1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH STEERING BOLT DISENGAGED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. *AK

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A FENCE.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN LEFT AND RIGHT BUT THE WHEEL DID NOT RESPOND. REAR AIR SPRING WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CRACKING. THE VEHICLE STEERING A SUSPENSION PERFORMED POORLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS. THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE. THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT WORK. *NM

ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO FOUR DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE METAL BRAKE LINE DUE TO EXTERIOR CORROSION. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE BRAKE LINE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE REAR OF A UTILITY TRUCK DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN 2001. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR UPON APPLICATION WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT ON EITHER AXLE. EACH FAILURE OCCURRED BY RUPTURED STEEL BRAKE LINE DUE TO EXTERNAL RUST. *SC *JB

DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD-FORD REFUSED TO REPLACE ON 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AND 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. *BF FORD AND MERCURY REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGAN TO RUN HOT AND WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE HOODS OF BOTH VEHICLES EMITTING THE SMELL OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. *TC

WHILE ACCELERATING THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

THE TIE ROD FAILED AGAIN AFTER TWO PREVIOUS REPLACEMENTS. ALSO, THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED TWICE. WHILE GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP, ONE COULD HEAR THE TIE ROD TOUCHING THE GROUND. *AK

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE SUSPENSION.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MOVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION HAD BEEN ADJUSTED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS A STEERING PROBLEM. *NM

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP FOR LEAKING COOLANT OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER IT WAS STILL LEAKING COOLANT. ONCE AGAIN IT WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LEAK STILL EXIST. FORD WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THERE IS A WELD BREAK ON THE FRAME, LEFT FRONT WHICH, IN TURN, CAUSES TWO MORE BREAKS IN THE UNDER SIDE OF THE CAR, RESULTING IN A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. THIS IS A MAJOR STRUCTURAL MALFUNCTION . BUT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SEEMS TO THINK IT IS NO BIG DEAL. THIS IS MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CAR HAS 75,000 MILES, AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. IT WILL COST MORE TO REPAIR THE CAR THAN IT IS WORTH. *AK

SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD "BLEW" WHILE CHECKING ENGINE RPM , RESULTING IN LOSS OF COOLANT AND ENGINE FAILURE. FURTHER STATED THAT HIS FACILITY HAD REPLACED 30 DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS SO FAR THIS YEAR , 16 SINCE APRIL. HE INDICATED THAT FORD MOTOR WILL REPLACE AT NO COST TO TAXICAB , POLICE,AND FORD THUNDERBIRD OWNERS , BUT NOT TO INDIVIDUAL OUT OF WARRANTY OWNERS. COST TO REPLACE BY THE DEALERS BOOK INCLUDING LABOR $1241.00 DESIGN DEFECT : INTAKE MANIFOLD IN REPLACEMENT PART CHANGES THE FRONT COOLANT TRANSFER SECTION WITH METAL SECTION INSTEAD OF PLASTIC. REAR SECTION THAT TRANSFERS COOLANT ALSO IS NOT CHANGED ,REMAINS PLASTIC. WHEN IS PROJECTED FAILURE OF REAR PLASTIC COOLANT PART AS THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 59,126 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. ? I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND HAVE DOCUMENTED WITH PHOTO GRAPHS THE DEFECTIVE SECTION WITH REPLACEMENT PART LABELS. *JB