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1996 Lincoln Mark Viii

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 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

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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: 26 of 106 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 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 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 reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

106 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2002
Exterior Lighting

HEAD LIGHT LENSES HAVE TURNED YELLOW. CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BULBS HAVE BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES, CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DEALER BROKE THE SEALS WHICH CAUSES WATER TO SEEP IN. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #8017117

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2002
Exterior Lighting

I HAVE THE HID HEADLIGHTS IN MY CAR. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM FROM DAY ONE. LAST NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO COMPLETELY FAIL. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SUDDENLY THEY WENT OUT COMPLETELY - BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. I DROVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS BLINKING ON AND OFF TH…

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I HAVE THE HID HEADLIGHTS IN MY CAR. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM FROM DAY ONE. LAST NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO COMPLETELY FAIL. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SUDDENLY THEY WENT OUT COMPLETELY - BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. I DROVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS BLINKING ON AND OFF THE ENTIRE WAY. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING INSTALLED IN THESE CARS TO RUN THE LOW AND HIGH BEAMS SEPARATELY SO THAT IF YOU LOSE ONE, AT LEAST YOU HAVE SOME LIGHT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HOPE THAT THE HID HEADLIGHTS ARE INVESTIGATED AND FORD IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THEM RIGHT. THEY ARE DEFECTIVE IN MANY WAYS MAKING THEM QUITE A HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #765084

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2002
Electrical System

THE ECM BRACKET CAME LOOSE AND SHORTED OUT THE BRAKE WIRES AND OTHER WIRES WHICH CAUSED THE STARTER AND ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RUN, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR. NLM

NHTSA ODI #566837

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2002
Electrical SystemFire

ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE-CAR DISBLED ON FREEWAY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #764392

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2002
Exterior Lighting

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE THE ROAD. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8013588

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2002
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHTS COVERS HAVE BECOME CLOUDED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8011102

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2002
Exterior Lighting

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #761061

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2002
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AT ALL BRIGHT, IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THIS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM LISTED ON THE LINCOLN OF DISTINCTION WEBSITE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MARK VIII OWNERS COMPLAINING DIRECTLY TO FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, ALL TO NO AVAIL. AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I BE…

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HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AT ALL BRIGHT, IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THIS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM LISTED ON THE LINCOLN OF DISTINCTION WEBSITE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MARK VIII OWNERS COMPLAINING DIRECTLY TO FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, ALL TO NO AVAIL. AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I BELIEVE THAT ACTION ON THE NHTSA 'S PART IS REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE MARK VIII DRIVERS AND ALL OTHER MOTORISTS WHICH THEY MIGHT RUN INTO ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO THIS IDENTIFIED SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE REPLY TO MY E-MAIL ADDRESS TO LET ME KNOW THIS WAS RECEIVED AND WHAT ACTIONS HAVE, ARE , AND WILL BE TAKEN CONCERNING THIS. THANK YOU. JOE. NLM

NHTSA ODI #760824

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2002
Exterior Lighting

THIS IS TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING SYSTEM OF THE GENERATION 1 MARK VIII. I HAVE A 1996. THIS HEAD LIGHT SYSTEM IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE AT NIGHTTIME, AND FREQUENTLY REQUIRES I USE MY "HIGH BEAMS" TO SEE APPROPRIATELY, EVEN WITH LAMP POSTS ON AND SHINING. I'VE OFTEN FOUND MYSELF SWERVING TO AVOID BADLY MA…

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THIS IS TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING SYSTEM OF THE GENERATION 1 MARK VIII. I HAVE A 1996. THIS HEAD LIGHT SYSTEM IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE AT NIGHTTIME, AND FREQUENTLY REQUIRES I USE MY "HIGH BEAMS" TO SEE APPROPRIATELY, EVEN WITH LAMP POSTS ON AND SHINING. I'VE OFTEN FOUND MYSELF SWERVING TO AVOID BADLY MARKED CURBS ON THE LEFT SIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE BY THE TIME I SEE THESE CURBS, I'M ALMOST ON TOP OF THEM. THIS IS NOT AN INDICATION OF BAD DRIVING, IT'S JUST PLAIN BAD LIGHTS. FORD FIXES THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR HID LAMPS IN THE 1996 LSC, WHICH ACCORDING TO MANY, IS A "DIRECT FIT" REPLACEMENT FOR THESE GEN 1 MARK VIIIS. I AM UNSURE HOW MANY OF THESE BAD LIGHT SYSTEMS ARE OUT ON THE ROAD, BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THESE ARE A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN, THESE SHOULD BE FIXED. IT IS IMPERATIVE THIS BE ADDRESSED. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND AN EXTRA $1000 OR MORE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AT NIGHT. IF FORD HAD PROPERLY TESTED THEIR SYSTEM, IT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. REPLACEMENT LENSES ALONE WILL NOT WORK, AS THEY WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE LIGHT AS QUICKLY AS THE CURRENT ONES DID, NEGATING THE BENEFITS. BRIGHTER BULBS ALSO DO NOT WORK, EITHER DUE TO THE BAD LENSES, OR FAILURE OF THE SOCKETS AND HOUSINGS DUE TO THE HIGHER HEAT. AND IF *THAT* ISN'T A SAFTEY ISSUE (ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO HIGHER WATTAGE BY AN ATTEMPT TO FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM) I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE, BOTTOM LINE, FOR THE SAFTEY OF NOT ONLY THE OWNERS OF THE GEN1 MARK VIIIS, BUT FOR THE OTHERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. THANK YOU .*AK

NHTSA ODI #760555

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2002
Exterior Lighting

LIGHTING ON THIS VEHICLE IS HORRIBLE ! CAN NOT SEE WITH LOW BEAMS! HAVE TO USE HIGH AND THEN EVERYBODY FLICKS THEIR LIGHTS AT YOU (JUST A BIG DISTRACTION AND SAFETY ISSUE) I VISIT A LINCOLN MARK 8 CLUB AND THIS HAS BEEN I KNOW BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION BY OTHERS AND I AM JUST PUTTING MY 2 CENTS IN. THANKS! PLEASE DO SOMETHING. …

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LIGHTING ON THIS VEHICLE IS HORRIBLE ! CAN NOT SEE WITH LOW BEAMS! HAVE TO USE HIGH AND THEN EVERYBODY FLICKS THEIR LIGHTS AT YOU (JUST A BIG DISTRACTION AND SAFETY ISSUE) I VISIT A LINCOLN MARK 8 CLUB AND THIS HAS BEEN I KNOW BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION BY OTHERS AND I AM JUST PUTTING MY 2 CENTS IN. THANKS! PLEASE DO SOMETHING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #760327

Official recalls

1

07V336000 · 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.

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.