1997 Lincoln TOWN CAR problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
250 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 127 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe is the most frequently named component, appearing in 39 of 250 complaints (15.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 41 | 16.4% |
| Engine operation | 17 | 6.8% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 6.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 2.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 1.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 39 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 21 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 19 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 16 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 10 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 39; Vehicle Speed Control: 30; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 21; Engine And Engine Cooling: 19; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 16; Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 25 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 44 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 37 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 25; 75,000 to 99,999: 44; 100,000 to 149,999: 37; 150,000 and above: 11
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 123 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 17 |
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2002 | 30 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 40 |
| 2005 | 21 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
2000: 17; 2001: 24; 2002: 30; 2003: 23; 2004: 40; 2005: 21; 2006: 18; 2007: 19; 2008: 28; 2009: 3; 2010: 7; 2011: 4; 2012: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2016: 2; 2019: 1; 2022: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 17 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10015285 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LINE FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER VEHICLE REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM REFERENCED IN RQ03-004
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015285 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016660 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING ON SUNDAY, WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - ALSO NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED THE FLUID AND FOUND IT ALMOST GONE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED REPLACING. WAS ALSO TOLD MY FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS CAUSED BY RUST/CORROSION. *NLM REFERENCED IN RQ03-004
Owner-reported narrative. 64,302 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016660 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045557 · 2003-11-06 (November 6, 2003)
LINCOLN TOWNCAR 1997- INTAKE MANIFOLD;CROSS OVER MADE OF PLASTIC CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HWY IN GA, CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK OUT AND ENDANGER THE DRIVER OF STALLING . VEHICLE W/O ANTIFREEZE STARTED TO OVERHEAT WAS CLOSE TO AN EXIT AND GOT OFF INTERSTATE IN TIME. THERE ARE NUMEREOUS CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER KNEW THAT PLASTIC WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE MATERIAL FOR A COOLING SYSTEM CROSS-OVER DEVICE IN A VEHICLES ENGINE SUCH AS THE LINCOLN.... THIS IS A HIGH END CAR..... SUCH INFERIOR MATERIALS SHOULD…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,018 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045557 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10049978 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
WHILE TURNING/BRAKING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST LOSE POWER. *AK THE CONSUMER VARIOUS PARTS WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. FINALLY THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND THE DPFE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049978 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001736 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO UNLOCK. *TT *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001736 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071188 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS LED TO VAGUE STEERING AND A WANDERING CAR PATH. THE CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE RUBBER ON METAL WITHOUT ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. THEY WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. THE REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS ARE METAL-ON-METAL WITH ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. IN 1999 THERE WAS A RECALL ON LINCOLN TOWN CARS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS. THE RECALL NUMBERS ARE NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V322/FORD RECALL NO. 98S37. HOWEVER, WE HAD TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR. DE…
Owner-reported narrative. 82,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007862 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
WHEN DRIVING UNDER 10 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. THERE IS SOMETIMES A WARNING THAT THIS IS ABOUT TO OCCUR BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FAIL. I EXPERIENCED THIS LAST YEAR AND UPON REPLACING THE BATTERY (WHICH WAS LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD) THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY UNTIL NOW. THIS BATTERY IS A 60 MONTH BATTERY AND IS ONLY 10 MONTHS OLD.
Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10129932 · 2005-07-25 (July 25, 2005)
FAILURE OF CRUISE CONTROL TO KICK DOWN AFTER REACHING DESIRED SPEED AND TO KICK BACK IN WHEN GOING BELOW DESIRED SPEED. ALSO IF CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT TURNED OFF BEFORE TURNING ENGINE OFF IT WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW CURRENT AND RUN BATTERY DOWN. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS YET BUT HAS CAUSED TWO CLOSE CALLS. I STOPPED USING THE CRUISE CONTROL UNTIL IT IS FIXED.
Owner-reported narrative. 106,120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129932 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154316 · 2006-03-31 (March 31, 2006)
I AM NOT COVERED BY THE RECENT SETTLEMENT ON MY 1997 TOWN CAR BOTH BECAUSE OF IT'S AGE IS JUST OUTSIDE THE COVERED RANGE, AND BECAUSE THE MANIFOLD ONLY FAILED YESTERDAY. THE MANIFOLD CRACKED ON INTERSTATE 293 IN MANCHESTER, NH. WHEN THE CAR SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AFTER ACCELERATING SLIGHTLY STEAM CAME FROM UNDER THE CAR DUE TO COOLANT LOSS. THE ENGINE DID NOT OVERHEAT, BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND CALL FOR HELP QUICKLY. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. IT HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, AND OTHERWISE HAS NEVER HAD A ME…
Owner-reported narrative. 96,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154316 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191348 · 2007-05-21 (May 21, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE DEALER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TIRE (MICHELIN XW4) IS AT THE 50% MARK AND THE SIDE WALLS ARE CRACKING. THE DOT NUMBER, PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, TRANSMISSION TYPE, AND CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE CONSUMER STATED REQUESTED 50% REIMBURSEMENT FOR DEFECTIVE TIRES. UPDATED 11/1/07 *TR UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10191348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 876478 · 2000-12-13 (December 13, 2000)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED OUT AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES A WEEK. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC PLACED VEHICLE ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. NO CODE CAME UP. MECHANIC DID REPLACE FUEL FILTER/ IDLER/ NECK IN FUEL TANK & A CANISTER. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 876478 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 891648 · 2001-06-29 (June 29, 2001)
AN EXTREMELY STRONG MILDEW ODOR IS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. DEALER STATES ODOR IS DUE TO COIL WHICH IS TOO TIGHT AROUND AIR CONDITIONER, PREVENTING WATER TO ESCAPE, AND CAUSING MILDEW ODOR. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. BRAKES SQUEAL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, LUBED CALIPER SLIDES, REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS, MACHINED REAR ROTORS, HOWEVER BRAKES STILL SQUEAL. BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE COVERED WITH GEAR LUBE. DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT TIM…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 891648 at NHTSA ↗