IllustrationVEHICLE DRIVEN ALL MORNING, IN THE AFTERNOON WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FLAMES APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
1990 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Town Car years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Lincoln Town Car 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 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: 7 of 209 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 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports64 fire reports10 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
63 reportsUNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED, ABOUT 10 MIN. LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
STARTER SOLENOID FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, HEARD VEHICLE CRANKING AND WENT OUTSIDE NO ONE WAS IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS CONTINUING TO CRANK, SAW SMOKE THEN FIRE, HOOD WAS SO HOT THAT IT TURNED TO VAPOR. *AK
SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, SMELLED ELECTRIAL WIRES BURNING, WINDOWS WOULD LOCK UP, AIR CONDITIONER WOULD STOP, ALSO THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION SWITCH, ELECTRICAL WIRES SEEMED TO SHORT OUT.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, A TERRIBLE NOISE WAS HEARD AND CONSUMER FEELS THIS W…
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SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, SMELLED ELECTRIAL WIRES BURNING, WINDOWS WOULD LOCK UP, AIR CONDITIONER WOULD STOP, ALSO THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION SWITCH, ELECTRICAL WIRES SEEMED TO SHORT OUT.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, A TERRIBLE NOISE WAS HEARD AND CONSUMER FEELS THIS WAS DUE TO THE SWITCH ENGAGED WHILE THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING. *SLC
IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM.
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT. *AK
VEHICLE HAD AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE VEHICLE IS CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO CATCH ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB
VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE IN TOYS'R'US PARKING LOT UNDER A HALF AN HOUR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Official recalls
498V322000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 16, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1996-1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, NATURAL GAS, AND 1996-1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED WITH A LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CONTAINING A ONE PIECE BEARING; AND 1990-1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, AND NGV VEHICLES AND 1990-1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN SERVICED WITH EITHER A BALL JOINT CONTAINING THE ONE-PIECE BEARING OR A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM CONTAINING A BALL JOINT WITH A ONE-PIECE BEARING. THE ONE-PIECE BEARING WITHIN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN WEAKEN SLOWLY DURING USE AND EVENTUALLY CRACK. THIS COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE BALL AND CAP OF THE JOINT, ALLOWING THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP TO THE GROUND.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, REDUCED STEERING CONTROL COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS (2).
95V091000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
May 16, 1995
CORROSION OF THE HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE CAUSES DETACHMENT OF THE PLATE FROM THE HOOD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN AN UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN REDUCE THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOOD INNER PANEL REINFORCEMENT AND A NEW, GALVANIZED HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE.
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.
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
2EA91021 · Hood Latch Failure
Opened Mar 29, 1991 · Closed Mar 16, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91018 · Hood Latch Failure
Opened Nov 27, 1990 · Closed Mar 29, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available