1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

CAR BEGAN TO SHOW STEAM UNDER HOOD. TEMPERATURE INDICATOR WAS MAXIMUM. AFTER CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD,THE ANTI-FREEZE OVER-FLOW WAS EMPTY. I FILLED WITH WATER AND CONTINUED HOME. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE SENT A WRECKER TO TOW THE CAR. AFTER INSPECTION, HE NOTIFIED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD SPLIT. HE INDICATED THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ON THE MANIFOLD AS THE REPLACEMENT WAS METAL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC. I CALLED THE DEALER AND HE SAID NO RECALL. *JB

FAILURE OF CRUISE CONTROL TO KICK DOWN AFTER REACHING DESIRED SPEED AND TO KICK BACK IN WHEN GOING BELOW DESIRED SPEED. ALSO IF CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT TURNED OFF BEFORE TURNING ENGINE OFF IT WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW CURRENT AND RUN BATTERY DOWN. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS YET BUT HAS CAUSED TWO CLOSE CALLS. I STOPPED USING THE CRUISE CONTROL UNTIL IT IS FIXED.

REPORTED ON TV SHOW, 60 MINUTES ON 19 JUNE 2005 THAT THERE IS A DEFECTIVE SWITCH ON THE CRUISE CONTROL OF CERTAIN VEHICLES, INCLUDING MY 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR THAT CAUSES SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TO IGNITE A VEHICLE FIRE EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN OPERATION. THE NEXT DAY I REPORTED THIS TO MY LOCAL DEALER, WILLIAMSBURG FORD-LINCOLN-MERCURY, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD REPLACE THE SWITCH ONLY WITH THE SAME KIND IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE TV SHOW STATED THAT A SUBSITUTE SWITCH IS AVAIALBLE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL. I OFFERED TO PAY FOR A DIFFERENT SWITCH.

MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A ENGINE COOLENT CRACK. REPAIR WAS $1150. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. MANIFOLD IS MADE FROM PLASTIC. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON DEFECT.

DT: A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE THE CONSUMER OWNS, HOWEVER HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED AND SPUN AROUND. WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED THE BALL JOINT PUNCTURED THE TIRE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER SAID HIS CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN THE RECALL # 98V322000. *JB.

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE LINE PROBLEM. THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND THE UNDERBODY FRONT FLOOR PAN ASSEMBLY. THIS HAS CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE BRAKE LNE RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND AND INCREASING THE BRAKING DISTANCE. *AK *BF *NM

DRIVER NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONTAL SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT BACK. WHILE DRIVING DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND ONE OF THEM HAD ALREADY FAILED. UPDATED *JB

*DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-680 IN OMAHA. BELOW FREEZING TEMPS. *INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED...RESULTING IN SPRYING COOLENT ON WINDSHILDS OF VEHICALS *BEHIND ME AND A LARGE CLOUD OF STEAM. RESULTING IN PANIC BRAKING AND CLOSE CALLS. *TAKEN TO DEALER FOR PART REPLACEMENT. *RECALLS FOR THIS SAME PART ARE ON THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S AND LIMO'S INCLUDING LINCOLN LIMO. NOT ON LINCOLN SEDANS OR THE MERCURY WITH SAME PROBLEM. * I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN JUST 2 WEEK PRIOR, WHERE I HAD MY FAMILY IN THE CAR TRAVELING IN S. DAKOTA AT -25 DEGREE TEMPS LATE IN THE EVENING.

I HAVE 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR, 4.6L. THE PLASTIC INTAKE CRACKED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND SHUTDOWN. TOWED THE VEHICLE COSTS 180.00. ENGINE IS CLATTERING AND MOISTURE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE. POSSIBLE CRACKED CYCLINDERS HEADS AT MININUMUM. COST TO REPLACE IS $2000 T0 2500. TOTAL ENGINE MAY BE AS MUCH AS $5,000. FROM WHAT I CAN DETERMINE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. FORD ISSUED A NOTIFICATION TO DEALERS (97M91). I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED DURING THE WARRATY PERIOD OR SINCE. FORD SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS PART. AS AN ENGINEER MY SELF I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED SUCH AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE WITH SUCH A POOR DESIGN. PLASTIC AND HEAT DON'T GO TOGETHER. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSAND OF SUCH CASES.*AK

DURING START-UP YESTERDAY MORNING, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND AND THERE WAS STEAM COMING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL PIPE. SUSPECTING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, I REMOVED THE PLUGS ON THE RIGHT BANK AND FOUND THE SPARK PLUG IN THE #1 CYLINDER WET WITH COOLANT. I SUSPECT THAT THERE WAS A LEAK THAT FILLED THE CYLINDER WITH COOLANT AND CREATED A HYDRAULIC LOCK THAT BENT A CONNECTING ROD, THEREBY CAUSING THE KNOCKING SOUND. ON INVESTIGATING THIS SITUATION THIS MORNING, I FOUND THAT FORD HAS ISSUED THREE RECALLS (97M91, 99M01 & 01M02) REGARDING THIS SITUATION BUT ONLY COVERS VEHICLES IN FLEET APPLICATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE I TEAR THE ENGINE DOWN WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY FORD WARRANTY. I HAVE CONTACTED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND THEY SAY THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER IT BUT I CANNOT GET THEM ONE OF THEIR SUPERVISORS TO RETURN MY CALLS.