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1997 Lincoln Continental

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Lincoln Continental do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 18 of 96 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports

Tires complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2006
Tires

1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL, RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE, THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE ALMOST SEPARATING AT THE TREAD WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF NEW TIRES. *KB AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BOUNCE AND WOBBLE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 30-58 MPH. THE VEHIC…

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1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL, RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE, THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE ALMOST SEPARATING AT THE TREAD WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF NEW TIRES. *KB AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BOUNCE AND WOBBLE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 30-58 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO CHECKED THE TIRES. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE TIRES HAD A LOT OF TREAD LEFT AND IF HE COULD LIVE WITH A LITTLE BOUNCE THAT THE TIRES WERE FINE. THE TECH INDICATED REPLACING THE TIRES IF THE BOUNCE BECAME MUCH WORSE. EVENTUALLY THE BOUNCE BECAME WORSE AND THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE THE TIRE. THE DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD STARTED SEPARATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED ALL THE TRIES AND FOUND THAT TWO OTHER TIRES HAD CORDS SHOWING ON THE INSIDE GROOVE. THE CONSUMER HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED THE NEXT DAY (MULTI-MILE GRAND AM LXE TIRES, TIRES MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL TIRE IN 2002 FOR TBC UNDER THE NAME MULTI MILE). *NM

NHTSA ODI #10165859

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2001
Tires

CONSUMER HAD FOUND BIG BUBBLES ON SIDE OF TIRES. FIRST, ON RIGHT REAR TIRE, AND CURRENTLY WAS HAPPENING ON OTHER TIRES. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WAS HAPPENING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK CONSUMER REPLACED TWO VOGUE TIRES WITHIN 4 TO 5 WEEKS AND FEELS THE OTHER TWO TIRES MAY FAIL, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTI…

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CONSUMER HAD FOUND BIG BUBBLES ON SIDE OF TIRES. FIRST, ON RIGHT REAR TIRE, AND CURRENTLY WAS HAPPENING ON OTHER TIRES. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WAS HAPPENING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK CONSUMER REPLACED TWO VOGUE TIRES WITHIN 4 TO 5 WEEKS AND FEELS THE OTHER TWO TIRES MAY FAIL, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING COMPENSATION FOR ALL FOUR TIRES, VOGUE TIRES, P255 60R16. NLM

NHTSA ODI #894733

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Tires

BOTH FRONT MICHELIN TIRES HAD SPLIT OPEN AND THE STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING (MXVE-PLUS P225/60R16), CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT (CONSUMER IS ATTORNEY). NLM

NHTSA ODI #555711

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Tires

MIHCELIN GREEN X TIRE EXPERIENCED BELT SEPARATION. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #555301

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2000
EquipmentTires

TIRE WENT TO PIECES (MICHELIN XW4 RADIAL), WHEN LIFTED WITH THE JACK THE JACK WAS WEAK AND BENT, EXAMINATION OF THE TIRES SHOWED THAT ONE OTHER TIRE WAS ABOUT TO FAIL WITH THE METAL ROD EXPOSED IN THE INSIDE. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #553179

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicTires

GEAR IN BACK OF LEFT FRONT TIRE CRACKED - ERRATIC ACTIVATION OF ANTI LOCK BRAKING *AK

NHTSA ODI #724501

Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 1999
TiresCrashInjury

I AM ON MY 5TH SET OF TIRES IN 58000 MILES. DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING AND WILL NOT HAVE FACTORY REP. SEE CAR EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REQUESTED SAME. FORD HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING EVEN AFTER SEVERAL CALLS AND LETTERS. LAST TIRE FAILURE RESULTED IN CAR LEAVING ROAD AND GOING INTO DITCH. MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AND WAS VER…

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I AM ON MY 5TH SET OF TIRES IN 58000 MILES. DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING AND WILL NOT HAVE FACTORY REP. SEE CAR EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REQUESTED SAME. FORD HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING EVEN AFTER SEVERAL CALLS AND LETTERS. LAST TIRE FAILURE RESULTED IN CAR LEAVING ROAD AND GOING INTO DITCH. MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AND WAS VERY SHAKEN. REASON GIVEN BY FORD FOR PREMATURE TIRE WEAR IS THAT I AM AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER. I AM A 55YR. OLD BUSINESSMAN NOT A DRAG RACING KID. THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ME DRIVE BUT CAN DEDUCE FROM THE FRONT TIRE WEAR THAT I AM AGGRESSIVE. I USE CRUISE CONTROL ALWAYS AND DO MOST OF MY TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE ROADS. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS WITHIN FORD'S RECOMENDED CAMBER SETTINGS, I AM GOING TO GO TO A PRIVATE GARAGE AND EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT SETTINGS. I CAN NOT PUT UP WITH TIRES THAT FAIL AFTER 10000 MILES. YOU HAVE NO WARNING BECAUSE THE FAILURE IS WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE INSIDE SIDEWALL AND CAN NOT BE SEEN UNLESS THE CAR IS ON A LIFT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #713616

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seat BeltsTires

SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. YH

NHTSA ODI #607318

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 1998
Tires

2 SETS OF FRONT TIRES HAVE WORN OUT AT 17000MI & 32000MI & 3RD SET IS SHOWING WEAR AT37600MI. WEAR WAS TO STEEL BELTS WERE TREAD MEETS INSIDE SIDEWALL. CAN NOT SEE UNLESS ON LIFT. WENT TO 2 GARAGES AND BOTH CONFIRM ALIGNMENT OK. CAR DEALER SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" AND YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.THE COST OF REPLACING TIRES IS NOT MAJOR CO…

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2 SETS OF FRONT TIRES HAVE WORN OUT AT 17000MI & 32000MI & 3RD SET IS SHOWING WEAR AT37600MI. WEAR WAS TO STEEL BELTS WERE TREAD MEETS INSIDE SIDEWALL. CAN NOT SEE UNLESS ON LIFT. WENT TO 2 GARAGES AND BOTH CONFIRM ALIGNMENT OK. CAR DEALER SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" AND YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.THE COST OF REPLACING TIRES IS NOT MAJOR CONCERN. VEHICLE IS USED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS MOST OF TIME AND IF I SHOULD FAIL TO NOTICE THE WEAR WHICH I CAN'T READILY SEE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. I DON'T THINK 15000 MI. SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL. I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A COPY OF YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN NOS. BC1021297230 & BC3422972301.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

NHTSA ODI #701071

Official recalls

1

96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 5, 1996

THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.