH SIDE OF FRONT GRILL CHIPPING OFF, WHICH WAS REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #606859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arcadia, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

LEFT REAR WEATHERSTRIP DEFECTIVE WHICH WAS REPLACED, ALSO PAINT ON EACH SIDE OF FRONT GRILL CHIPPING OFF, WHICH WAS REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #606859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendale, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

SUN VISOR DESIGN DOES NOT ADEQUATELY DEFLECT SUN FROM CONSUMERS VISION, POOR VISIBILITY. MJS

NHTSA complaint #606883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Spring HIL, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

HOOD MATERIALS WEAK RESUTLING IN CONSUMER LEAVING FINGER INDENTATIONS IN THE HOOD WHEN CLOSING IT.

NHTSA complaint #544239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Portland, OR

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

THE WATER LEAK IS COMING IN FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER 1997 LINCOLN TOWNCAR OWNERS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WATER ENTERS THE CAR UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND RUNS DOWN THE FIREWALL UNDERNETH THE CARPET AND FORMS A POOL OF WATER UNDERNETH THE CARPET IN THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER TRIES TO SELL YOU AN UNDERCOATING AND DOES NOT GUARATNEE THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA complaint #703948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cape Canav, FL

STRUCTURE

EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE HEARD WITHIN VEHICLE AND UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #530299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Lincoln Town CAR problems

← Full 1997 Lincoln Town CAR report