IllustrationHEADLIGHT ASSEMBLYS ON MY CAR A LINCOLN MARK VIII/1994 HAS PROBLEM WITH CONSISANTLY DIMMING LIGHTS.. I HAVE CLEANED THEM AND REPLACED BULBS WITH SYVANA SILVER STARS/HIGHER OUT PUT AND LIGHTS ARE STILL GETTING DIMMER ..I UNDERSTAND A DESIGN FALURE WITH MANUFACTURE IS AT FAULT.. .E.G. 10/2/04*AK
1994 Lincoln Mark Viii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Lincoln Mark Viii do not stand out strongly from 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: 36 of 167 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 126 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports5 fire reports2 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
126 reportsDRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT EADLIGHT GAVE LITTLE TO NONE LIGHT OUTPUT NSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT IS DICOLORED FROM THE VOLTAGE OF THE LAMPS BECOUSE OF THE FACTORY INSTALLING TOO HIGH OF A VOLTAGE LAMP.*AK
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES DISCOLORED, AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
DURING THE NIGHT HEADLIGHTS WERE SO FAINT THAT CONSUMER HAD USE THE HIGH BEAMS IN ORDER TO SEE. *AK
THE HEADLIGHT LENS PRODUCED A THICK FILM . AS A RESULT, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM, AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NIGHT AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR FOUR DAYS, I COULD NOT DISTINGUISH IF MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ON OR NOT. I THOUGHT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BUT I DID CHECK TO SEE IF THEY WERE OPERATIONAL THE DAY I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WAS A DARK AND RAINY NIGHT AND THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH I HAVE…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NIGHT AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR FOUR DAYS, I COULD NOT DISTINGUISH IF MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ON OR NOT. I THOUGHT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BUT I DID CHECK TO SEE IF THEY WERE OPERATIONAL THE DAY I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WAS A DARK AND RAINY NIGHT AND THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH I HAVE LIVED NOW FOR EIGHT YEARS DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUET LIGHTING, AS A RESULT OF POOR HEADLIGHTS I COULD HAVE INJURED A PEDESTRIAN THAT EVING TRYING TO TURN ONTO MY STREET. *AK
HEADLIGHT LENS FAILURE BILATERALLY.*AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE TO DIM TO SEE AT NIGHT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS AND NEAR MISSES ARE NEEDED BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. IT'S NOT JUST A YELLOWING OF THE LENS, THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE IS ACTUALLY BURNT! DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. A SIMPLE RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COULD …
Read full complaint
HEADLIGHTS ARE TO DIM TO SEE AT NIGHT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS AND NEAR MISSES ARE NEEDED BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. IT'S NOT JUST A YELLOWING OF THE LENS, THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE IS ACTUALLY BURNT! DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. A SIMPLE RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COULD SAVE LIVES. I CAME WITHIN INCHES OF HITTING SOMEONE BECAUSE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS POOR. I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT 20 MPH!!! *CB
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY LICOLN ARE DEFECTIVE AND PROVIDE A VERY LOW LEVEL OF LIGHT ON THE ROAD. THIS BECAME MORE PREVELANT DURING A DRIVE IN A RURAL AREA WHILE ON VACATION. THE RIDE BECAME DANGEROUS AS THE ONLY WAY I COULD SAFELY SEE THE ROAD WAS WITH THE UTILIZATION OF MY HIGH BEAMS. THE MODEL IS A LINCOLN MARK VIII, 1994.*AK
HEADLIGHTS PLASTIC GOT GREY CAUSING POOR BRIGHTNESS. DEALER STATED CONSUMER NEEDED TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT COVER SYSTEM, AND WOULD COST $500.00, CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
Official recalls
207V336000 · 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.
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.