IllustrationBLEND DOOR NO HEAT OR DEFROST ONLY COLD AIR. DT
1998 Lincoln Mark Viii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
20–25K
325–50K
1350–75K
375–100K
4100–150K
1150K+
26 reports with mileage · 57 unknown
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.
- Visibility. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
Visibility complaints
23 reportsWHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, I NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS GETTING CLOUDED OVER. TURNED ON MY HA/C TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD BUT ONLY COLD AIR CAME OUT ADDING GREATLY TO THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE RUNNING INTO OPPOSITE LANES OF TRAFFIC SINCE I COULDN'T SEE O…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, I NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS GETTING CLOUDED OVER. TURNED ON MY HA/C TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD BUT ONLY COLD AIR CAME OUT ADDING GREATLY TO THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE RUNNING INTO OPPOSITE LANES OF TRAFFIC SINCE I COULDN'T SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT A CLOTH AND WIPED IT CLEAR TO PROCEDE. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THESE CARS ASWELL AS TOWN CARS IN THAT THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR CAUSES THE DOOR'S ARM TO BREAK IN A SET POSITION. THUS IF BROKE ON HOT SETTING YOU GET ONLY HEATED AIR- VICE VERSA ON A COLD SETTING. IT WAS AN APPARENTLY POORLY DESIGNED PLASTIC ITEM; HOWEVER THE CHARGE TO FIX IT WITH ANOTHER SIMILAR ARM WOULD BE OVER $500 BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE DASH OFF THE CAR MAKE THE REPAIR, THOUGH THE PART IS LSS THAN $35.00. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THAT TIME, SO A TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME HOW TO LAY UNDER THE DASH AND MANUALLY PULL THE DOOR TO EITHER HOT OR COLD. DT
THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR ARM IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THESE CARS. DUE TO THEIR POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP, THEY ARE ALMOST GUARANTEED TO FAIL EVENTUALLY. HAVING NO HEAT IN THE WINTER CAN BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS IS THE MOST OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE ON A NATIONAL RECALL. DT
AIR BLEND DOOR MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING NO HEAT TO BLOW ON WINDSHIELD IN COLD WEATHER WILL CAUSE FOGGED UP WINDSHIELD ALSO. BOTH CONDITIONS CAUSE POOR VISIBILITY. DT
RAINY DAY/MOIST CONDITIONS/HEAT TEMP. UNCONTROLLABLE CAUSING IMMEDIATE STRONG "FOG-UP" OF WINDSHIELD AT HIGHWAY SPEED. MR
ACTUATOR FAILS, THUS NEVER ALLOWING TEMPERATURE TO CHANGE IN CAR. WINDSHIELD FOGS UP CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. MR
THE PART FAILURE IS A CRACKED PLASTIC ARM ACTUATOR ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE FLOW OF AIR TO THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER. WHEN THE PART CRACKED, THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR IS NOT ABLE TO DIRECT AIR TO THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER. I HAD THE PART REPLACED BY A LOCAL LINCOLN DEALER (THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD TO RE…
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THE PART FAILURE IS A CRACKED PLASTIC ARM ACTUATOR ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE FLOW OF AIR TO THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER. WHEN THE PART CRACKED, THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR IS NOT ABLE TO DIRECT AIR TO THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER. I HAD THE PART REPLACED BY A LOCAL LINCOLN DEALER (THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD TO REPLACE THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR AND ARM - NOT SOLD SEPARATLY) THIS YEAR. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT, AND IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. MR
WINDSHIELD REARVIEW MIRROR (ELECTROCHROMIC) VIBRATES ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES -AND- AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THIS IMPARTS AN EXTREMELY BLURRED IMAGE. THE ORIGINAL MIRROR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE REPLACEMENT EXHIBITS THIS PROBLEM ALSO.*AK
DRIVER'S DOOR OUTSIDE MIRROR FAILED. DOES NOT REFECT ANYMORE AND YOU SEE DOUBLE WHEN LOOKING AT IT. ELECTROCHROMATIC FEATURE OF THIS MIRROR FAILED. HAVE SEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE BUT MOST MUST HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SAFETY DEFECT IN THESE MIRRORS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS INJURY SINCE YOU CA…
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DRIVER'S DOOR OUTSIDE MIRROR FAILED. DOES NOT REFECT ANYMORE AND YOU SEE DOUBLE WHEN LOOKING AT IT. ELECTROCHROMATIC FEATURE OF THIS MIRROR FAILED. HAVE SEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE BUT MOST MUST HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SAFETY DEFECT IN THESE MIRRORS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS INJURY SINCE YOU CANNOT SEE ONCE THEY FAIL. *AK
THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER INDICATES THAT THE "DRIVERS DOOR IS AJAR". THE SIGN DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED AGAIN. WHEN DOOR LOCKS ARE DEPRESSED, THEY POP UP AGAIN AND THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL. THE ONLY OPERABLE SETTING OF THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR IS HIGH FAN/ THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BALLAST IS DEFECTIVE …
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THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER INDICATES THAT THE "DRIVERS DOOR IS AJAR". THE SIGN DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED AGAIN. WHEN DOOR LOCKS ARE DEPRESSED, THEY POP UP AGAIN AND THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL. THE ONLY OPERABLE SETTING OF THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR IS HIGH FAN/ THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BALLAST IS DEFECTIVE AND THE LOWBEAM SETTING IS DIM. IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE LAMP.
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.