1998 Lincoln Town Car: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 1998 Lincoln Town Car. The newest campaign is 07V336000. NHTSA received the report on 3 Aug 2007. The NHTSA record gives the component Vehicle Speed Control. NHTSA has 154 complaints on file for this model year. 5 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 07V336000, in the NHTSA record

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.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

7 campaigns, newest first. 5,234,096 units in total.

07V3360003 Aug 2007Vehicle Speed Control
00V35600012 Dec 2000Tires
00V20000018 Jul 2000Equipment / Mechanical / Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer
00V15700112 Jun 2000Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
00V15700212 Jun 2000Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
98V32200016 Dec 1998Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Ball Joint
98V02800010 Feb 1998Exterior Lighting / Headlights

07V336000Received 3 Aug 2007. 3,600,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
This could result in an underhood fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 05S28. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Aug 2007.
00V356000Received 12 Dec 2000. 10,000 units.
Tires
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: certain limousines stretched over 60 inches fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 109, "new pneumatic tires," and no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The vehicle weight could exceed the maximum load rating for the tire, increasing the risk of premature tire wear or blowout.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace all 5 tires (including the spare tire) with michelin tires (225/70r16 107t reinforced white sidewall) with a sufficiently higher load rating. Owner notification began january 10, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-248-0186.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 00S51. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 10 Jan 2001.
00V200000Received 18 Jul 2000. 875,000 units.
Equipment / Mechanical / Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles have jacking instructions which, if followed, could cause the vehicle operator to place the jack on a frame weld when attempting to raise a rear wheel. If the vehicle is jacked up with the jack placed on the frame weld and if the vehicle is free to roll (wheels not blocked or chocked), the jack could yield and the vehicle may drop suddenly.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If this occurs and any portion of the operator's body is under the vehicle, the potential for personal injury exists.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Owners will be provided with a revised jack instruction and stowage card and jack warning label, as well as a supplement to the owner guide.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 00S13. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Aug 2000.
00V157001Received 12 Jun 2000. 1,167 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket driver's seat belt assemblies that were sold by ford parts departments from january 1, through june 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the equipment involved is service stock seat belt assemblies, model nos. H 9977, h 9979, t 9063, and t 9217, built by trw vehicle safety systems, INC. (trw) manufactured from june 1, 1998 through may 21, 2000. Some of these seat belt assemblies may have been installed as service replacement equipment on the vehicles involved in the recall.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from january 1 through june 13, 2000.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 00S15. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 28 Sep 2000.
00V157002Received 12 Jun 2000. 1,129 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles using aftermarket front passenger side seat belt assemblies that were sold by ford parts departments from january 1, through june 13, 2000. These seat belt assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the equipment involved is service stock seat belt assemblies, model nos. H 9977, h 9979, t 9063, and t 9217, built by trw vehicle safety systems, INC. (trw) manufactured from june 1, 1998 through may 21, 2000. Some of these seat belt assemblies may have been installed as service replacement equipment on the vehicles involved in the recall.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the service seat belt assemblies that were installed in these vehicles from january 1 through june 13, 2000.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 00S16. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 28 Sep 2000.
98V322000Received 16 Dec 1998. 175,000 units.
Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Ball Joint
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
If this occurs while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the lower control arm ball joints (2).
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 98S37. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jan 1999.
98V028000Received 10 Feb 1998. 571,800 units.
Exterior Lighting / Headlights
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 Mar 1998.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

154 complaints, 194 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1998 Lincoln Town Car
All 1998 vehicles

1998 Lincoln Town Car: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1998 Town Car	All 1998 vehicles	Town Car, all years	Mentions
Engine and Engine Cooling	164.9	123.7	109	32
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	108.2	106.9	100	21
Suspension	108.2	82.6	77.2	21
Visibility	82.5	56.1	40	16
Electrical System	77.3	82.5	128.9	15
Structure	77.3	45.8	38.6	15
Exterior Lighting	72.2	27.3	27.3	14
Steering	67	55.8	55.4	13
Power Train	56.7	90.4	41.3	11
Fuel System, Gasoline	36.1	36.2	25.2	7

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 21.

Complaints that report a crash: 7
Complaints that report a fire: 7
Injuries in the complaints: 3
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 30 Aug 2023

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1998 Lincoln Town Car, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1999, with 28 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1998 Lincoln Town Car
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
DP05005	Defect petition	SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD	Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine	22 Sep 2005	4 Jan 2006
DP02007	Defect petition	FUEL-FED FIRES	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	22 Aug 2002	4 Dec 2002
SQ01014	Safety query	POST REAR END COLLISION FIRES	Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage	27 Nov 2001	3 Oct 2002	02I003000
EA99010	Engineering analysis	FUEL SPIT BACK DURING REFUELING	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	9 Apr 1999	4 May 1999
PE98052	Preliminary evaluation	FUEL SPIT BACK DURING REFUELING	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	25 Sep 1998	9 Apr 1999

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1998 Lincoln Town CarThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1998 Lincoln Town Car: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/lincoln/town-car/1998/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1998 Lincoln Town Car?: 5,234,096 units in 7 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Lincoln Town Car have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 47 recall campaigns for the Lincoln Town Car, model years 1977 to 2011. 7 of them name the 1998 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1998 Lincoln Town Car name most often?: Engine and Engine Cooling: 32 of 194 component mentions, or 164.9 per 1,000. For all 1998 vehicles the figure is 123.7 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1998 Lincoln Town Car open?: No. Each of the 5 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.