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1998 Lincoln Continental

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 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 →
72Owner 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

1998 Lincoln Continental

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 72 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)

  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 14 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 13 reports
  • Electrical System: 7 reports
  • Power Train: 7 reports
  • Visibility: 6 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
70
199548
199696
199772
199842
199963
200032
2001
Compare all Continental years →

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

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
14Vehicle Speed Control
13Electrical System
7Power Train
7Visibility
6
All reported categories
Seat Belts
5Structure
5Air Bags
4Equipment
3Exterior Lighting
3Steering
3Suspension
3Tires
3Seats
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Unknown Or Other
2Fuel System, Other
1Interior Lighting
1Visibility/wiper
1Wheels
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: 17 of 72 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. 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.

8 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Fuel System, Other complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2002
Fuel System, Other

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS FUEL TANK. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE A FIRE TRUCK MADE HIM STOP AND TOLD HIM HE WAS SPILLING GAS OVER THE STREET. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A PLASTIC CLIP THAT HOLD THE FUEL LINE AND IT WAS BROKEN WHICH IT CAUSE THE FUEL TO SPILL…

Read full complaint

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS FUEL TANK. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE A FIRE TRUCK MADE HIM STOP AND TOLD HIM HE WAS SPILLING GAS OVER THE STREET. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A PLASTIC CLIP THAT HOLD THE FUEL LINE AND IT WAS BROKEN WHICH IT CAUSE THE FUEL TO SPILL OUT. TS

NHTSA ODI #8023377

Recall campaigns

1

98V028000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 10, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED.

Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.

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.