IllustrationTOTAL TREAD SEPARATION FROM TIRE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 ..M.P.H. FRONT RIGHT TIRE. *TR
1987 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1987 Lincoln Town Car do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 86.5.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →32Owner complaints
Model-year median: 86.5
6Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1987 Lincoln Town Car
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 32 owner complaints · 6 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Electrical System: 17 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 4 reports
- Equipment: 2 reports
- Power Train: 2 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
- 90V093000 — Equipment:other:labels
- 90V050000 — Seat Belts:front:anchorage
- 87V139000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
- 87V018000 — Steering:linkages:arm:idler And Attachment
- 87V012000 — Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
- 86V142000 — Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Town Car years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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: 3 of 32 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 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 reports14 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
32 reportsFOUR MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE OWNER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR WAS ON FIRE. *AK A MECHANIC EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FORD TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME TYPE ALTERNATOR AND OTHER C…
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FOUR MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE OWNER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR WAS ON FIRE. *AK A MECHANIC EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FORD TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME TYPE ALTERNATOR AND OTHER COMPONETS AS HIS. *PH
WHILE DRIVING RADIATOR SUDDENLY STARTED TO LEAK FLUID. UPON THE LEAKAGE FROM THE RADIATOR VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. *AK
STRONG GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE CAR MOST NOTICEABLE WITH A WINDOW DOWN, HAVE CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND CAN'T FIND IT, SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE DASH. *JB
WHEN TURNING VEHICLE AT LESS THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR, VEHICLE WENT INTO HIGH THROTTLE MODE, AND ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JUMP CURB. BOTH FRONT TIRES WENT FLAT, KNOCKING DOWN 20 FEET WOODED FENCE, AND HIT HOUSE.*AK CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL.*JB
ONGOING TFI IGNITION MODULE PROBLEM, ALL IGNITION COMPONENTS REPLACED, TFI 3+ TIMES, STILL HAPPENS, CAR STALLS AND WON'T START. CALIFORNIA HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, WHEN ARE YOU!? NOW I HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. DO I HAVE TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WHAT????????
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH . CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TAILIGHTS HAD TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. 1 WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT, RADIO HAD STARTED TO SMOKE AND THEN FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS, FAILS TO START, AFTER FIRST 30 TO 45 MINS DRIVING DURING 95F PLUS OUTSIDE AIR TEMP, DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, DALLAS, TX. TFI REPLACED TWICE, COIL REPLACED, TPS REPLACED, AND TUNE UP STILL HAS NOT RESOLVED PROBLEM. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR DEATH EXISTS WITH THIS PROBLEM AS VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO…
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VEHICLE STALLS, FAILS TO START, AFTER FIRST 30 TO 45 MINS DRIVING DURING 95F PLUS OUTSIDE AIR TEMP, DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, DALLAS, TX. TFI REPLACED TWICE, COIL REPLACED, TPS REPLACED, AND TUNE UP STILL HAS NOT RESOLVED PROBLEM. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR DEATH EXISTS WITH THIS PROBLEM AS VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING. ONCE STALL CONTITION EXISTS VEHICLE CANNOT BE STARTED FOR AT LEAST 1.5 TO 2 HOURS, UNTIL ENGINE HAS COOLED ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR A RESTART. ENGINE TEMP GUAGE REMAINS IN NORMAL RANGE DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. ALSO BOTH COOLANT TEMP SENSORS, GUAGE, AND COMPUTER COOLANT SENSOR, HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
WHILE SITTING IN THE HOUSE CONSUMER HEARD A STRANGE NOISE THAT SOUDED LIKE A CAR STARTING. WHEN GOING TO INVESTIGATE CONSUMER THEN NOTICED THAT THE GARAGE WAS FULL OF SMOKE. CONSUMER OPENED CAR HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT. *AK
PLEASE SEND SIGNATURE FORM TO SEND TO MANUFACTURER
Recall campaigns
690V093000 · Equipment:other:labels
May 9, 1990
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIMOUSINES BUILT BY EMPIRE COACH. VEHICLE ALTERERS LABEL MAY BE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH PART 567.
Remedy: ADD COMPLIANCE LABEL.
90V050000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Mar 6, 1990
SAFETY BELTS (TYPE 1 LAP BELTS) FOR REAR FACING SEATS WERE NOT INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LACK OF RESTRAINTS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO OTHERWISE PREVENTABLE INJURY AND WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 209 AND 210.
Remedy: INSTALL SAFETY BELTS FOR REAR FACING SEATS.
87V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 4, 1987
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
87V018000 · Steering:linkages:arm:idler And Attachment
Feb 19, 1987
No summary supplied.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A CLUNKING NOISE ON TURNS AND ALOOSE FEELING IN THE STEERING WHEEL; STEERING CONTROL WOULD BE MAINTAINED.
Remedy: REPLACE IDLER ARM ASSEMBLY.
87V012000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Feb 9, 1987
STEERING CENTERLINKS MAY BREAK AT A BEND LOCATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: STEERING CONTROL WOULD BE DIMINISHED, WITH REDUCEDCONTROL OF LEFT WHEEL ONLY AND CONSIDERABLE STEERING WHEEL FREE PLAY.
Remedy: REPLACE STEERING CENTERLINK.
86V142000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Oct 24, 1986
WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY BE MISROUTED AND SUBJECT TO DAMAGE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: A SHORT CIRCUIT COULD OCCUR (DURING USE OR WHEN PARKED) WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: PROPERLY ROUTE WIRING HARNESSES, AS NECESSARY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.