IllustrationCONSUMER TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED COMPLAINING ABOUT AN ODOR EMMITING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING SMELLING LIKE MILDEW. *JG
1996 Lincoln Continental
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Lincoln Continental do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.
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: 3 of 48 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.
- Suspension. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Power Train complaints
7 reportsTHE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT SHIFT. IT WILL SLIDE UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND WILL NOT MOVE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AT 30-40 MPH. *TT
SUB FRAME BOLTS BROKE CAUSING FAULTY FRONT SUSPENSION. NLM
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED FOWARD INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS NOT IN VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, SAID THAT THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS STANDING, REPAIRS HAVE TO BE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. MINOR DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER CALLED TO SET AN APPOINTMENT AT BOB DUSSEAU LINCOLN MERCURY OVER TWO MONTHS AGO, DEALER SAID THAT HE WOULD CALL WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN, NO CALL YET. *AK AT TIME CONSUMER RESPONDED, RECALL REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. *SLC
WHEN STOPPED WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARK, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, VEHICLE WILL MOVE BY ITSELF AND WITH ENGINE NOT RUNNING. *SLC
Official recalls
296V176000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Sep 18, 1996
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL SHAFT MAY NOT BE FREE TO ROTATE AS INTENDED. IF THE PARK PAWL SHAFT DOES NOT ROTATE, IT WOULD PREVENT THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARK GEAR WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROTATION AND THOSE SHAFTS WITH RESTRICTED ROTATION WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHORTER SHAFT THAT WILL NOT RESTRICT ROTATION.
96V009000 · Exterior Lighting
Jan 23, 1996
A DEFECTIVE CONTROL MODULE IN THE "AUTOLAMP" SYSTEM CAN MALFUNCTION. IF THE "AUTOLAMP" SYSTEM IS BEING USED TO ACTIVATE THE EXTERIOR LIGHT (INCLUDING HEADLAMPS), THE HEADLAMPS COULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WILL NOT OCCUR IF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING IS TURNED ON MANUALLY BY THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMPS SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE "AUTOLAMP" CONTROL MODULE. OWNERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE THE MANUAL HEADLAMP SWITCH UNTIL THE CONTROL MODULE CAN BE REPLACED.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.