Illustration1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THIS IS A 35,000 TO 40,000 DOLLAR CAR WHEN IT WAS NEW AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF VERY POOR HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM FOR ALL 1993 AND 1994 LINCOLN MARK VIII. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS AT NIGHT.*AK
1993 Lincoln Mark Viii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Mark Viii years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Lincoln Mark Viii are substantially higher than the model-year median of 86.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mark Viii 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: 41 of 239 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.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 172 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports7 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
239 reportsCAN NOT SEE ROAD WHEN THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CHANGED BULBS, CLEANED AND POLISHED LENS. WAS AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF WEB SITES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. MUST DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON FULL TIME OR NIGHT DRIVING IS IMPOSSIBLE AND UNSAFE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING AT NIGHT.WITH SEVERAL NEAR…
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CAN NOT SEE ROAD WHEN THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CHANGED BULBS, CLEANED AND POLISHED LENS. WAS AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF WEB SITES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. MUST DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON FULL TIME OR NIGHT DRIVING IS IMPOSSIBLE AND UNSAFE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING AT NIGHT.WITH SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS.*AK
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM AND ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS DESIGN. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS TO VARIOUS AGENCY'S AND TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR FORD TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. ARE THEY WAITING FOR DEATHS BEFORE ANY ACTION WILL BE TAKEN? *JB
I HAVE A 1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII AND, AS I AM SURE THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE VERY VERY POOR FOR NIGHT TIME DRIVING. EVEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE POOR. I HAVE VISITED MANY WEBSITES ON THIS MANNER AND HAVE FOUND THAT I AM ONE OF MANY WITH THIS COMPLAINT ON THE GEN I MARK VIII. *JB
93 LINCOLN HEADLIGHTS ARE INEFFECTIVE AFTER DAYLIGHT HOURS.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
THE HEADLAMPS ARE VERY DIM... EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE BULBS. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WITHOUT USING BRIGHTLIGHTS. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.*AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY POOR. THEY DON'T LIGHT THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. I'VE CLEANED THEM AND REPLACED THEM. THE DESIGN JUST DOESN'T ALLOW ENOUGH LIGHT TO SHINE ON THE ROAD.*AK
PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS. THE ARE SO LOW THAT YOU CANT USE THEM. I JUST GOT THE CAR AND WAS DRIVING USING THE LOW BEAMS WENT AROUND A CORNER THAT WAS NOT LIT AND WENT ON TO THE SHOULDER. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. FROM THAT POINT I JUST USE THE HIGH BEAMS. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. PLEASE HELP RESOLVE …
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PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS. THE ARE SO LOW THAT YOU CANT USE THEM. I JUST GOT THE CAR AND WAS DRIVING USING THE LOW BEAMS WENT AROUND A CORNER THAT WAS NOT LIT AND WENT ON TO THE SHOULDER. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. FROM THAT POINT I JUST USE THE HIGH BEAMS. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM MAKE FORD DO THE RIGHT THING.*AK
HEADLIGHT- NOT ENOUGH LIGHT IS PUT OUT TO SEE IN THE DARK, PUT NEW BULBS IN AND CLEANED LENES. SAFETY DEFECT
Official recalls
307V336000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 3, 2007
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
98V009000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Jan 21, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS CAN FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING. THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.
92V166000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Nov 18, 1992
THE LINK LEVER TRUNION ON THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DAMAGED COMPONENT MAY BECOME DISLODGED DURING VEHICLEOPERATION, MAKING THE RETRACTOR VEHICLE-SENSITIVE LOCKING SYSTEM INOPERATIVE.THIS INCREASES THE POSSIBILTY OF A SERIOUS INJURY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy: THE RETRACTORS WILL BE REPLACED IN THE SUBJECT 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
1EA96019 · Headlight Failure
Opened Jul 31, 1996 · Closed Jan 26, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
EXCESSIVE HEAT IN AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAUSED THAT CIRCUIT BREAKER TO OPEN FOR TIME PERIODS OF VARYING LENGTH TO COOL OFF.OPENING OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THIS MANNER INTERRUPTS ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOW TO THE HEADLIGHTS, SHUTTING THEM OFF.HEADLIGHT OUTAGES HAVE RANGER FROM BRIEF FLICKERS (LESS THAN ONE SECOND) TO GREATER THAN 20 SECONDS.OVER TIME, THE OUTAGES GROW IN LENGTH AND DURATION BECAUSE OF HEAT-INDUCED DETERIORATION OF THE SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED WIRING.RECALL 98V-009 WILL APPLY TO APPROXIMATELY 506,000 TAURUS, SABLE, MARK VIII, AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 1-DEC.-92 THROUGH 30-SEP-93 AT THE ATLANTA, CHICAGO,AND WIXOM ASSEMBLY PLANTS.87% OF MY 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE AND 97% OF MY 1993-1995 MARK VIII WARRANTY REPAIRS (HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACEMENT) INVOLVED VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE DEC. 92 - OCT. 93 BUILD RANGE.