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1998 Lincoln Mark Viii

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 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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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

26 reports with mileage · 57 unknown

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 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

83 reports
150,000 miles · Feb 29, 2008
Exterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR, BUT HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CONVERSION KIT BECAUSE THE LIGHT BULB WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 207,199.

NHTSA ODI #10219682

71,800 miles · Feb 14, 2008
Exterior Lighting

1998 LINCOLN MARK VLLL LSC (HID HEADLIGHT BULB;PASSENGER SIDE). POOR NIGHT VISIBILITY DUE TO SEVER DEGRADATION OF OEM HEADLAMP SYSTEM. THIS MAKES NIGHT DRIVING ILLEGAL,DANGEROUS, AND JUST IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUT SOME SORT OF AFTERMARKET LIGHTING SYSTEM OR OEM REPLACEMENTS WHICH WILL SOON FAIL AND CAUSE THE ISSUE ALL OVER AGAIN. …

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1998 LINCOLN MARK VLLL LSC (HID HEADLIGHT BULB;PASSENGER SIDE). POOR NIGHT VISIBILITY DUE TO SEVER DEGRADATION OF OEM HEADLAMP SYSTEM. THIS MAKES NIGHT DRIVING ILLEGAL,DANGEROUS, AND JUST IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUT SOME SORT OF AFTERMARKET LIGHTING SYSTEM OR OEM REPLACEMENTS WHICH WILL SOON FAIL AND CAUSE THE ISSUE ALL OVER AGAIN. THERE IS NO AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENT BULB. FORD DID NOT CONTRACT WITH SYLVANIA TO MAKE ONE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY HID HEADLIGHT BULB WOULD NEVER BURN OUT. NOW I CAN'T EVEN SELL MY CAR. IF I DID FIND A BUYER, IT WOULD NOT BE LEGAL TO DRIVE WITH ONLY ONE WORKING HEADLIGHT. I COULD BE LIABLE FOR SELLING A DANGEROUS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218052

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2008
Vehicle Speed Control

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR RECALL NUMBER 05S28 REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN AUGUST OF 2007. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE RECALL HAS SURPASSED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR RECALL NUMBER 05S28 REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN AUGUST OF 2007. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE RECALL HAS SURPASSED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 02-14-08 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10216358

85,500 miles · Dec 13, 2007
Visibility

THE BLEND DOOR THAT CONTROLS THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING HAS STOPPED WORKING AND HAS RENDERED MY HEATING / COOLING SYSTEM DYSFUNCTIONAL. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS CAR (1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII LSC) - IT POSES A DANGEROUS AND TANGIBLE THREAT TO SAFETY CONSIDERING HEAT WILL NOT WORK TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS AND …

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THE BLEND DOOR THAT CONTROLS THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING HAS STOPPED WORKING AND HAS RENDERED MY HEATING / COOLING SYSTEM DYSFUNCTIONAL. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS CAR (1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII LSC) - IT POSES A DANGEROUS AND TANGIBLE THREAT TO SAFETY CONSIDERING HEAT WILL NOT WORK TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS AND FRONT WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10211874

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST OF 2007 FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM IN DECEMBER OF 2007 THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH HAS NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILUR…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST OF 2007 FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM IN DECEMBER OF 2007 THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH HAS NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

NHTSA ODI #10211607

60,000 miles · Oct 30, 2007
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AS OF OCTOBER 30, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE V…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AS OF OCTOBER 30, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHEREIN ONE AIRBAG HAD DETERIORATED FAILED WITH A LEAK OR HOLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT INVOLVING AIR SUSPENSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED WITH ALL 4 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM AIRBAGS. UPDATED 11/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10207434

50,250 miles · Apr 3, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE FRONT ABS SPEED SENSOR HAS FAILED ON MY 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 50K MILES ON IT. THESE SENSORS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED BY FORD STARTING 2005. THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE AND NO AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORE CARRIES THEM. FORD MADE CLOSE TO 18,000 LINCOLN MARK VIII IN 1998, THE A…

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THE FRONT ABS SPEED SENSOR HAS FAILED ON MY 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 50K MILES ON IT. THESE SENSORS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED BY FORD STARTING 2005. THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE AND NO AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORE CARRIES THEM. FORD MADE CLOSE TO 18,000 LINCOLN MARK VIII IN 1998, THE ABS SENSOR IS CRUCIAL IN THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE ABS AS WELL AS THE TRACTION CONTROL, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE. THE MARK VIIIS THAT HAVE AND WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCES AND EVEN ACCIDENTS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10186930

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

1998 MARK VIII CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED WHEN HE NOTICED FLAMES FROM HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10176422

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2006
Exterior Lighting

LOW BEAM HEADLAMP FOR 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. REPLACEMENT LAMP NOT AVAILABLE FROM FORD OR THE MFG. SYLVANIA. UNSAFE TO DRIVE CAR AT NIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10167692

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2006
Exterior Lighting

AFTER HAVING REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES DUE TO FAILURE WITH CONDENSATION DEVELOPING WITHIN THE UNIT, I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. IT WILL REQUIRE ANOTHER NEW SET OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES TO REPAIR THE COMMONLY KNOWN MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10163388

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.