Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
HEAD LIGHT LENSES HAVE TURNED YELLOW. CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BULBS HAVE BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES, CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DEALER BROKE THE SEALS WHICH CAUSES WATER TO SEEP IN. *SLC
I HAVE THE HID HEADLIGHTS IN MY CAR. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM FROM DAY ONE. LAST NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO COMPLETELY FAIL. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SUDDENLY THEY WENT OUT COMPLETELY - BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. I DROVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS BLINKING ON AND OFF THE ENTIRE WAY. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING INSTALLED IN THESE CARS TO RUN THE LOW AND HIGH BEAMS SEPARATELY SO THAT IF YOU LOSE ONE, AT LEAST YOU HAVE SOME LIGHT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HOPE THAT THE HID HEADLIGHTS ARE INVESTIGATED AND FORD IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THEM RIGHT. THEY ARE DEFECTIVE IN MANY WAYS MAKING THEM QUITE A HAZARD.*AK
THE ECM BRACKET CAME LOOSE AND SHORTED OUT THE BRAKE WIRES AND OTHER WIRES WHICH CAUSED THE STARTER AND ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RUN, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR. NLM
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE-CAR DISBLED ON FREEWAY. *AK
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE THE ROAD. *TT
HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHTS COVERS HAVE BECOME CLOUDED.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AT ALL BRIGHT, IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THIS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM LISTED ON THE LINCOLN OF DISTINCTION WEBSITE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MARK VIII OWNERS COMPLAINING DIRECTLY TO FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, ALL TO NO AVAIL. AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I BELIEVE THAT ACTION ON THE NHTSA 'S PART IS REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE MARK VIII DRIVERS AND ALL OTHER MOTORISTS WHICH THEY MIGHT RUN INTO ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO THIS IDENTIFIED SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE REPLY TO MY E-MAIL ADDRESS TO LET ME KNOW THIS WAS RECEIVED AND WHAT ACTIONS HAVE, ARE , AND WILL BE TAKEN CONCERNING THIS. THANK YOU. JOE. NLM
THIS IS TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING SYSTEM OF THE GENERATION 1 MARK VIII. I HAVE A 1996. THIS HEAD LIGHT SYSTEM IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE AT NIGHTTIME, AND FREQUENTLY REQUIRES I USE MY "HIGH BEAMS" TO SEE APPROPRIATELY, EVEN WITH LAMP POSTS ON AND SHINING. I'VE OFTEN FOUND MYSELF SWERVING TO AVOID BADLY MARKED CURBS ON THE LEFT SIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE BY THE TIME I SEE THESE CURBS, I'M ALMOST ON TOP OF THEM. THIS IS NOT AN INDICATION OF BAD DRIVING, IT'S JUST PLAIN BAD LIGHTS. FORD FIXES THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR HID LAMPS IN THE 1996 LSC, WHICH ACCORDING TO MANY, IS A "DIRECT FIT" REPLACEMENT FOR THESE GEN 1 MARK VIIIS. I AM UNSURE HOW MANY OF THESE BAD LIGHT SYSTEMS ARE OUT ON THE ROAD, BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THESE ARE A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN, THESE SHOULD BE FIXED. IT IS IMPERATIVE THIS BE ADDRESSED. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND AN EXTRA $1000 OR MORE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AT NIGHT. IF FORD HAD PROPERLY TESTED THEIR SYSTEM, IT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. REPLACEMENT LENSES ALONE WILL NOT WORK, AS THEY WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE LIGHT AS QUICKLY AS THE CURRENT ONES DID, NEGATING THE BENEFITS. BRIGHTER BULBS ALSO DO NOT WORK, EITHER DUE TO THE BAD LENSES, OR FAILURE OF THE SOCKETS AND HOUSINGS DUE TO THE HIGHER HEAT. AND IF *THAT* ISN'T A SAFTEY ISSUE (ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO HIGHER WATTAGE BY AN ATTEMPT TO FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM) I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE, BOTTOM LINE, FOR THE SAFTEY OF NOT ONLY THE OWNERS OF THE GEN1 MARK
LIGHTING ON THIS VEHICLE IS HORRIBLE ! CAN NOT SEE WITH LOW BEAMS! HAVE TO USE HIGH AND THEN EVERYBODY FLICKS THEIR LIGHTS AT YOU (JUST A BIG DISTRACTION AND SAFETY ISSUE) I VISIT A LINCOLN MARK 8 CLUB AND THIS HAS BEEN I KNOW BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION BY OTHERS AND I AM JUST PUTTING MY 2 CENTS IN. THANKS! PLEASE DO SOMETHING. *AK
SIMPLY CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS. *AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM FOR SAFE NIGHT DRIVING. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH ASSEMBLIES AND BULBS (RIGHT AND LEFT) WITH NEW ONES, AS WELL AS CHECKED THE ELETRICAL SYSTEM, AND THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS STILL SO WEAK THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT IS UNSAFE. I REPLACED THE ASSEMBLIES BECAUSE THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BURNED OFF BY THE BULBS. (THE ASSEMBLY IS LESS THAN THREE INCHES IN HEIGHT. THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE BULB IN COMBINATION WITH POOR REFLECTIVE MATERIAL RESULTED IN THE MATERIAL BURNING OR FLAKING OFF.) EVEN WITH THE NEW ASSEMBLIES, WITH ALL THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL INTACT, AND CLEAR UNYELLOWED LENSES, THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS STILL TOO WEAK FOR SAFE NIGHT DRIVING. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO BAD DESIGN.*AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH FOR NIGHT DRIVING, CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS. PROBLEM HAS WORSEN OVER TIME.*AK *YD
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM IT IS A HAZARD. REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER DARK BECAUSE OF POOR LIGHTING. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECALL THAT I AM AWARE OF. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER MARK VIII OWNERS OF 1993 TO 1996 CARS AND THEY ALL ARE COMPLAINING OF DIM LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY LOWBEAM HEADLIGHT THAT PUT OUT ENOUGH LIGHT TO BE SAFE DRIVEING AT NIGHT . THESE LIGHTS ARE A SAFTY HAZARD . AND I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR IF I HAD KNOWN THIS BEFORE HAND.*AK
HEADLIGHTS ON THIS MODEL ARE VERY POOR FOR THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR THIS VEHICLE..EVEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE POOR FOR THIS VEHICLE.THIS IS A MAJOR COMPLAINT FOR LINCOLN OWNERS FOR THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE IT SEEMS.*AK
THE CHROME REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FLAKES OFF WITH AGE. THIS VEHICLE IS A 1996 MODEL, AND ALTHOUGH JUST OVER 5 YEARS OLD, THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL HAS FLAKED OFF THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHTS, MEANING THE BULB ONLY HAS THE BASE PLASTIC TO REFLECT OFF, WHICH MEANS OUTPUT IS VIRTUALL NOTHING. I CAN SEND YOU ONE OF THESE DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT IT.
THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT THE LIGHTS ARE USELESS. THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL HAS YELLOWED & HAS ALSO FLAKED OFF TO THE POINT IS IS ALMOST ALL GONE. I CONTACTED FORD APPROX. 3 MOS. AGO & WAS TOLD THAT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAD CALLED WITH THIS PROBLEM. YA RIGHT. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE.*AK
THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IN VERY DARK PLACES MOVING UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT, IT CAN BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING. I HAVE JUST BEEN THE OWNER OF THIS CAR FOR TWO DAYS, BUT THROUGHT THE SMALL TIME THAT I'VE OWNED THE CAR, I CAN ALLREADY SEE THAT IT IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.
THE HEADLIGHTS THAT CAME STANDARD ON 1993-1996 MARK VIIIS ARE NOT SAFE FOR PUBLIC ROADS. THEY ARE PROBABLY THE WEAKEST HEADLIGHTS EVER PLACED INTO A VEHICLE DURING THE 1990S. IM SURPRISED THEY EVEN PASSED THE DOT REGULATIONS. THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE VERY LITTLE LIGHTING FOR THE ROAD AND THEY DO NOT EVEN GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO THE STREET SIGNS SO THAT THEY CAN BE READ LEGIBLY AND EASILY. DRIVING ON A POOR LIT ROAD IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TURNING ON THE HIGH BEAMS BECAUSE OTHER WISE YOU BECOME A HAZARD BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY. IVE BEEN IN COUNTLESS NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE POOR LIGHTS AND BECAUSE THEY BARELY LIGHT UP THE MARKERS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THEY EITHER NEED TO REPLACED WITH THE HID UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, OR AT LEAST IMPROVED DRASTICALLY; OTHERWISE THE RISK OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR DURING THE NIGHT INCREASES AT LEAST 10 FOLD.*AK
THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR COVERAGE. THE HOUSEING SHOW NO WEAR OR PROBLEMS. THE LIGHT OUTPUT AND BEAM ANGLES CAN NOT COVER A AVERAGE STREET AT NIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING DONE BEFORE A PROBLEM IS CREATED. WE HAVE TECHONOLGY TO CREATE LIGHTING THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE. MAKE THE MANUFS. DO IT. IT SHOULD BE A EASY PROBLEM TO QUICKLY SOLVE.
THE LIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM, BULBS REPLACED WITH NO HELP, ETREME HAZARDOUS CONDITION. *AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY POOR. CAN HARDLY SEE AT NIGHT. OFTEN I HAVE MANY CLOSE CALLS IN THE RAIN ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. *AK
PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 1998 (2YR LEASE VEHICLE). FROM 1998-2001 THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ENGINES REPLACED. FORD HAS REPLACED BUT NOT ADDRESSED WHY THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE ON A 3RD ENGINE AND YET WAS APPROX 4+ YRS OLD WHEN 1ST ENGINE WAS REPLACED. FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS FEB 25, 2000 BY CAPITAL FORD (SAN JOSE, CALIF). WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS VIBRATION OF 3RD ENGINE, PAINT DECOLORATION AND FADING AIRCONDITIONER. *AK
LOWBEAM HEADLAMPS ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR NIGHT TIME TRAVEL. LIGHTS ARE DIM WITH A BLOTCHY PATTERN. HIGH BEAM LAMPS ARE ADEQUATE. LAMPS ARE ACCURATELY ADJUSTED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM ON CERTAIN MARK VIII MODELS WITH HID HEADLAMPS. FORD SHOULD RECALL THE MARK VIII MODELS AND FIT ADEQUATE HEADLAMPS.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER HAD TO CONTINUALLY ADD AIR PRESSURE TO RIGHT FRONT TIRE BECAUSE WHEEL RIM HAS BEEN BENT ALLOWING AIR PRESSURE TO BE RELEASED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *NOTE: CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS COULD ALSO BE A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH FORD/FIRESTONE ISSUE IF CONSUMERS WERE DRIVING IN VEHICLES WITH BENT RIMS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOWER THAN SUGGESTED PRESSURE IN THE TIRES. *AK
THE HEADLAMPS ON THE VEHICLE PROVIDED LITTLE LIGHT, AND THUS, LIMITED VISIBILTY IN LIGHTLESS SITUATIONS. ACCEPTABLE VISIBILTY IS LIMITED TO (AN ESTIMATED) 25 FT. EVEN CONSTANT USE OF THE HIGH BEAMS (WHICH IS A DANGER TO OTHER MOTORISTS, THOUGH MANY DO NOT SEEM TO NOTICE) PROVIDES LITTLE MORE THAN SLIGHTLY ACCEPTABLE LIGHT.*AK
HEADLIGHTS HAD GONE OUT. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED DEFECT EXISTED IN BALLAST WHICH WILL RESULT IN REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. *AK
HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, VISIBILITY IS REDUCED, AND DRIVING IS DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
HEADLAMP REFLECTOR DISCOLORING, CAUSING WEAK OUTPUT-FORD WILL NOT CORRECT. *AK
HEAD LAMPS DO NOT PROJECT LIGHT OUT TO A SAFE DISTANCE. ONE SIDE (LEFT, DRIVERS) INSIDE THE LENS THE CHROME REFLECTING SURFACE HAS DISSINTEGRATED. THE OTHER SIDE JUST APPEARS DIM. ON A WET NIGHT WE DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR.*AK
WHEN TURNING ON HEADLIGHTS THEY CAME ON BRIGHT. THEN, THEY JUST FADED OUT. CONSUMER HAS TO USE HIGH BEAMS TO SEE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT BOTH LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
HEADLIGHTS HAVE GOTTEN DIMMER AS VEHICLE AGED. I DON'T EVEN LIKE TO DRIVE IT AT NIGHT ANYMORE. *AK
HEAD LIGHTS ARE VERY DIM WHEN LIT. I CAN BARELY NOTICE IF LIGHTS ARE ON. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY DUE TO DECREASE OF VISIBILITY. I TRY NOT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *AK
LOW BEAM LIGHT FAILED. REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $1500.00. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE VERY POOR ILLUMINATION CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THE CAUSE APPEARS TO BE A "HAZY OR FROSTY" CORROSION ON THE REFLECTORS OF THE LOW BEAMS. THE HIGH BEAMS EXHIBIT NO SUCH CORROSION AND ARE QUITE SATISFACTORY. SOME OWNERS HAVE ADDED "FOG OR DRIVING LIGHTS" TO HELP ALLIEVIATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK KEEPING CLICKING, AND COURTESY LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DEFECTIVE DESIGN/MANUFACTURER RESULTED IN FAILURE OF HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. COST TO REPAIR IS $800 PER SIDE. TOTAL COST APPROXIMATELY $1600 NO AFTERMARKET OR SUBSTITUTE AVAILABLE. REPLACEMENT WARRANTY IS ONE YEAR AFTER INSTALLATION. LINCOLN AND OSRAM SYLVANIA BOTH CONTACTED WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE RESOLUTION. SYLVANIA AND LINCOLN ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM AND ALSO REFUSE TO REPLACE WITH MORE RELIABLE SUBSEQUENTLY DESIGNED/MANUFACTURED REPLACEMENTS INSTALLED IN LATER PRODUCTION RUNS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. *AK
HEADLIGHTS HAVE INSUFFICIENT BEAM POWER. THERE QUITE DIM!!!*AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SUPER DIM. IT IS VERY SCARY DRIVING IN AN UKNOWN AREA AT NIGHT.
THE LIGHTING FROM THE ORIGINAL HID HEADLIGHTS ARE INSUFFICIENT. THIS COULD LEAD TO A WRECK AT ANY TIME. I HAVE 20/20 VISION AND HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS AT NIGHT! I WOULD BE WORRIED TO DRIVE THROUGH AN AREA THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE EVENING. THESE NEED TO BE RECALLED WITH A BETTER LIGHTING SOLUTION GIVEN.
THIS IS A 1996 MRK VIII LINCOLN. THE HEADLITES HAVE LOST THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL OFF OF THE INSIDE OF THEM AND ARE NOW SO DIM THAT I DON'T DARE DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT. I CAN'T SEE THE ROAD! IF I CAN'T GET WHERE I'M GOING BY DARK I HAVE TO STOP AND STAY AT A MOTEL, IT'S JUST TO DANGEROUS..A 4 YEAR OLD CAR SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS. I HAVE A 50 YEAR OLD GMC THAT HAS BRIGHTER LITES AND IS FAR SAFER TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.
CAR HAS EXTREMELY DIM HEADLIGHTS, FACTORY DESIGN FLAW. BRAKES ARE UNDERSIZED FOR A CAR THIS HEAVY. ROTORS WARP AFTER ONLY 5000 MILES.
WITH FOOT ON BRAKES VEHICLE STARTED TO REV, AND TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN. WHEELS WERE SPINNING & BURNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THE PROBLEM. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK
THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN MY CAR HAS STARTED TO SHUTTER AND LEAK FLUID. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND ANOTHER LOCAL GARAGE. THEY SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND BUT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS MADE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE LOCAL GARAGE ALSO TOLD ME THERE WAS A NEW TYPE OF SELENOID AND VALVES TO GO INTO THE TRANSMISSION TO KEEP THE PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I CHECKED OUT THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND THERE WAS ONE FOR THIS PROBLEM (TSB# 98-8-7 APRIL 1998). WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO RECALL EFFORT IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WHEN A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGH SPEEDS COULD BE DANGEROUS?*AK
THIS DEVICE WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THAT IT FAILED AGAIN OUT OF WARRANTY (SAME TYPE PROBLEM), I HAVE TO PAY $255.00 OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
TURN SIGNAL AND EMERGENCY FLASHER FAILURES INTERMITTANT OVER THE LIFE OF THE CAR.
CONSUMER WAS REARENDED WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK UPON IMPACT, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BE FORCED INTO THE SEATBACK, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
POWER WINDOW SWITCH DOES NOT LOWER WINDOW OCCASIONALLY.
FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Lincoln Mark Viii → · Every Mark Viii year → · How the figures are calculated →