IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000.
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.
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: 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
Power Train complaints
7 reportsSECURITY FLASHES RAPIDLY WHICH PREVENTS THE IGNITION FROM STARTING. IT ROLLS OK BUT WILL NOT CRANK UP TO RUN. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ALMOST A YEAR AGO, BUT AFTER A LITTLE WAIT IT WOULD FINALLY CRANK. IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS WE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 4 TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. ON MAR , 2008 WE WERE LEFT STRANDED IN BILOX…
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SECURITY FLASHES RAPIDLY WHICH PREVENTS THE IGNITION FROM STARTING. IT ROLLS OK BUT WILL NOT CRANK UP TO RUN. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ALMOST A YEAR AGO, BUT AFTER A LITTLE WAIT IT WOULD FINALLY CRANK. IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS WE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 4 TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. ON MAR , 2008 WE WERE LEFT STRANDED IN BILOXI, MS REQUIRING A TOW TO THE EASTERBROOK DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE THE AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED IN 2004. AT TIMES THE SECURITY LIGHT WOULD FLASH NORMALLY, AND ON THOSE TIMES WE COULD DRIVE ANYWHERE WE LIKED WITHOUT WORRY. FROM OUR PROGRESSIVE DRIVE INSURANCE WEBPAGE I RAN ACROSS A NHTA ITEM # 619266 COVERING THIS COMPLAINT IN 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTALS WHICH WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN. WE HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF OR RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THIS. I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE $369.00 REPAIR OF THIS VEHICLE NOT EVEN SPEAKING OF THE PAIN AND WORRY IT HAS CAUSED AND MISSED DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND SUCH. OUR FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN 2006 WHEN, AT OUR EXPENSE, WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, WHEN IT FAILED ON INTERSTATE 63, LEAVING US STRANDED, HAVING TO BE TOWED, AND WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR OVER A WEEK. *TR
WHILE PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT FROM HITTING A CHILD, THE CONSUMER GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED AND ROLLED OVER HER RIGHT LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE A …
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WHILE PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT FROM HITTING A CHILD, THE CONSUMER GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED AND ROLLED OVER HER RIGHT LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE A INSURANCE SPECIALIST INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB
THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND STALLED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY, BUT IT STALLED UPON STARTING TO MOVE. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT A MECHANIC AT ANOTHER SHOP IDENTIFIED THE CAUSE TO BE A FAILED TORQUE CONVERTER. *YH
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND GOING FORWARD, IT SUDDENLY SEEMS TO BE SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, THE CONSUMER HAS TO SHIFT THE GEAR LEVEL TO LOW TO RE-ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. *SLC
VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE AFTER APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, AND REOCCURRED AGAIN AFTER SHIFTING GEAR INTO REVERSE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN PUT TO NEUTRAL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BY PASS VALVE. *YH
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKES FAILED AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING A REAR END CRASH. ON JULY 14TH AFTER BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACKS COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOW…
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INTERMITTENTLY WHEN HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKES FAILED AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING A REAR END CRASH. ON JULY 14TH AFTER BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACKS COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
Official recalls
198V028000 · 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.