1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

HEADLIGHTS AND DASH PANEL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT FOR PAST 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE THIS BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS CAR SPEED AT 100 OR MORE MPH WHEN STARTING CAR BUT GOES TO NORMAL WHEN MOVING. I JUST REPLACED THE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR WITH A REBUILD VERSION AND THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM IS GONE. CAN'T BE SURE THAT THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE IS GONE TOO, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC FIX. I'M WONDERING IF A BATCH OF INTERMITTENTLY DEFECTIVE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATORS WERE OEM SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS CUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. MONTHS GO BY AND NOTHING HAPPENS; THEN THERE IT IS AGAIN. I WAS THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS HAUNTED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR BUT I WILL RETURN IT TO AUTOZONE TO GET MY CORE BACK UNLESS IT CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE IT IS DEFECTIVE. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SPENT A LOT AT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THIS. AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, I REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR TWICE OVER THE YEARS TO "FIX" THE ERRATIC SPEED AT STARTUP BUT WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. *KB

I OWN A 1996 LINCOLN TOWNCAR VIN [XXX]. ON SATURDAY 7/9/2011 MY BRAKE LINES BROKE AND MY BRAKES FAILED IN ROCKWOOD, TN. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE I HAD A FRIEND PATCH THE LINES WITH RUBBER HOSES AND WAS ABLE TO AGAIN USE MY BRAKES. I DISCOVERED THAT FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR CERTAIN TOWNCARS #79493 4/7/1998 FOR BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT. I WENT TO 2 FORD DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD THIS RECALL DIDN'T COVER MY CAR. I FEEL THIS RECALL SHOULD COVER MY CAR BECAUSE THE SAME DEFECTS ON THE TOWNCARS COVERED ARE PRESENT ON MY TOWNCAR AND CAUSED THE BRAKE LINES TO BREAK. I AM ASKING FORD TO AUTHORIZE ME TO RECEIVE THE SAME PROTECTION AFFORDED THE OWNERS OF THE COVERED TOWNCARS AND COVER MY REPAIRS AT ONE OF MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIPS. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER ON 7/12/2011 AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER [XXX]. I CALLED AGAIN ON 7/13/2011 AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL DIDN'T COVER MY CAR. I AM ONLY ASKING FOR THE SAME TREATMENT AFFORDED MANY OTHER COVERED 1996 TOWNCAR OWNERS UNDER THIS RECALL! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

BRAKES FAILED - DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION ON BRAKE LINES (RIGHT FRONT). SECOND OCCURRENCE DIFFERENT BRAKE LINE(REAR). ALSO OCCURRED ON MY NEIGHBORS 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR (REAR BRAKE LINE) BOTH CARS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. SERIOUS ACCIDENT AVOIDED BY USING EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR

I'VE OWNED A 96 LINCOLN TOWN CAR FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED RECENTLY WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT CAUSE I'VE JUST RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT CONSTANTLY HAPPENING, IS THERE ANY THING I CAN DO. *TR

1996 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEATER CORE *TGW UPDATED 06/01/11. *JB. UPDATED 06/28/11. *JB UPDATED 09/12/11. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH 92000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HE HEARD A CLANKING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECALL 98V322000, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORD OF THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED OR INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

WHILE DRIVING MY 1996 SIGNATURE SERIES TOWN CAR ABOUT 25 MIS/HR IN RESIDENTIAL AREA THE RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED & "ROLLED" UNDER THE CAR FRAME. THE SLOW SPEED ENABLED THE CAR TO BE STOPPED WITHIN FEET. DRIVER & A PASSENGER UNHURT. CAR TOWED TO AAA CERTIFIED GARAGE THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR OVER 25 YEARS. SUSPENSION REPLACED AS WAS THE LEFT ONE THAT MECHANIC DEEMED READY TO ALSO COLLAPSE. RESIDENT MUNICIPALITY LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY EXPRESSWAYS WHOSE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MIS/HR. DEATHS AND OR SEVERE INJURIES WOULD MOST CERTAINLY HAVE RESULTED HAD COLLAPSE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT ALLOWED SPEED LIMIT AS THIS DRIVER DOES. THE CAR HAD 92551 CAREFULLY DRIVEN MILES ON IT. CAR ALWAYS GARAGED AND METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED BY OWNER, DEALER AND THE MECHANIC USED . WORSE THAT DID HAPPEN WAS THE ALMOST $500 BILL & BEING LATE FOR AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE BEING HELD AT NEARBY UNIVERSITY. *TR

LINCOLN TOWN CAR WENT ON FIRE IN GARAGE FROM CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. TOTAL HOUSE FIRE. *TR

I OWN A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 73,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END WOBBLING. I TOOK THE CAR TO SEARS AUTOMOTIVE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT ARE DEFECTIVE AND CONTROL ARMS. THE PROBLEM MATCHES EXACTLY YOUR RECALL BELOW: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V322000 SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1996-1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, NATURAL GAS, AND 1996-1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED WITH A LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CONTAINING A ONE PIECE BEARING; AND 1990-1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, AND NGV VEHICLES AND 1990-1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN SERVICED WITH EITHER A BALL JOINT CONTAINING THE ONE-PIECE BEARING OR A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM CONTAINING A BALL JOINT WITH A ONE-PIECE BEARING. THE ONE-PIECE BEARING WITHIN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN WEAKEN SLOWLY DURING USE AND EVENTUALLY CRACK. THIS COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE BALL AND CAP OF THE JOINT, ALLOWING THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP TO THE GROUND. CONSEQUENCE: IF THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, REDUCED STEERING CONTROL COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS (2). NOTES: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN JANUARY 18, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). WE NEVER RECEIVE NOTICE OF ANY RECALL. HOWEVER, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CALL FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY COULD NOT FIND THIS RECALL OR MY VIN. THEREFORE, I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT YOU ADD OUR VEHICLE VIN TO THIS RECALL FOR REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY DRAINS SO FREQUENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN FOR LONG DISTANCES OR AT NIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 214,778 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,733. UPDATED 8/7/09 *CN UPDATED 080/11/09.*JB