1986 Lincoln Continental

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

8Owner complaints

Model-year median: 32

5Recall campaigns

View recall details →

4Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1986 Lincoln Continental

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 8 owner complaints · 5 recall campaigns · 4 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Seats: 2 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline: 1 reports
Seat Belts: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Continental years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seats

2 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2 Engine And Engine Cooling

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Seat Belts

All reported categories

Suspension

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: 1 of 8 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.

Seats. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Suspension complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 1995

Suspension

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION WENT OUT THERE WAS NO WARNING . TT

NHTSA ODI #971535

Recall campaigns

87V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Sep 4, 1987

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.

Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.

86V108000 · Electrical System:ignition

Aug 8, 1986

THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MAY HANG UP AND NOT FULLY RETURN TO THE "ON" POSITION FROM THE "START" POSITION AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE WILL REMAIN RUNNING, BUT THE BATTERY CURRENT TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUPPLY MOTOR WILL BE INTERRUPTED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: WITH POWER TO MOST ACCESSORIES AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUPPLY MOTOR INTERRUPTED, THE POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKE 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 IGNITION LOCK CYLINDERS WITH REVISED DESIGN CYLINDERS.

86V109000 · 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.

86V023000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Feb 10, 1986

WIRING CONNECTIONS IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR FLUID LEVEL SENSORS WERE REVERSED AND FAIL TO INDICATE LOW FLUID LEVELS AS SPECIFIED BY FMVSS 105, HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SENSOR WILL NOT TRANSMIT SIGNAL TO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL IS LESS THAN ONE FOURTH FULL. WITHOUT THIS WARNING SIGNAL THE FLUID LEVEL MAY DECREASE TO THE POINT WHERE PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKE WOULD BE EXPERIENCED AND MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: RE-CONFIGURE WIRING TO THE FLUID LEVEL SENSOR CONNECTOR.

85V115000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Sep 19, 1985

AN ALUMINUM CASTING FLASH ON THE FACE OF THE THROTTLE BODY MAY BREAK OFF AND BECOME TRAPPED BETWEEN THE THROTTLE PLATE AND THE BORE IN THE THROTTLE BODY. CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: THROTTLE MAY FAIL TO RETURN TO IDLE POSITION WHEN RELEASED AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: REMOVE EXCESS CASTING FLASH.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

PE93036 · Air Suspension Failure

Opened Apr 12, 1993 · Closed Aug 4, 1993

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available

PE92056 · SUB-FRM/UNIBODY Absor.fail

Opened Jul 1, 1992 · Closed Nov 30, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

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

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.