IllustrationSTARTED TO SMELL RUBBER BURNING WHILE DRIVING 30MPH. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. PULLED INTO SHOPPING AREA & GOT OUT. SOON FLAMES SHOT OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & ARRIVED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. WAS INFORMED IT WAS ELECTRICAL WIRING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. *AK
1989 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Lincoln Town Car 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 Town Car 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: 4 of 89 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports38 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
89 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON A WINDING/CURVY MOUNTAIN ROAD, VEHICLE STARTED MAKING CLUNKING NOISE AND ALMOST STALLED. TOOK TO DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD DEALY SHIFTS/DOWNSHIFTED DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS IN LINCOLN -MERCURY VEHICLES. MANUFACTURER HAS PUT OUT A TSB ON VEHICLE. *AK
REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD RETRACT COMPLETELY BACK INTO RETRACTOR AREA. CANNOT PULL BELTS OUT TO USE FOR REAR PASSENGER SIDE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED WAS OWNER'S PROBLEM. NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK
SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS ON BOTH FRONT SEATS FAILED.
SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT UNLOCK.
ELECTRICAL: IGNITION SWITCH RECALL#96V071000. HAVING SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL. *AK
ENGINE FIRE.
WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK CONSUMER LEARNED ABOUT RECALL 96V071, HOWEVER IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL, VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED BY FORD AND IT HAD ALREADY BEEN TOWED. *SLC
GAS PEDAL STUCK WHEN DRIVER WAS LEAVING GARAGE, THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE AND INTO NEIGHBORS YARD, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE SMELLED LIKE SMOKE. WHEN THE COMSUMER GOT CLOSER TO IT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD; THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE FIRE STARTED AT THE ALTERNATOR OR THE WIRES OF THE ALTERNATOR. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT …
Read full complaint
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE SMELLED LIKE SMOKE. WHEN THE COMSUMER GOT CLOSER TO IT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD; THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE FIRE STARTED AT THE ALTERNATOR OR THE WIRES OF THE ALTERNATOR. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK *SLC
Official recalls
596V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
90V133000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 27, 1990
TIRE PLACARD MAY CONTAIN INCORRECT GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LIMOUSINES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 110 AND CONSUMERMIGHT UNKNOWINGLY OVERLOAD THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PLACARD MISINFORMATION.
Remedy: INSTALL REVISED TIRE PLACARDS.
90V134000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 27, 1990
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION MAY BE INCORRECT ON LABELS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH 49 CFR PART 567.
Remedy: INSTALL REVISED CERTIFICATION LABELS.
90V093000 · Equipment:other:labels
May 9, 1990
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIMOUSINES BUILT BY EMPIRE COACH. VEHICLE ALTERERS LABEL MAY BE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH PART 567.
Remedy: ADD COMPLIANCE LABEL.
90V050000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Mar 6, 1990
SAFETY BELTS (TYPE 1 LAP BELTS) FOR REAR FACING SEATS WERE NOT INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LACK OF RESTRAINTS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO OTHERWISE PREVENTABLE INJURY AND WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 209 AND 210.
Remedy: INSTALL SAFETY BELTS FOR REAR FACING SEATS.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.