IllustrationPOOR HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE ON A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. I UNDERSTAND THIS RESULTS FROM A DESIGN PROBLEM IN MARK VIII'S OF THAT TIME PERIOD. *JB
1996 Lincoln Mark Viii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Lincoln Mark Viii do not stand out strongly from 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: 26 of 106 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 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 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 reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
77 reportsVERY POOR NIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE POORLY DESIGNED HEADLAMP FIXTURES. THE AGING FACTORY HEADLAMP FIXTURES DO NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT FOR NIGHT DRIVING RESULTING IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. THE FIXTURES SEEM TO "YELLOW" AND "FOG" ABNORMALLY WITH AGE AND IT ALSO SEEMS THAT THE HE…
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VERY POOR NIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE POORLY DESIGNED HEADLAMP FIXTURES. THE AGING FACTORY HEADLAMP FIXTURES DO NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT FOR NIGHT DRIVING RESULTING IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. THE FIXTURES SEEM TO "YELLOW" AND "FOG" ABNORMALLY WITH AGE AND IT ALSO SEEMS THAT THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE FACTORY SPECIFIED LAMPS ACTUALLY DAMAGE THE INTERNAL REFLECTIVE MATERIAL, BOTH CONDITIONS REDUCE EFFECTIVE OUTPUT OF THE FIXTURES. THESE CONDITIONS SEEM TO OCCUR WITH AGE AND USE, NEW FIXTURE OUTPUT IS ACCEPTABLE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM THAT THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE FAR MORE BRIGHTER. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VIEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN IF HE GETS REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS THAT THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN A TWO YEAR TIME SPAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER I…
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WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM THAT THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE FAR MORE BRIGHTER. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VIEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN IF HE GETS REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS THAT THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN A TWO YEAR TIME SPAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *JB
I JUST PURCHASED A 1996 LINCOLN MARK 8, WHILE DRIVING IT HOME, IT GOT DARK AND I TURNED ON THE LIGHTS...THE LIGHTING SYSTEM WAS TERRIBLE. I COULD HARDLY SEE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. HOW CAN A PERSON DRIVE AT NIGHT, IF THE LIGHTS FAIL TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE HIGHWAY? AS I GOT TO CHECKING, THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH…
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I JUST PURCHASED A 1996 LINCOLN MARK 8, WHILE DRIVING IT HOME, IT GOT DARK AND I TURNED ON THE LIGHTS...THE LIGHTING SYSTEM WAS TERRIBLE. I COULD HARDLY SEE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. HOW CAN A PERSON DRIVE AT NIGHT, IF THE LIGHTS FAIL TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE HIGHWAY? AS I GOT TO CHECKING, THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AS COMPLAINED ABOUT BY OTHER OWNERS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE? THESE ARE THE ORGINAL LIGHTING UNITS FROM THE FACTORY, AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.*AK
DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT DESIGN. THE PLASTIC REFLECTOR GETS BURNED FROM THE LIGHT BULB HEAT. I CAN BARELY SEE AT NIGHT TIME. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! THERE ARE NO "EASY-FIXES" AVAILABLE AND FORD/LINCOLN WANTS A FORTUNE TO REPLACE! *JB
THE HEADLIGHTS THAT CAME STANDARD ON 1993-1996 MARK VIIIS ARE NOT SAFE FOR PUBLIC ROADS. THEY ARE PROBABLY THE WEAKEST HEADLIGHTS EVER PLACED INTO A VEHICLE DURING THE 1990S. IM SURPRISED THEY EVEN PASSED THE DOT REGULATIONS. THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE VERY LITTLE LIGHTING FOR THE ROAD AND THEY DO NOT EVEN GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO THE …
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THE HEADLIGHTS THAT CAME STANDARD ON 1993-1996 MARK VIIIS ARE NOT SAFE FOR PUBLIC ROADS. THEY ARE PROBABLY THE WEAKEST HEADLIGHTS EVER PLACED INTO A VEHICLE DURING THE 1990S. IM SURPRISED THEY EVEN PASSED THE DOT REGULATIONS. THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE VERY LITTLE LIGHTING FOR THE ROAD AND THEY DO NOT EVEN GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO THE STREET SIGNS SO THAT THEY CAN BE READ LEGIBLY AND EASILY. DRIVING ON A POOR LIT ROAD IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TURNING ON THE HIGH BEAMS BECAUSE OTHER WISE YOU BECOME A HAZARD BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY. IVE BEEN IN COUNTLESS NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE POOR LIGHTS AND BECAUSE THEY BARELY LIGHT UP THE MARKERS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THEY EITHER NEED TO REPLACED WITH THE HID UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, OR AT LEAST IMPROVED DRASTICALLY; OTHERWISE THE RISK OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR DURING THE NIGHT INCREASES AT LEAST 10 FOLD.*AK
I HAVE ANOTHER COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME EVENT THAT WAS JUST FILLED FOR THE LACK OF PROPER HEAD LAMPS ON THIS YEAR VEHICLE. AS I OWN TWO OF THE SAME CAR I AM ALSO FILING FOR THIS ONE AS WELL. *LA
HEAD LIGHTS ON BOTH OF MY 1996 LINCOLN MARK VLLL S ARE VERY POOR AND DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD SUFFICIENTLY. I JUST MISSED HITTING A DOG THIS EVENING ON MY WAY HOME AS THESE LIGHTS ON BOTH CARS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPLACE THEM. THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. *LA
"DRIVING WITHIN YOUR HEADLIGHTS" IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE 93-96 GENERATION LINCOLN MARK 8 UNLESS YOUR SPEED IS UNDER APPROXIMATELY 20MPH. DEBRIS, ANIMAL CARCASSES, AND OTHER OBSTACLES SUDDENLY APPEAR CAUSING THE DRIVER AN IMMEDIATE REACTION OF DANGEROUSLY SWERVING OUT OF THE WAY RISKING LOSS OF CONTROL AND POTENTIAL COLLISION WIT…
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"DRIVING WITHIN YOUR HEADLIGHTS" IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE 93-96 GENERATION LINCOLN MARK 8 UNLESS YOUR SPEED IS UNDER APPROXIMATELY 20MPH. DEBRIS, ANIMAL CARCASSES, AND OTHER OBSTACLES SUDDENLY APPEAR CAUSING THE DRIVER AN IMMEDIATE REACTION OF DANGEROUSLY SWERVING OUT OF THE WAY RISKING LOSS OF CONTROL AND POTENTIAL COLLISION WITH OTHER MOTORISTS, OBJECTS, PEOPLE, ETC. REPLACEMENT WITH THE SAME PART IS NOT A SENSIBLE OPTION BECAUSE THE FLAW IS INHERENT TO THE HEADLAMP HOUSINGS DESIGN. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD STEP UP AND REMEDY THIS SAFETY ITEMS DESIGN DEFICIENCY.
I OWN A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII AND HAVE BECOME VERY CONSERNED ABOUT THE POOR LIGHTING THIS VEHICLE HAS DURING THE NIGHT HOURS. IT IS BECOMMING HARDER AND HARDER TO USE THE FACTORY LIGHTING TO HAVE A GOOD FISION OF THE AREA AHEAD AND ANY OBSTICALS THAT MIGHT BE THERE.*AK
Official recalls
107V336000 · 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.
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.