IllustrationORIGINAL HEADLIGHTS WERE SO POOR THAT I PAID TO UPGRADE THEM TO THE UPDATED HID LIGHTING FOUND ON THE 96 MODEL YEAR. THESE ORIGINAL LENSES WERE UNSAFE, AND ALMOST USELESS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *AK
1993 Lincoln Mark Viii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Mark Viii years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Lincoln Mark Viii are substantially higher than the model-year median of 86.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mark Viii years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 41 of 239 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.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 172 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports7 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
239 reportsTHE HEADLIGHTS ON LINCOLN MARK VIII, YEAR 1993 AND ON ARE REALLY BAD AND IT ALSO MAKES IT HARDER TO SEE AT NIGHT. IF YA THINK ABOUT ITS NOT SAFE!!! I REALLY THINK THAT FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL THE HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHOS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS!!!*AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR ARE THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN. BUILT FOR FORD BY SYLVANIA, THEY PUT ALMOST NO LIGHT ON THE ROAD AND THE CAR US USELESS AT NIGHT. FORD CHANGED THE HEADLIGHT DESIGN IN 1996 AND THOSE CARS HAVE GOOD LIGHTING. I HAVE CONTACTED LINCOLN DIVISION AND THEY STATE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM…
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THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR ARE THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN. BUILT FOR FORD BY SYLVANIA, THEY PUT ALMOST NO LIGHT ON THE ROAD AND THE CAR US USELESS AT NIGHT. FORD CHANGED THE HEADLIGHT DESIGN IN 1996 AND THOSE CARS HAVE GOOD LIGHTING. I HAVE CONTACTED LINCOLN DIVISION AND THEY STATE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM, WHY CAN I NOT SEE TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT? I HAVE THREE OTHER VEHICLES THAT COST LESS AND I CAN SEE TO DRIVE THEM AT NIGHT. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER MARK VIII OWNERS AND THEY ALL ARE HAVEING THE SAME PROBLEM!*AK
HEADLIGHTS (EVEN WITH NEW BULBS) ARE SO DIM NIGHTTIME DRIVING IS DANGEROUS. DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING ELECTRICALLY WRONG - JUST A FAILURE OF THE REFLECTIVE NATURE OF THE LIGHT HOUSING OVER TIME.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH, DEALER HAD NO REMEDY. CONSUMER CHANGED HEADLIGHTS HIMSELF TO ONES MADE FOR A 1996, MARK, VIII LSC, HID HEADLIGHTS.*AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE TERRIBLE. YOU CANT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THEM. THE 96 AND UP MARKS HAVE HIDS.*AK
THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT ILLUMINTATION OF ROADWAY IS VERY INFERIOR TO OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN AT NIGHT.*AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII I OWN ARE VERY DIM. TO THE POINT OF ALMOST NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT! I CAME UPON A WRECK ON A STRAIGHT PATCH OF ROAD AND ALMOST DOULDNT STOP BECAUSE OF THE DIM LIGHTS! THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE HEADLIGHTS IS BASICALLY CHEAP PLASTIC AND TURNING YELLOW AND CLOUDY CAUSING THE LIGH…
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THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII I OWN ARE VERY DIM. TO THE POINT OF ALMOST NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT! I CAME UPON A WRECK ON A STRAIGHT PATCH OF ROAD AND ALMOST DOULDNT STOP BECAUSE OF THE DIM LIGHTS! THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE HEADLIGHTS IS BASICALLY CHEAP PLASTIC AND TURNING YELLOW AND CLOUDY CAUSING THE LIGHT TO BE TRAPPED INSIDE. LINCOLN SOLD THESE CARS FOR ABOUT $38,500. AND NEED TO REPLACE THESE CHEAP HEADLAMPS BEFORE THEY CAUSE ANYMORE ACCIDENTS.THANKS HOWARD BRAY. *AK
THE HEAD LIGHTS ARE SO POOR AFTER ALMOST HITTING SOME ONE I REPLACED THEM THE NEW ONES ARN'T ANY BETTER. THIS IS THE WORST SET OF LIGHTS I HAVE SEEN EXCEPT FOR MY 1929 FORD.*AK
Official recalls
307V336000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 3, 2007
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
98V009000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Jan 21, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS CAN FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING. THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.
92V166000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Nov 18, 1992
THE LINK LEVER TRUNION ON THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DAMAGED COMPONENT MAY BECOME DISLODGED DURING VEHICLEOPERATION, MAKING THE RETRACTOR VEHICLE-SENSITIVE LOCKING SYSTEM INOPERATIVE.THIS INCREASES THE POSSIBILTY OF A SERIOUS INJURY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy: THE RETRACTORS WILL BE REPLACED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.
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
1EA96019 · Headlight Failure
Opened Jul 31, 1996 · Closed Jan 26, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
EXCESSIVE HEAT IN AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAUSED THAT CIRCUIT BREAKER TO OPEN FOR TIME PERIODS OF VARYING LENGTH TO COOL OFF.OPENING OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THIS MANNER INTERRUPTS ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOW TO THE HEADLIGHTS, SHUTTING THEM OFF.HEADLIGHT OUTAGES HAVE RANGER FROM BRIEF FLICKERS (LESS THAN ONE SECOND) TO GREATER THAN 20 SECONDS.OVER TIME, THE OUTAGES GROW IN LENGTH AND DURATION BECAUSE OF HEAT-INDUCED DETERIORATION OF THE SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED WIRING.RECALL 98V-009 WILL APPLY TO APPROXIMATELY 506,000 TAURUS, SABLE, MARK VIII, AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 1-DEC.-92 THROUGH 30-SEP-93 AT THE ATLANTA, CHICAGO,AND WIXOM ASSEMBLY PLANTS.87% OF MY 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE AND 97% OF MY 1993-1995 MARK VIII WARRANTY REPAIRS (HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACEMENT) INVOLVED VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE DEC. 92 - OCT. 93 BUILD RANGE.