IllustrationCONSUMER SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO PARK FROM DRIVE, WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCLERATED TO A HIGH SPEED, CONSUMER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BANK, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. *SLC
1991 Lincoln Town Car
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 9 of 155 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports14 fire reports11 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
19 reportsWHILE TURNING ON THE IGNITION CAR TOOK OFF INTO THE HOUSE, AND HIT ANOTHER CONSUMER, INJURING THEM. SEPT OF 1998, CONSUMER PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND CAR TOOK OFF BACKWARDS, CONSUMER HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY TO STOP THE CAR.*AK
APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT REALIZED I HAD NO ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND I HAD BRAKES, I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE, THEN FLAMES. MY WONDERFUL LINCOLN WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM. NO LIGHTS WENT ON THE CAR NEVER STALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID TH…
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APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT REALIZED I HAD NO ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND I HAD BRAKES, I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE, THEN FLAMES. MY WONDERFUL LINCOLN WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM. NO LIGHTS WENT ON THE CAR NEVER STALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY FELT THE LINE WAS BURNING, AND I LOST THE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY ON FIRE AND BURNED THROUGH. I CHECKED THE RECALLS FOR 1991 LINCOLNS AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR FUEL LINES, BUT NOT FOR MY VIN NUMBER. THEREFORE WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL. *AK
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING A THREE-CAR CRASH, AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 80-85 MPH. WHILE ATTEMPING TO SHIFT TO PARK, TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT IN REVERSE AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE BACKWARDS, CRASHING INTO THREE MORE VEHICLES. BOTH AIRBAG'S EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE AN…
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VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING A THREE-CAR CRASH, AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 80-85 MPH. WHILE ATTEMPING TO SHIFT TO PARK, TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT IN REVERSE AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE BACKWARDS, CRASHING INTO THREE MORE VEHICLES. BOTH AIRBAG'S EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK *YC
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTURAL, AND THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING. THEN PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND THEN CAME TO A STOP. *AK
THE GROMET BROKE ON CABLES FOR TRANSMISSION. ONE CABLE FELL BEHIND THROTTLE BODY & CAUSED THROTTLE TO BECOME WIDE OPEN & VEHICLE ACCELERATED. ALSO, BRAKES FROZE. HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. HAD CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK *ML
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE INCIDENT RESULTED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND INJURY (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). MJS
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED.
AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE INTO THE DRIVE GEAR, THE THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. APPLIED BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. *AK
Official recalls
598V322000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 16, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1996-1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, NATURAL GAS, AND 1996-1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED WITH A LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CONTAINING A ONE PIECE BEARING; AND 1990-1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, AND NGV VEHICLES AND 1990-1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN SERVICED WITH EITHER A BALL JOINT CONTAINING THE ONE-PIECE BEARING OR A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM CONTAINING A BALL JOINT WITH A ONE-PIECE BEARING. THE ONE-PIECE BEARING WITHIN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN WEAKEN SLOWLY DURING USE AND EVENTUALLY CRACK. THIS COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE BALL AND CAP OF THE JOINT, ALLOWING THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP TO THE GROUND.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, REDUCED STEERING CONTROL COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS (2).
95V151000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Aug 7, 1995
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE HOOD IS CLOSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH RELEASES OR IS NOT PROPERLY LATCHED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE HOOD COULD FLY UP OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VISION, AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY.
95V091000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
May 16, 1995
CORROSION OF THE HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE CAUSES DETACHMENT OF THE PLATE FROM THE HOOD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN AN UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN REDUCE THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOOD INNER PANEL REINFORCEMENT AND A NEW, GALVANIZED HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE.
91V147000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Sep 10, 1991
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE HOOD IS CLOSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH RELEASES WHEN THEVEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE HOOD COULD FLY UP, OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VISION,AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL A NEW HOOD LATCHING ASSEMBLY.
91V008000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Jan 8, 1991
DISTORTED FUEL LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY CONTACT THE STEERING COLUMN UNIVERSAL JOINT AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR FROM THE DAMAGED FLUID LINE AND,IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: REPOSITION FUEL LINE TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH UNIVERSAL JOINT; IF FUEL LINES ARE ALREADY DAMAGED, REPAIR OR REPLACE FUEL LINES.
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
1EA91021 · Hood Latch Failure
Opened Mar 29, 1991 · Closed Mar 16, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available