1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

HEARD A POPPING IN THE FRONT END OF MY 1997 LINCOLN TOWNCAR AND IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN I WOULD APPLY THE BRAKES. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED AND THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND BRAKE PADS, NOTHING WAS NOTICED AT THIS TIME. THE CAR WAS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. I WAS DRIVING TO MY JOB WHICH IS ABOUT 10 MILES FROM HOME AND WHEN I PULLED IN TO THE DRIVE AND WENT TO BACK UP I HEARD A LOUD POP, I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND TOLD HIM ABOUT IT AND WHEN HE LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR HE FOUND THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET THAT WAS FACTORY WELDED TO THE FRAME HAD COME LOOSE. THE POPPING NOISE WAS OBVIOUSLY FLEXING OF THE BRACKET THAT WAS WELDED TO THE FRAME AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE FLEXING OF THE BRACKET WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL TO THE LEFT. MY HUSBAND CALL THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. I THEN WENT ON LINE TO CARFAX AND RESEARCHED THE HISTORY OF MY CAR TO SEE IF IT HAD EVER BEEN WRECKED AND THE RESULTS WERE CLEAN, NO WRECKS OR SERVICE HISTORY OF ANY PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE LOOK AT THE CAR AND EACH AND EVERY ONE EXPRESSED THAT THIS WAS A FIRST FOR THEM, THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE AND THAT THEY FEEL LIKE IT WAS A FACTORY DEFAULT ON THE WELDING AND THAT I MUST HAVE HAD AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW I AM AT AWE AS TO WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING DONE TO THE CAR TILL SOMEONE FROM FORD/LINCOLN LOOKS AT. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND THAT FORD/LINCOLN SHOULD TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE IS USED ON THE ROAD ONLY AND NOT USED AS AN OFF ROAD VEHICLE AND IT HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED IN ITS USE. I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE SOME KIND OF RESPONSE OR HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *JB

I AM NOT COVERED BY THE RECENT SETTLEMENT ON MY 1997 TOWN CAR BOTH BECAUSE OF IT'S AGE IS JUST OUTSIDE THE COVERED RANGE, AND BECAUSE THE MANIFOLD ONLY FAILED YESTERDAY. THE MANIFOLD CRACKED ON INTERSTATE 293 IN MANCHESTER, NH. WHEN THE CAR SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AFTER ACCELERATING SLIGHTLY STEAM CAME FROM UNDER THE CAR DUE TO COOLANT LOSS. THE ENGINE DID NOT OVERHEAT, BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND CALL FOR HELP QUICKLY. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. IT HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, AND OTHERWISE HAS NEVER HAD A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $900 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LIFETIME PART, MINE CRACKED WITHOUT BEING ABUSED. *NM

UPPER PLASTIC MANIFOLD BROKE AND LEAKED OUT COOLANT WHILE TRAVELING. REPAIR WAS MADE BY REPLACING MANIFOLD AT A COST OF $812.89. REPORTED THIS TO FORD DEALER AFTER SETTLEMENT DATE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIR WAS MADE AFTER 7 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD HAD EXPIRED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE DASH, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP, AND COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE MANIFOLDS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THEY DISCOVERED THE HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AK

DT: CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. HE WAS TOLD BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IT WAS A MANIFOLD LEAK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY. DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE EXPENSE NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

DT: CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF ON 8-5-05. IT SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT TIRE AND THE FRONT END WAS DRAGGING. THE TIRES WERE A FEW YEARS OLD. HE CALLED FORD AND ASKED ABOUT A RECALL AND THEY TOLD HIM NO THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY RECALLS.*AK IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED.*JB

DT: THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT FELL OFF ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2005. THE VEHICLE JUST HAD AN OIL CHANGE THE DAY BEFORE, AND THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MECHANICS. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED DUE TO VIN. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD AT A COST $1600.00. THE OWNER WAS HOPING THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THE MANIFOLD. THE CAR WAS FINE BEFORE THIS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING WELL AND A METAL INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PUT ON. THE DEALER COULD NOT HELP BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE CAR.*AK *JB

I HAVE A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR THE TWO BRAKE LINES THAT RUN TO THE BACK BRAKES RUSTED OUT, AND I LOST MY STOPPING POWER. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPEN. YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THEM. I HAD NEW ONES PUT IN AT MY EXPENSE. CAN YOU THINK THAT THEY WOULD PUT CHEAP LINES IN THE LINCOLN THAT COAST 35000 DOLLARS. THEY DID. *JB

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THREE YEARS AGO THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING, WITH NO WARNING. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN. THEY HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDED THE WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER IT. THE COMPANY DID EVENTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. ON JUNE 20, 2005 THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER ON I-10 AT WHICH POINT THE VEHICLE DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE TOLD THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HEARD A LOT OF NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND TO BREAK IT DOWN IT WOULD COST MORE THAN REPLACING IT. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE MANIFOLD.