Your vehicle report
1991 Lincoln Town CAR
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 155
- Received Jan 1995 to Dec 2016
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Vehicle catches fire from wiring14 complaints · 9.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up13 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Hood latch fails and hood flies open12 complaints · 7.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #98V322000Vehicle 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.
- Recall #95V151000The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 20 crashes, 15 fires, 14 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Cruise control fails to disengage
- Transmission will not engage reverse gear
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Hood latch fails and hood flies open
- Power window regulator fails and window drops
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 42 |
| 1996 | 21 |
| 1997 | 22 |
| 1998 | 16 |
| 1999 | 20 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 155 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 14 | 9.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 13 | 8.4% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 12 | 7.7% | – | NHTSA recall #91V147000, #95V091000, #95V151000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 11 | 7.1% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 9 | 5.8% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 9 | 5.8% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 8 | 5.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 7 | 4.5% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 3.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 3.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 5 | 3.2% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 2.6% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 2.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 2.6% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 2.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #98V322000December 16, 1998175,000 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
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.
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).
NHTSA recall #95V151000August 7, 199573,837 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed.
In the event the primary hood latch releases or is not properly latched when the vehicle is in motion, the hood could fly up obstructing the operator's vision, and increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the hood latch assembly.
NHTSA recall #95V091000May 16, 1995142,800 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
Corrosion of the hood latch striker plate causes detachment of the plate from the hood assembly resulting in an unexpected opening of the hood while the vehicle is being driven.
This condition Can reduce the driver's view of the road increasing the potential of a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new hood inner panel reinforcement and a new, galvanized hood latch striker plate.
NHTSA recall #91V147000September 10, 199172,000 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed.
In the event the primary hood latch releases when thevehicle is in motion, the hood could fly up, obstructing the operator's vision,and increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Install a new hood latching assembly.
NHTSA recall #91V008000January 8, 199126,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery
Distorted fuel lines in engine compartment may contact the steering column universal joint and cause damage to the fuel line.
Fuel leakage could occur from the damaged fluid line and,in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Reposition fuel line to prevent contact with universal joint; if fuel lines are already damaged, repair or replace fuel lines.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1991 Lincoln Town CAR.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN