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1997 Lincoln Continental

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Lincoln Continental do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

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 →
96Owner complaints

Model-year median: 32

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

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

Inspection summary

1997 Lincoln Continental

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 96 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 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)

  • Visibility: 15 reports
  • Steering: 12 reports
  • Power Train: 10 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 10 reports
  • Suspension: 10 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
190
199470
199548
199696
199772
199842
199963
2000
Compare all Continental years →

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

What owners reported most

Visibility
15Steering
12Power Train
10Service Brakes, Hydraulic
10Suspension
10
All reported categories
Tires
9Vehicle Speed Control
8Electrical System
7Engine And Engine Cooling
6Air Bags
4Equipment
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Unknown Or Other
2Electronic Stability Control
1Engine
1Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Other
1Interior Lighting
1Seat Belts
1Seats
1Structure
1

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: 18 of 96 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.

  • Visibility. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. STALLING OCCURRED 2 TIMES; 1ST WHEN LEAVING A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, 2ND WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THE STALL OCCURS, ENGINE CRACKS/NO START. LET SIT FOR 3-5 MINUTES AND ENGINE WILL START AND THE AUTO FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. ENGINE ACTS SIMILAR TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR …

Read full complaint

ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. STALLING OCCURRED 2 TIMES; 1ST WHEN LEAVING A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, 2ND WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THE STALL OCCURS, ENGINE CRACKS/NO START. LET SIT FOR 3-5 MINUTES AND ENGINE WILL START AND THE AUTO FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. ENGINE ACTS SIMILAR TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR MISFIRES CAUSING AN ABRUPT JOLT AND DIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #752065

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1998
Fuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE HAS A SMELL OF RAW GASOLINE. SOMETIMES WHEN CONSUMER DRIVES THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS MADE HIM AND WIFE SICK. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #828349

Recall campaigns

1

96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 5, 1996

THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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