1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

UNDER ACCELERATION THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND SPRAYED COOLANT ALL OVER THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE, AND CAUSED OVER HEATING. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE ACROSS THE REAR. THE CONSUMER STILL HAS THE CORRODED LINE IN HIS POSSESSION. *PH *NLM *JB

LTR FM EDWARD F. HARRIGAN (NJ) ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO A BRAKE LINE CORROSION PROBLEM ON HIS 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. *MR REFER TO RECALL #02V101000. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE WHILE ENTERING A MAJOR INTERSTATE. BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND OVER THE REAR HOUSING AS A RESULT OF PIN HOLES THAT WERE IN THE CROSSOVER LINE FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDERS. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR VERY SUDDENLY. (THE MANUFACTURER MAY USE A LOW-CARBON STEEL WHICH WAS CHEAPER OR ALLOY OR COATINGS WHICH WERE READILY AVAILABLE BUT ARE CORROSION PROOF.) *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO MAXIMUM, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW. THIS CAUSED ANTI FREEZE TO SPREAD ONTO ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

WHILE IN PARK THE SPEEDOMETER AND MILEAGE GO UP WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PLASTIC. OWNER WENT TO THE DEALER TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND WAS GIVEN AN ALUMINUM INTAKE. *AK

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE. *MR THE CONSUMER FOUND BRAKING FLUID ALL OVER THE REAR HOUSING AS A RESULT OF PIN HOLES THAT WERE IN THE CROSSOVER LINE FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDERS. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR VERY SUDDENLY. REFER TO #02V1001000. *SCC *JB REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

THE ENGINE IN THE 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAD 80,000 MILES ON MY ENGINE WHEN THE ENGINE THREW A ROD. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE IS THE SAME AS THE ENGINE PLACED INSIDE OF 1995 THROUGH PRESENT FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S. ON PERSON TOLD ME NO MATTER HOW WELL I TOOK CARE OF MY VEHICLE THE ENGINE WAS MADE TO FAIL. I CHANGED THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE EVERY 3,000 MILES AND WITHOUT FAIL. WHAT EVER MY MAINTENANCE BOOK RECOMMENDED, I DID. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 75,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE ENGINE FAILED AT EXACTLY 80,000 MILES. I CONTACTED LINCOLN MERCURY DIVISION AND WAS TOLD, "OH WELL, YOUR VEHICLE HAS 80,000 MILES. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MILES, BUT I SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER 80,000 WITHOUT THE ENGINE FAILING. I SPOKE TO A MECHANIC THAT INSTALLS ENGINES FOR YELLOW CAB IN SAN FRANCISCO. HE ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAVE CRATES OF ENGINE BLOCKS FOR THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S, BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILS BETWEEN 75,000 AND 80,000 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

AIR BAG WIRING FAILURE. CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER F5VY-14A664-A STEERING COLUMN WIRING BROKE. ALL 7 WIRES WERE WORN THROUGH FROM THE MOVEMENT OF THE TILT STEERING COLUMN. 3 OF THESE WIRES WERE BROKEN-ONE GRAY WHICH SIGNALS THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THE OTHER CONTROLLED THE RADIO AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. *NLM