IllustrationIGNITION SWITCH FAILURE CAUSED FIRE.
1985 Lincoln Continental
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Continental years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports8 fire reports0 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
4 reportsVEHICLE WAS PARKED, SAW SMOKE NEAR IGNITION SWITCH AND VENTS, UNDER THE DASH, VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WITH NO WARNING AT ANY GIVEN TIME. TT
Official recalls
286V109000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic
Aug 8, 1986
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, CONTACTS IN BRAKE SYSTEM RELAY COULD REMAIN CLOSED, CAUSING THE BRAKE PUMP MOTOR TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY, CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT AND EVENTUALLY FAIL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SHOULD THE BRAKE SUPPLY MOTOR FAIL, THE POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES WILL BE LOST, AND AFTER ABOUT 10 TO 15 NORMAL BRAKE STOPS, LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FUNCTION WILL RESULT, CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. HOWEVER, THE INSTRUMENT BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE PRIOR TO REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY AND IF WARNING IS NOT HEEDED, AN ACCIDENT MAY OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: REPLACE PUMP MOTOR RELAYS.
85V040000 · Suspension:front:springs:air Suspension System
Apr 9, 1985
A MALFUNCTION MAY OCCUR IN THE AIR SUSPENSION ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A WIRE TO THE AIR SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR COULD OVERHEAT CREATING A POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE, PRIMARILY WHEN PARKED AND KEY IS REMOVED.
Remedy: REPLACE CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3PE93036 · Air Suspension Failure
Opened Apr 12, 1993 · Closed Aug 4, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
PE88100 · Abs Failure
Opened Sep 6, 1988 · Closed Apr 17, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE86067 · Brake Failure
Opened Jul 29, 1986 · Closed Sep 9, 1986
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ANALYSIS:THE 8 COMPLAINTS IN ODI COMPLAINT FILE REVEALED SUDDEN BRAKEFAILURE.FORD HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, 03250000, ON 1985 MARK VII'SFOR AN OUT OF POSITION WIRING HARNESS.IN THIS CASE THE BRAKING SENSORMAY SHORT CAUSING POWER BRAKE FAILURE.THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLSPERTAINING TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS SUGGESTED TOEVALUATE THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.STATUS:IR PREPARED.PROPOSED ACTION:TO OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ANALYSIS:THE 8 COMPLAINTS IN ODI COMPLAINT FILE REVEALED SUDDEN BRAKEFAILURE.FORD HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, 03250000, ON 1985 MARK VII'SFOR AN OUT OF POSITION WIRING HARNESS.IN THIS CASE THE BRAKING SENSORMAY SHORT CAUSING POWER BRAKE FAILURE.THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLSPERTAINING TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS SUGGESTED TOEVALUATE THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.STATUS:IR PREPARED.PROPOSED ACTION:TO OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ANALYSIS:THE 8 COMPLAINTS IN ODI COMPLAINT FILE REVEALED SUDDEN BRAKEFAILURE.FORD HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, 03250000, ON 1985 MARK VII'SFOR AN OUT OF POSITION WIRING HARNESS.IN THIS CASE THE BRAKING SENSORMAY SHORT CAUSING POWER BRAKE FAILURE.THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLSPERTAINING TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS SUGGESTED TOEVALUATE THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.STATUS:IR PREPARED.PROPOSED ACTION:TO OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.