1989 Lincoln CONTINENTAL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
80 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
133,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 80 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 11 | 13.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 7.5% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 20 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 5 |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 4 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 4 |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 5; Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 78 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 30 |
| 1996 | 30 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
1995: 30; 1996: 30; 2000: 6; 2001: 4; 2002: 5; 2003: 3; 2004: 1; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10016052 · 2003-04-17 (April 17, 2003)
THE TREAD ON TIRE HAD SHIFTED AND THERE WAS METAL SHOWING. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED ANOTHER TIRE PREVIOUSLY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016801 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
ALL FOUR AIR SPRING SUSPENSION LEAKED IN DIFFERENT TIMES THAT CAUSE FRONT PART OR REAR PART OF THE VEHICLE LOWER TO GROUND WHICH CAN NOT DRIVE. THE REAR AIR STRUTS PARTS EACH COST MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THE FRONT ONES COST MORE THAN $350 EACH FROM LINCOLN DEALER. THE REASON OF LEAK IS THAT SOME SAND WILL GET BETWEEN AIR THE SPRING RUBBER SURFACE AND STRUT BODY WHICH CAUSE AIR BAG SPRING RUBBER TO GRIND AND CUT. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT ONE OF A FRONT SUSPENSION HEIGHT SENSOR LINK LOOSEN CAUSED ONE FRONT AIR SUSPENSION BAG BLOWED UP.…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016801 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047944 · 2003-11-13 (November 13, 2003)
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT KEEPS RELEASING ON ITSW OWN WHILE DRIVING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047944 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069812 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. I AM LOSING COOLENT AND THICK WHITE SMOKE IS COMING OUT AT THE TAILPIPE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC YET BUT I AM CONVICED FROM THE COLOR OF THE SMOKE AND SMELL OF THE SMOKE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069812 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10224542 · 2008-04-15 (April 15, 2008)
THE SUBFRAME ON OUR 1989 CONTINENTAL RUSTED THROUGH WHICH ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO FALL ONTO THE STEERING GEAR AND PREVENTS STEERING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 230,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224542 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 481547 · 1995-02-28 (February 28, 1995)
ANTILOCK VALVE BLOCK REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE PULLING TO RIGHT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. *AW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481547 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 482505 · 1995-03-17 (March 17, 1995)
MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED. *SKD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 482505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 483359 · 1995-08-22 (August 22, 1995)
FRONT/REAR MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED, CAUSING GRINDING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. *SKD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483359 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
89V048000 · Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Reported: 1989-03-27 (March 27, 1989)
THE LEFT SIDE, REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MAY BE IMPROPERLY SECURED AND COULD PULL FREE OF ITS MOUNTING LOCATION.
Consequence: OCCUPANT, THOUGH STILL RESTRAINED BY THE LAP PORTION OFTHE BELT, WOULD NOT HAVE UPPER BODY PROTECTION.
Remedy: REINSTALL THE RETRACTOR ATTACHMENT BOLT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V134000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V174000 · Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
Reported: 1997-10-07 (October 7, 1997)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEATING POSITION SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY NOT LATCH OR UNLATCH.
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE SEAT BELT USAGE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗98V323000 · Structure:Frame And Members
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗