1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING STEAM CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND BLOCKED THE DRIVER'S VIEW. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKING, AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TSB 95M71 BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE HOOD POPPED UP WHILE DRIVING . UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY, THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE CORRECTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD ITS SECOND LATCH REPLACEMENT.*AK THE CONSUMER FEELS IT A BAD LATCH DESIGN BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENT PROBLEMS. *CB *JB

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALL A TOWING TRUCK TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. *AK THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *CB *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

FAILURE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD - CRACK IN UPPER FRONT OF MANIFOLD. LOSE OF COOLANT FLUIDS. I CONTACTED LINCOLN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800/392-3673 AND WAS TOLD THAT LINCOLN IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEIR RECALL IS FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ONLY - THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS PRIVATE VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE A STANDARD ANSWER FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM AND NO ONE IN MANAGEMENT WILL TALK WITH ME CONCERNING IT. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOWN CARS FROM 1995 THROUGH 2001, AS WELL AS CROWN VOCTORIAS AND MERCURY MARQUIS. REPAIR RUNS ABOUT $900.00. LINCOLN HAS REDESIGNED THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD TO A COMBINATION PLASTIC/METAL ONE WITH THE METAL BEING AT THE POINT OF MOST STRESS. *NLM

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 LINCOLN TOWNCAR CRACKED LEAVING MY WIFE AND CHILDREN STRANDED OVER 40 MILES FROM HOME*AK

LINCOLN TOWN CAR 1997 MODEL 4.6L HAS DEFECTIVE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT IS COVERED IN 1998-2000 MODELS BY WAY OF RECALL. THE 1997 MODEL HAS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART BUT IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. NOT FAIR.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON A 97 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WAS ORIGINALLY MADE OF PLASTIC. THIS MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CARS THAT USE THIS MANIFOLD. THESE CARS INCLUDE THE CROWN VICTORIA, THE MUSTANG AND THE TOWN CAR. WHEN PURCHASING A NEW MANIFOLD, IT HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AND A CAST IRON SECTION HAS REPLACED THE FRONT PLASTIC SECTION. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE REST IS STILL PLASTIC. THE MANIFOLD SUPPOSEDLY CRACKS UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THE MANIFOLD. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ONLY FOR FLEET AND POLICE VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THIS IS UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER. FORD'S ENGINEERS MADE A MISTAKE AND THEY ARE NOT CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS THE VEHICLES ARE PART OF A FLEET. THE COST OF REPLACEMENT OF THE MANIFOLD IS $975. IT'S NOT POCKET CHANGE EVEN FOR A LINCOLN OWNER. AND EVEN IF IT WERE JUST POCKET CHANGE THE OWNER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ENGINEERING MISTAKE THAT COULD HAVE INJURED SOMEONE. THE CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD CAUSES THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT OF THE ENGINE, WHICH COULD CAUSE OTHER SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS. I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER CONSUMERS, FEEL THAT FORD (LINCOLN) SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT.*AK

LINCOLN TOWNCAR 1997- INTAKE MANIFOLD;CROSS OVER MADE OF PLASTIC CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HWY IN GA, CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT AND ENDANGER THE DRIVER OF STALLING . VEHICLE W/O ANTIFREEZE STARTED TO OVERHEAT WAS CLOSE TO AN EXIT AND GOT OFF INTERSTATE IN TIME. THERE ARE NUMEREOUS CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER KNEW THAT PLASTIC WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE MATERIAL FOR A COOLING SYSTEM CROSS-OVER DEVICE IN A VEHICLES ENGINE SUCH AS THE LINCOLN.... THIS IS A HIGH END CAR..... SUCH INFERIOR MATERIALS SHOULD NOT BE USED. FORD SHOULD REPLACE THIS PART AT NO COST TO CONSUMER WHEN IT FAILS..THIS IS A DANGEROUS FLAW.. COULD COST SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND INJURY WHEN VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND STOPS ON A INTERSTATE HIGH SPEED. CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR MANUFACTURERS POOR JUDGEMENT AND MISTAKES. *AK

DEALER REPLACED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE HAD A COOLANT LEAKED. *AK *PH *JB