1988 Lincoln CONTINENTAL: complaints, problems and recalls

TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *TW

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 478265 at NHTSA ↗

WIRING HARNESS FIRE. *AW

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480301 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480460 at NHTSA ↗

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED DUE TO VEHICLE BEING IN WATER.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 480805 at NHTSA ↗

REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS FAILED. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482154 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVERS SEAT FRAME CRACKED, MAKING SEAT UNSTABLE. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483285 at NHTSA ↗

IGNITION SWITCH WIRING SHORTED OUT PRIOR TO RECALL, CAUSING FAILURE OF DIGITAL DASH, ANTILOCK BRAKES/A/C, RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO BEING OUT OF DATE. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483736 at NHTSA ↗

HEAD GASKET FAILED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 488011 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1988-03-08 (March 8, 1988)

DRIVER AND RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER INBOARD SEAT BELTS MAY BE IMPROPERLY ANCHORED DUE TO LOOSE NUTS THAT COULD BACK OFF.

Consequence: BELT ANCHOR COULD DISENGAGE THE STUD; AN UNATTACHED BELTASSEMBLY WOULD NOT WITHSTAND AN IMPACT LOAD.

Remedy: INBOARD SEAT BELT ANCHORAGES WILL BE CORRECTED TO PREVENT LOOSENING.

Reported: 1988-03-11 (March 11, 1988)

TWO TORSION SPRINGS ATTACHED TO REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS MAY FRACTURE AND RUB AGAINST A REAR TIRE.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN SUDDEN LOSS OF TIRE INFLATIONPRESSURE WITH POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL TORSION SPRING SEATS TO RESTRICT THE SPRINGS FROM CONTACTING THE TIRE IF THEY SHOULD FRACTURE.

Reported: 1988-06-27 (June 27, 1988)

TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLES MAY NOT MEET FORDS PULL OUT LOAD SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SWIVEL TUBE PORTION OF THE CABLE, WHICH COULD ALLOW THE SWIVEL TUBE TO SEPARATE FROM THE SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY.

Consequence: OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT FROM ONE OF THEDRIVE GEARS INTO PARK POSITION.

Remedy: REPLACE SHIFT CABLE.

Reported: 1988-07-19 (July 19, 1988)

NYLON SHIELDED WIRING HARNESS, LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT DAMAGE AND MELTING OF THE NYLON MATERIAL IN 100 DEGREE PLUS WEATHER.

Consequence: MELTED NYLON SHIELD COULD DRIP ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDAND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: WRAP WIRING HARNESS WITH HEAT RESISTANT FIBERGLASS TAPE.

Reported: 1988-07-22 (July 22, 1988)

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THAT CONTROLS CURRENT TO BRAKE PUMP MOTOR RELAY, HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER MOTOR, TURN SIGNALS, AND A ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER MAY OVERHEAT DUE TO INABILITY OF IGNITION CIRCUIT WIRING CONNECTIONS TO DISSIPATE HEAT GENERATED BY ELECTRICAL LOADS.

Consequence: BRAKE PUMP MOTOR WILL NOT OPERATE, SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCINGBRAKING CAPABILITY; BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON.

Remedy: REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH AND MODIFY SWITCH WIRING.

Reported: 1989-04-04 (April 4, 1989)

PROCESS USED FOR CONNECTING THE GAS LINES WAS SUBSTANDARD.

Consequence: A GAS LEAK COULD DEVELOP CREATING A FIRE POTENTIAL.

Remedy: INSTALL STANDARD GAS LINE COMPRESSION FITTINGS.

Reported: 1991-08-06 (August 6, 1991)

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.

Consequence: SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

Reported: 1993-06-23 (June 23, 1993)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TAURUS AND SABLES BUILT FROM 10-14-85 THROUGH 8-19-88, AND LINCOLN CONTINENTALS BUILT FROM 11-4-87 THROUGH 9-30-88 (EXCEPT 1989 - 1991 2.5L TAURUS AND 1989 - 1992 SHO). THE AFFECTED CARS WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, AND WISCONSIN. THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, MAY BECOME DETACHED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT RETAINING PLATE. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

Consequence: IF ONE OF THE REAR CORNERS DROPS, ONLY MINOR INDICATIONS OF A MALFUNCTION SUCH AS A CLUNKING NOISE OR SLIGHT CHANGE IN STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT ARE NOTICEABLE. HOWEVER, IF BOTH REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME DROP, STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A CORROSION-RESISTANT REINFORCING PLATE AND A NEW BOLT ON BOTH REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY RECALL 98V-323.

Reported: 1998-12-16 (December 16, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

Consequence: IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.