1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION TEMPERATURE GAUGE REGISTERED HOT ON THE DASHBOARD PANEL, AND STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. DRIVER WAS ABLE PULL OVER, AND FILLED THE VEHICLE UP WITH WATER. THEN, DROVE IT TO A GAS STATION FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD VALVE. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, ENDANGERING ME AND PICKUP TRUCK BEHIND ME. *JB

1. THE ABS LAMP REMAINED ON AND MY COST WAS NEARLY 1000.00 TO DIAGNOSE A FAULTY MODULE,AND HAVE IT REPLACED. THE LINCOLN TOWNCAR IS A 97 WITH ONLY 73K MILES. 2. THERE IS A SUSPENSION NOISE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHICH I WAS TOLD WOULD COST NEARLY 600 DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BREAK THE SEAL TO ACCESS THE AREA AND THAT IT IS NOT A SIMPLE LUBRICATIION JOB. 3. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABS AND FRONT SUSPENSIONS YET I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY BY MAIL.*AK

LTR FR WILLIAM ROSENDAHL (TX) OWNER OF A 1997 LINCOLN TOW CAR OPPOSE FORD MOTOR COMPANY USING DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS ON VEHICLE SUGGEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE REPLY TO THE DALLAS TX DISTRICT OFC. *PH *MR *JB

WHILE DRIVING INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD FAILED. THIS CAUSED ANTI FREEZE TO LEAK, AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD.*AK

DEFECTIVE PLASTIC PART IN THE MANIFOLD THAT BLEW OUT CAUSING CAR TO LOSE POWER. CAR WAS JUST SUCKING IN AIR.

EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS LED TO VAGUE STEERING AND A WANDERING CAR PATH. THE CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE RUBBER ON METAL WITHOUT ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. THEY WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. THE REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS ARE METAL-ON-METAL WITH ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. IN 1999 THERE WAS A RECALL ON LINCOLN TOWN CARS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS. THE RECALL NUMBERS ARE NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V322/FORD RECALL NO. 98S37. HOWEVER, WE HAD TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR. DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT CROSSOVER PIPE AND LOST ALL ENGINE COOLANT. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 80 MILES FOR REPAIR. SEVERAL FORD RECALLS WERE ISSUED ON THE 4.6L V8 ENGINE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART; BUT THEY WERE FOR POLICE CARS, LIMO FLEETS, ETC. I WAS TOLD I AM NOT COVERED. THE LITTLE GUY IS LEFT PAYING A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR FORD'S ENGINEERING DEFECT. WITHIN A TIME PERIOD OF 4 MONTHS, WE HAVE HAD TO SPEND ALMOST TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CORRECT FORD'S DESIGN DEFECTS.

THE THEFT ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON A RANDOM BASIS. BY FOLLOWING THE OWNWERS MANUAL, THE SYSTEM MAY BE DEACTIVATED BY ENTERING THE CODE AT THE DRIVERS DOOR,HOWEVER ON SOMETIMES THE ALARM WILL IMMEDIATELY REACTIVATE. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS SYSTEM CANNOT BE DISABLED MANUALLY TO PREVENT FOLLOW ON ALARMS. WAS SUGGESTED THAT I HAVE A NEW IGNITION SWITHCH INSTALLED HOWEVER NO GUARANTEE AS TO THIS SOLVING THE PROBLEM.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. THE PART IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND SPLIT RIGHT ALONG THE SEAM, LEAKING COOLANT ALL OVER THE ENGINE.

WHILE TURNING/BRAKING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST LOSE POWER. *AK THE CONSUMER VARIOUS PARTS WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. FINALLY THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND THE DPFE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB *NM