1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR TURNED KEY TO START CAR WITH ENGINE COLD, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION-LIKE NOISE. THE ENGINE SUFFERED INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE FROM HYDRAULIC-LOCK CAUSED BY COOLANT FROM A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. *JB

REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS LOCKED WHEN BRAKES WERE PRESSED, AND WOULD NOT LOOSEN. PASSENGER HAD TO RELEASE BELT AND BUCKLE AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO A CRACKED MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE MANIFOLD. *NM

LACK OF HONESTY CONCERNING A RECALL OF THE 1996 LINCOLN DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH CRACKS AND LEAKS COOLANT ALL OVER THE ENGINE. I PHONED THE LINCOLN DIVISION IN TORONTO AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THERE YESTERDAY THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE ALL DATA SITE AND FOUND IT. TSB 97M91 MAR 99. *LA

UNDER ACCELERATION THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING THE LOSS OF COOLANT, OVERHEATING AND IT ALSO TOOK OUT THE HEATER CORE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FROM OUT OF TOWN TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THESE ITEMS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RECALLED FLEETS OF TOWN CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT RECALLED PRIVATE CONSUMER VEHICLES. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM FROM PRIVATE CONSUMERS, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR US. *LA

REAR SEAT BELT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK THE PROBLEM HAD GROWN WORSE. THE BELT WOULD LOCK UP AND BECOME UN-ADJUSTABLE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *SC

COOLING SYSTEM FAN BELT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PART HAD BEEN REPAIRED FIVE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CAR STALLS BOTH WHEN IDLING READY TO MOVE AND TURNING CORNERS WHERE IT LOSES POWER STEERING

CHROME TRIM AROUND FRONT AND REAR WINDOW IS TURNING UGLY BROWM AND CAN\\'T BE CLEANED. TO REPLACE FRONT WINDOW IS $292 AND TO REPLACE REAR IS $562. CAN\\'T FIND TRIM PART ALONE. ALSO, CHROME TRIM ON SIDE MOULDING IS TURNING A DARK YELLOW. PRETTY UGLY FOR AN EXPENSIVE AUTO.

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET MY ICE SCRAPER OUT OF THE TRUNK AND USED THE DOOR TRUNK BUTTON TO OPEN IT. TRUNK LID WAS LIGHTLY COVERED WITH SNOW AND WOULD ONLY OPEN ABOUT 1/2 INCH. SO...I PUT MY RIGHT HAND UNDER THE TRUNK TO LIFT IT, AND THE CLOSING HYDRAULIC MECHANISM STARTED CLOSING THE TRUNK AND CLOSED IT ON MY HAND. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN IT WAS TO PUSH THE TRUNK BUTTON ON THE DOOR WHICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE I COULDN'T MOVE WITH MY HAND CAUGHT IN THE TRUNK. DESPITE MY CHILLING SCREAMS OF AGONY NO NEIGHBORS RESPONDED AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD MY HUSBAND OUT THERE WHO FREED ME FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THIS CAR.*AK