NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
56 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Oct 4, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
DUE TO IMPROPER HEAD GASKET FOR THE ENGINE, HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT TWICE AT 70 THOUSAND MILES AND AROUND 100 THOUSAND MILES. MANUFACTURER HAS REPLACED A RECALL FOR OTHER CAR MODELS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER HAS REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*A…
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DUE TO IMPROPER HEAD GASKET FOR THE ENGINE, HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT TWICE AT 70 THOUSAND MILES AND AROUND 100 THOUSAND MILES. MANUFACTURER HAS REPLACED A RECALL FOR OTHER CAR MODELS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER HAS REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #872266
Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension
1991 LINCOLN CONTINENTALS ARE REPORTED BY ALL REPAIR SHOPS IN THIS AREA TO HAVE KNOWN HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS ALONG WITH REAR STRUT AND AIR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR SHIRTS AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE RECALLED 1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTALS BUT HAVE NOT ADDRESSED ANY EARLIER YEAR…
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1991 LINCOLN CONTINENTALS ARE REPORTED BY ALL REPAIR SHOPS IN THIS AREA TO HAVE KNOWN HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS ALONG WITH REAR STRUT AND AIR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR SHIRTS AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE RECALLED 1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTALS BUT HAVE NOT ADDRESSED ANY EARLIER YEARS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #727027
Mileage unknown · May 22, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
EXPERIENCED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE
NHTSA ODI #9000840
Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
MECHANIC SAID ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO BE IN THE CAR . WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY EVERYTHING FROZE AND CONSUMER WAS STUCK. RECALL ON THE 1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MENTIONED THE SAME PROBLEM AS CONSUMER WAS HAVING ON HER 1991 VEHICLE. YET, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 100000 MILES …
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MECHANIC SAID ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO BE IN THE CAR . WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY EVERYTHING FROZE AND CONSUMER WAS STUCK. RECALL ON THE 1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MENTIONED THE SAME PROBLEM AS CONSUMER WAS HAVING ON HER 1991 VEHICLE. YET, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 100000 MILES ON IT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #860428
Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL STALL AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT ENGINE INTERLOCK WAS THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE'S UNEXPECTED SHUTDOWN. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #860262
Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SAGS WHEN PARKED. NLM
NHTSA ODI #551823
Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment
AIR CONDITIONER'S COMPRESSOR SEIZED, WAS GLOWING RED & FAN BELT WAS BURNING. ALSO, SERPENTINE BELT & UNIT WAS BRIGHT RED. HAD A SHORT WARNING PRIOR TO PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING. PULLED OVER & CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *AK
NHTSA ODI #859342
Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH, NOTICED SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #858434
Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSteering
SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETE TRANSMISSION, MOTOR MOUNTS, AND POWER STEERING REPLACED,THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED, ONCE AGAIN CONTRBUTING TO A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. WHILE RTURNING HOME FROM BABTSITTING MY GRANDDAUGHTER I WAS ALARMED BY DRIVERS GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY BEEPING AT ME. ONE FINALLY ROLLED DOWN HIS WINDOW AND YELLED THAT I …
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SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETE TRANSMISSION, MOTOR MOUNTS, AND POWER STEERING REPLACED,THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED, ONCE AGAIN CONTRBUTING TO A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. WHILE RTURNING HOME FROM BABTSITTING MY GRANDDAUGHTER I WAS ALARMED BY DRIVERS GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY BEEPING AT ME. ONE FINALLY ROLLED DOWN HIS WINDOW AND YELLED THAT I WAS SMOKING SO BADLY I WAS BLOCKING EVERYONES VIEW. I LOOKED BACK TO SEE A DENSE CLOUD OF STEAM COVERING BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. CARS WERE AT A STANDSTILL UNTIL THE STEAM DISSIPATED. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT DOWN. WATER WAS POURING OUT OF ONE OF THE DUAL EXHAUST PIPES. A MOTORIST STOPPED AND OFFERED A LIFT BUT I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME. HE WENT ON TO TELL ME HIS SISTER HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER WINDSTAR MINIVAN ON A TRIP TO MAINE AND THE CAR WAS ONLY 45 THOUSAND MILES OLD. HE SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY MY HEAD GASKET, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE CORRECT. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE FORD 3.8 LITER ENGINE IS A DEFECTIVE DISASTER ESPECIALLY WHEN USED WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. WITH RESPECT TO THE UNDERDASH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IT WAS A DISTRACTING WARNING CHIME AND OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR WHICH WOULD BEEP WITHOUT PROPER CAUSE ON AN INTERMITTANT BASIS. OIL PRESSURE WAS INDEED OKAY AND THE SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. ONLY WHEN AN ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED DID THIS LONGSTANDING DISTRACTION GO AWAY. MY SON-IN-LAW IN OCTOBER OF '99 TOOK OUT THE ORIGINAL CLUSTER WHICH HAD THE ODOMETER READING OF 64740 ORIGINAL MILES AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE FROM AN AUTO WRECKING YARD WHICH WAS POSSIBLY FROM AN EARLIER YEAR CAR. THE REPLACEMENT MODULE READ 131200 MILES. IN FEBRUARY OF 2000 I GAVE THE CAR TO MY DAUGTER AND SON-IN-LAW. THE TITLE HAS BEEN ANOTATED WITH THE NEW ODOMETER READING AS "NOT THE ACTUAL MILEAGE". THIS FAULTY CHIME / GAUGE IS ALSO A COMMON DEFECT IN THESE CARS I AM TOLD. IT CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING WHEN IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING (NO PUN INTENDED) .
NHTSA ODI #718957
Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling
BLOWN HEAD GASKET, TALK TO 5 DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS ALL SAID TYPICAL OF THE 3.8L V6, THE MAN WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE KNOW THEIR WAS SOME PROBLEM ,HE DROPPED THE PRICE FROM $5995 TO $3950.
NHTSA ODI #717688
Official recalls
3Dec 16, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.
Feb 26, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.
Aug 6, 1991
FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
7EA96024 · Engine Cooling Fan Fires
Opened Sep 30, 1996 · Closed Apr 15, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available
PE96033 · Engine Cooling Fan Fires
Opened May 2, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
IN DECEMBER 1995, FORD RECALLED 119,313 VEHICLES IN CANADA TO REMEDY THE SUBJECT CONDITION IN CERTAIN 1992-95 TAURUS, SABLE, TEMPO, TOPAZ AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES.FORD IS AWARE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCURRING IN NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT MAINTAINS THAT THE FREQUENCIES DO NOT WARRANT A FINDING OF AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.
DP95004 · Alleged Defective Tie Rods
Opened Aug 8, 1995 · Closed Aug 30, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODS
EA94008 · Broken Tie Rods
Opened Feb 16, 1994 · Closed Feb 27, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE93070 · Failure Of Wheel Studs
Opened Jul 27, 1993 · Closed Nov 22, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
PE93058 · Broken Tie Rods
Opened Jun 15, 1993 · Closed Feb 16, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
EA92040 · SUB-FRM/UNIBODY Absor.fail
Opened Nov 30, 1992 · Closed Jun 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Structure
There is no summary currently available
Structure
There is no summary currently available
Illustration