← New search

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

What owners actually said

96 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. STALLING OCCURRED 2 TIMES; 1ST WHEN LEAVING A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, 2ND WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THE STALL OCCURS, ENGINE CRACKS/NO START. LET SIT FOR 3-5 MINUTES AND ENGINE WILL START AND THE AUTO FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. ENGINE ACTS SIMILAR TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR …

Read full complaint

ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. STALLING OCCURRED 2 TIMES; 1ST WHEN LEAVING A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, 2ND WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THE STALL OCCURS, ENGINE CRACKS/NO START. LET SIT FOR 3-5 MINUTES AND ENGINE WILL START AND THE AUTO FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. ENGINE ACTS SIMILAR TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR MISFIRES CAUSING AN ABRUPT JOLT AND DIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #752065

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

THE BRAKE ROTORS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT EVERY 15000 MILES. NLM

NHTSA ODI #785514

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…

Read full complaint

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 · Jul 16, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE. HOWEVER, VEHICLE HAS SINCE ACCELERATED AND COLLIDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #892856

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2001
Visibility

A MUSKY ODOR WAS COMING THROUGH VENTILATION SYSTEM WITHIN MINUTES AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE BEEN INTO DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #892633

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE PULLING INTO GARAGE AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED VEHICLE WAS NOT REGISTERING CODES. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE VALVE ASSEMBLY AND THE GASKET AIR BYP, CONSUMER STATES THE FAILURE WOULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING SHORT DISTANCES WITH THE AC…

Read full complaint

WHILE PULLING INTO GARAGE AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED VEHICLE WAS NOT REGISTERING CODES. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE VALVE ASSEMBLY AND THE GASKET AIR BYP, CONSUMER STATES THE FAILURE WOULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING SHORT DISTANCES WITH THE AC ON. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #892047

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2001
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30-35 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT IT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT DIDN'T INFLATE. CONSUMER HAS POLICE REPORT AND WILL CONTACT LINCOLN.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #887553

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2001
Power Train

THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55000 MILES AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION ONLY HAS 35000 MILES. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS FAILED LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD NEED REPLACING. I FEEL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSI…

Read full complaint

THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55000 MILES AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION ONLY HAS 35000 MILES. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS FAILED LONG BEFORE THEY SHOULD NEED REPLACING. I FEEL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT IS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSIONS TO FAIL. I SHOULDNT HAVE TO PAY FOR POOR MANUFACTURING, DEFECTIVE REPLACEMENT PARTS OR INCOMPETENT WORK.*AK

NHTSA ODI #744181

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2001
Suspension

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #743016

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2001
Steering

WHILE IN "REVERSE ONLY" POWER STEERING ASSIST "SOMETIMES" IS LOST. IF I STOP, TURN OFF THE IGNITION, RESTART AND GO FORWARD THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. THE DEALER HAS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO FIX THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741833

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.