1989 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES THEN DISENGAGES BEFORE ATTAINING DESIRED SPEED. IT MAY NOT ENGAGE AT ALL AT ANY TIME, OR IT MAY DISENGAGE AT ANY TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR YEARS. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , BUT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. I PAID $1,000. FOR THIS REPAIR AND THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THEN THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND CONTINUES TODAY.

ALERNATOR IS NOT CHARGING THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE PLUG ON THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. THERE IS NOT INDICATION THAT THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT WORKING UNTIL THE BATTERY DIES OR THE ALTERNATOR CATCHES FIRE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MANUFDCTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN INSIDE GARAGE & IGNITION SWITCH TURNED OFF. PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DUE TO FIRE. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURER'S. RECALL # 95S-28 / NHTSA # 96V-071000 PERTAINING TO AN INGITION SWITCH WHICH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. DEALER/MFR WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

STARTED TO SMELL RUBBER BURNING WHILE DRIVING 30MPH. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. PULLED INTO SHOPPING AREA & GOT OUT. SOON FLAMES SHOT OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & ARRIVED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. WAS INFORMED IT WAS ELECTRICAL WIRING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A WINDING/CURVY MOUNTAIN ROAD, VEHICLE STARTED MAKING CLUNKING NOISE AND ALMOST STALLED. TOOK TO DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD DEALY SHIFTS/DOWNSHIFTED DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS IN LINCOLN -MERCURY VEHICLES. MANUFACTURER HAS PUT OUT A TSB ON VEHICLE. *AK

REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD RETRACT COMPLETELY BACK INTO RETRACTOR AREA. CANNOT PULL BELTS OUT TO USE FOR REAR PASSENGER SIDE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED WAS OWNER'S PROBLEM. NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK

ELECTRICAL: IGNITION SWITCH RECALL#96V071000. HAVING SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL. *AK

WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK CONSUMER LEARNED ABOUT RECALL 96V071, HOWEVER IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL, VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED BY FORD AND IT HAD ALREADY BEEN TOWED. *SLC