IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
1991 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 9 of 155 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports14 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
155 reportsWHILE DRIVING DRIVERS SEAT FELL OFF RAIL AND INTO THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. MECHANIC SAID THAT THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE PIN HOLE THAT SECURED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BEING WORN THROUGH. REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE, APPROXIMATELY $320.00. *AK *ML
STEERING BELT TENSION IDLER BROKE, CAUSING STEERING TO LOCK UP ,AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER MADE A NEW TOTALLY DIFFERENT PART TO REPLACE. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHILE TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CAUSE HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. *AK *ML
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH TURNS ON/OFF UNLESS DRIVER STEPS ON THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY.
VEHICLE PARKED IN LOT. PEDESTRIAN NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER VEHICLE. FLAMES STARTED SHOOTING OUT. FIRE DEPT CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. TOLD FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR BRAKE LINE AREA. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. *AK
MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 91S-40/NHTSA RECALL 91V -147 & MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 95S -14/NHTSA RECALL 95V- 091; VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE ABOVE RECALLS CONCERNING HOOD LATCHES. REPAIRS WERE DONE SOMETIMES IN THE YEAR 1992 AND AGAIN IN 1996. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN HOOD CAME UNL…
Read full complaint
MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 91S-40/NHTSA RECALL 91V -147 & MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # 95S -14/NHTSA RECALL 95V- 091; VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE ABOVE RECALLS CONCERNING HOOD LATCHES. REPAIRS WERE DONE SOMETIMES IN THE YEAR 1992 AND AGAIN IN 1996. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN HOOD CAME UNLATCHED AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD, CAUSING A CRACK. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS A RECALL REPAIR FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST IS PICKED UP BY THE CONSUMER. *AK
ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER PULLING IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE IGNITION OFF, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS PUT ON BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN OIL SYSTEM FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE. *AK
ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON ITS OWN. WHEN TRYING TO STOP INTERRMITTENTLY STAY/LOCK UP/ DRAG AND DOES NOT MOVE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
598V322000 · 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).
95V151000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Aug 7, 1995
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE HOOD IS CLOSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH RELEASES OR IS NOT PROPERLY LATCHED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE HOOD COULD FLY UP OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VISION, AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY.
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.
91V147000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Sep 10, 1991
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE HOOD IS CLOSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH RELEASES WHEN THEVEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE HOOD COULD FLY UP, OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VISION,AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL A NEW HOOD LATCHING ASSEMBLY.
91V008000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Jan 8, 1991
DISTORTED FUEL LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY CONTACT THE STEERING COLUMN UNIVERSAL JOINT AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR FROM THE DAMAGED FLUID LINE AND,IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: REPOSITION FUEL LINE TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH UNIVERSAL JOINT; IF FUEL LINES ARE ALREADY DAMAGED, REPAIR OR REPLACE FUEL LINES.
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
1EA91021 · Hood Latch Failure
Opened Mar 29, 1991 · Closed Mar 16, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available