1996 Lincoln Town Car complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE REACHED HIGH TEMPERATURES DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKED INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. DEALER STATED SORRY NO RECALL, AND IT WOULD COST $ 650.00TO FIX IT AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE.*AK

1996 LINCOLN TOWNCAR PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK. *AK

THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT LOCK DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS WORKED, HE JUST DID NOT BRAKE HARD ENOUGH. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING , THE AIR CONDITIONER CUT OFF, AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. *AK ALSO THE HEATER CORE FAILED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SAW STEAM COMING FROM THE HOOD, AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. ONCE THE VEHICLE COOLED OFF CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKED FROM THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SAW STEAM COMING FROM THE HOOD AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. ONCE THE VEHICLE COOLED OFF CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKED FROM THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD. *AK

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BURST AND FLOODED THE SPARK PLUG WIRES. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND COOLANT WAS EVERYWHERE. *NM THE COOLANT VAPOR COVERED AND FOGGED THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WHICH THEN CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. *NM

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR TURNED KEY TO START CAR WITH ENGINE COLD, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION-LIKE NOISE. THE ENGINE SUFFERED INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE FROM HYDRAULIC-LOCK CAUSED BY COOLANT FROM A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. *JB

REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS LOCKED WHEN BRAKES WERE PRESSED, AND WOULD NOT LOOSEN. PASSENGER HAD TO RELEASE BELT AND BUCKLE AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO A CRACKED MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE MANIFOLD. *NM

UNDER ACCELERATION THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING THE LOSS OF COOLANT, OVERHEATING AND IT ALSO TOOK OUT THE HEATER CORE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FROM OUT OF TOWN TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THESE ITEMS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RECALLED FLEETS OF TOWN CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT RECALLED PRIVATE CONSUMER VEHICLES. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM FROM PRIVATE CONSUMERS, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR US. *LA

LACK OF HONESTY CONCERNING A RECALL OF THE 1996 LINCOLN DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH CRACKS AND LEAKS COOLANT ALL OVER THE ENGINE. I PHONED THE LINCOLN DIVISION IN TORONTO AND WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THERE YESTERDAY THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE ALL DATA SITE AND FOUND IT. TSB 97M91 MAR 99. *LA

COOLING SYSTEM FAN BELT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PART HAD BEEN REPAIRED FIVE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

REAR SEAT BELT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK THE PROBLEM HAD GROWN WORSE. THE BELT WOULD LOCK UP AND BECOME UN-ADJUSTABLE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *SC

CHROME TRIM AROUND FRONT AND REAR WINDOW IS TURNING UGLY BROWM AND CAN\\'T BE CLEANED. TO REPLACE FRONT WINDOW IS $292 AND TO REPLACE REAR IS $562. CAN\\'T FIND TRIM PART ALONE. ALSO, CHROME TRIM ON SIDE MOULDING IS TURNING A DARK YELLOW. PRETTY UGLY FOR AN EXPENSIVE AUTO.

CAR STALLS BOTH WHEN IDLING READY TO MOVE AND TURNING CORNERS WHERE IT LOSES POWER STEERING

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET MY ICE SCRAPER OUT OF THE TRUNK AND USED THE DOOR TRUNK BUTTON TO OPEN IT. TRUNK LID WAS LIGHTLY COVERED WITH SNOW AND WOULD ONLY OPEN ABOUT 1/2 INCH. SO...I PUT MY RIGHT HAND UNDER THE TRUNK TO LIFT IT, AND THE CLOSING HYDRAULIC MECHANISM STARTED CLOSING THE TRUNK AND CLOSED IT ON MY HAND. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN IT WAS TO PUSH THE TRUNK BUTTON ON THE DOOR WHICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE I COULDN'T MOVE WITH MY HAND CAUGHT IN THE TRUNK. DESPITE MY CHILLING SCREAMS OF AGONY NO NEIGHBORS RESPONDED AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD MY HUSBAND OUT THERE WHO FREED ME FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THIS CAR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WITH SMOKE AND STEAM ENGULFING THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *PH *NM

I AM REPORTING A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE LINE SAFETY FAILURE THAT OCCURRED WITH MY 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR DUE TO CORROSION OF A FLEXIBLE SPAN OF THE BRAKE LINE TO THE ABS. FORTUNATELY NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH AND STOPPED USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS LOOKS LIKE A RECALL SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO, ACCORDING THE SHEEHY FORD DEALER, THE ONLY REPLACEMENT INCLUDES OTHER LINES AND COMPONENTS AT AN EXPENSE OF NEARLY $500.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. DEALER INDICATED THE HOSE CONNECTED TO THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER WHILE DRIVING 5 TO 10 MPH. THE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED. DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL LINES. *AK *JB *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED , CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK THE MANIFOLD IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC WHICH IS THE COMMON PROBLEM. CONSUME WAS INFORMED THAT THE POLICE VEHICLES WERE RECALLED. CONSUMER NOTED WHEN THE MANIFOLD SPLIT, IT SPILLED ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *PH *NLM

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. FORD RECALLED ALL FOR FLEETS HOWEVER NOT FOR PRIVATE CONSUMER. HOW CAN THEY ONLY COVER SOME? ALMOST STARTED A FIRE, AND WE WERE OUT OF TOWN. *LA

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD BLEW OUT AND WAS REPLACED. *AK

REAR OF VEHICLE IS LOWERED TO THE GROUND. DEALER DETERMINED THAT TWO RUBBER PIECES WITHIN THE REAR AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSED THE AIR TO LEAK.*AK

THE LOWER CONTROL ARM/BALL JOINT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 98V322000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE'S DOOR LOCK EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 96 V 070 000, BUT IT'S VIN NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE OF THE REMEDY SCOPE. *NLM

UNDER ACCELERATION THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND SPRAYED COOLANT ALL OVER THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE, AND CAUSED OVER HEATING. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE ACROSS THE REAR. THE CONSUMER STILL HAS THE CORRODED LINE IN HIS POSSESSION. *PH *NLM *JB

LTR FM EDWARD F. HARRIGAN (NJ) ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO A BRAKE LINE CORROSION PROBLEM ON HIS 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. *MR REFER TO RECALL #02V101000. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE WHILE ENTERING A MAJOR INTERSTATE. BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND OVER THE REAR HOUSING AS A RESULT OF PIN HOLES THAT WERE IN THE CROSSOVER LINE FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDERS. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR VERY SUDDENLY. (THE MANUFACTURER MAY USE A LOW-CARBON STEEL WHICH WAS CHEAPER OR ALLOY OR COATINGS WHICH WERE READILY AVAILABLE BUT ARE CORROSION PROOF.) *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO MAXIMUM, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW. THIS CAUSED ANTI FREEZE TO SPREAD ONTO ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PLASTIC. OWNER WENT TO THE DEALER TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND WAS GIVEN AN ALUMINUM INTAKE. *AK

WHILE IN PARK THE SPEEDOMETER AND MILEAGE GO UP WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. *AK

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE. *MR THE CONSUMER FOUND BRAKING FLUID ALL OVER THE REAR HOUSING AS A RESULT OF PIN HOLES THAT WERE IN THE CROSSOVER LINE FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDERS. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO THE FLOOR VERY SUDDENLY. REFER TO #02V1001000. *SCC *JB REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

THE ENGINE IN THE 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I HAD 80,000 MILES ON MY ENGINE WHEN THE ENGINE THREW A ROD. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE IS THE SAME AS THE ENGINE PLACED INSIDE OF 1995 THROUGH PRESENT FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S. ON PERSON TOLD ME NO MATTER HOW WELL I TOOK CARE OF MY VEHICLE THE ENGINE WAS MADE TO FAIL. I CHANGED THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE EVERY 3,000 MILES AND WITHOUT FAIL. WHAT EVER MY MAINTENANCE BOOK RECOMMENDED, I DID. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 75,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE ENGINE FAILED AT EXACTLY 80,000 MILES. I CONTACTED LINCOLN MERCURY DIVISION AND WAS TOLD, "OH WELL, YOUR VEHICLE HAS 80,000 MILES. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MILES, BUT I SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER 80,000 WITHOUT THE ENGINE FAILING. I SPOKE TO A MECHANIC THAT INSTALLS ENGINES FOR YELLOW CAB IN SAN FRANCISCO. HE ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAVE CRATES OF ENGINE BLOCKS FOR THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S, BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILS BETWEEN 75,000 AND 80,000 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE. *NLM

THE ENGINE MANIFOLD COVER CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE. *JB

THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

AIR BAG WIRING FAILURE. CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER F5VY-14A664-A STEERING COLUMN WIRING BROKE. ALL 7 WIRES WERE WORN THROUGH FROM THE MOVEMENT OF THE TILT STEERING COLUMN. 3 OF THESE WIRES WERE BROKEN-ONE GRAY WHICH SIGNALS THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THE OTHER CONTROLLED THE RADIO AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. *NLM

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED, WHICH RESULTED IN A COOLANT LEAK.*JB

SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKES, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I PULLED INTO A MIDAS BRAKE SHOP AND THEY PUT THE CAR IN THE LIFT AND FOUND THAT HE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE FROM THE LEFT REARWHEEL CROSSING OVER TO THE RT.REAR WHEEL WAS CORRODED AND FULL OF PIN HOLES.THISCAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WOULD NOT APPEAR REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOCK SPRING.

INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK AND LEAKS OVER THE ENGINE. CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SMOKE AND A BURNING SMELL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH. *AK

GREAT DEAL OF CORROSION SPOTS INDICATING FUTURE POINTS OF POSSIBLE RUPTURE OF THE METALLIC BRAKE LINE AND BRAKE FAILURE. HAD CONSUMER TRAVELED IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR CRASH. *AK REFERENCED IN RQ03-004

WHILE BACKING UP OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THERE WAS LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE BALL JOINT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

FORD HAS A HISTORY OF COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ON THEIR 4.6L V-8 ENGINES. THE CRACK, NOTED BY FORD, IS ON THE FIRST CROSSOVER DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR. THE LEAKING FREEZE SPRAYS ALL OVE THE ENGINE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER COULD CAUSE UNNECESSARY ACCIDENTS. FORD, AT PRESENT, DOES NOT OFFER AN ENTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS DESIGN FAILURE. DT

NO SUMMARY. DT

CONSUMER STATES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENLY, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY DURING THE RAIN. TS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE OVERHEATED W/O WARNING AND VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED IN HALF. TS