IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLERATED. BRAKES COULD NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THEY NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION*AK.
1989 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Lincoln Town Car 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 Town Car 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: 4 of 89 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 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports38 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
89 reportsTHE PAINT SYSTEM OVER THE HOOD, ROOF AND TRUNK ARE ALL FAILING. THE TOP COLOR COAT IS FLAKING OFF WHICH IS A CONCERN WITH LITTLE CHILDREN EATING THE FLAKES. I HAVE HEAR CARS HAVING PRIMER AND COLOR COAT INCOMPATIBILTY PROBLEMS BEFORE WITH RECALLS BEING ISSUED BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR MY CAR. WAS A RECALL EVER…
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THE PAINT SYSTEM OVER THE HOOD, ROOF AND TRUNK ARE ALL FAILING. THE TOP COLOR COAT IS FLAKING OFF WHICH IS A CONCERN WITH LITTLE CHILDREN EATING THE FLAKES. I HAVE HEAR CARS HAVING PRIMER AND COLOR COAT INCOMPATIBILTY PROBLEMS BEFORE WITH RECALLS BEING ISSUED BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR MY CAR. WAS A RECALL EVER ISSUED? OTHER LINCOLN OWNERS I SPOKE WITH SEEMED TO THINK SO? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE NEAR STEERING WHEEL, UNDER THE DASH DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER HAS VEHICLE. *AK *ML
CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES THEN DISENGAGES BEFORE ATTAINING DESIRED SPEED. IT MAY NOT ENGAGE AT ALL AT ANY TIME, OR IT MAY DISENGAGE AT ANY TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR YEARS. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , BUT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. I PAID $1,000. FOR THIS REPAIR AND T…
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CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES THEN DISENGAGES BEFORE ATTAINING DESIRED SPEED. IT MAY NOT ENGAGE AT ALL AT ANY TIME, OR IT MAY DISENGAGE AT ANY TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR YEARS. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , BUT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. I PAID $1,000. FOR THIS REPAIR AND THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THEN THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND CONTINUES TODAY.
ALERNATOR IS NOT CHARGING THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE PLUG ON THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. THERE IS NOT INDICATION THAT THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT WORKING UNTIL THE BATTERY DIES OR THE ALTERNATOR CATCHES FIRE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MANUFDCTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING HESITATION AND NEAR STALLING.
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN INSIDE GARAGE & IGNITION SWITCH TURNED OFF. PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DUE TO FIRE. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURER'S. RECALL # 95S-28 / NHTSA # 96V-071000 PERTAINING TO AN INGITION SWITCH WHICH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. DEALER/MFR WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT …
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VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN INSIDE GARAGE & IGNITION SWITCH TURNED OFF. PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DUE TO FIRE. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURER'S. RECALL # 95S-28 / NHTSA # 96V-071000 PERTAINING TO AN INGITION SWITCH WHICH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. DEALER/MFR WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK
Official recalls
596V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
90V133000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 27, 1990
TIRE PLACARD MAY CONTAIN INCORRECT GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LIMOUSINES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 110 AND CONSUMERMIGHT UNKNOWINGLY OVERLOAD THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PLACARD MISINFORMATION.
Remedy: INSTALL REVISED TIRE PLACARDS.
90V134000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 27, 1990
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION MAY BE INCORRECT ON LABELS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH 49 CFR PART 567.
Remedy: INSTALL REVISED CERTIFICATION LABELS.
90V093000 · 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.
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.