IllustrationWHEN 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
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
What owners actually said
72 reportsPE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. TWO FRONT TIRES' TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE RIMS. MICHELIN TIRES. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR THE LINCOLN VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WASN'T AWARE OF THE THIS PROBLEM. *AK
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
VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND JUST AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP THE ENTIRE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAME OFF THE CAR, VEHICLE WAS TOWED WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ALL FIVE LUG BOLTS SHEARED OFF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. NLM
INTERMITTENTLY POWER STEERING PUMP GOES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN MAKING A TURN.*AK THE REPLACED PUMP FAILED BEFORE THE CUSTOMER LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. *YH
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION BY HITTING AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLING OVER.UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE EXITING A RAMP INTO TRAFFIC VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN COMING STOP VEHICLE SURGED, CAUSING IT TO CONTINUE TRAVELING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE FOR THE HOOD ENGINE COOLANT WAS LEAKING . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISITS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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…
Read full complaint
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.