The Lincoln Town Car has 50 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1983–2011. On average a defect was admitted 4.14 years after the car was built, the slowest took 20 years. The most recalled system is Seat Belts (8 campaigns). Owners also filed 2,648 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Lincoln Town Car
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Seat Belts 8 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford crown victoria built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01 mercury grand marquis built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01. Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01. Lincoln navigators built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01. Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01. Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison…
Risk. In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant
Fix. Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began july 25, 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…
What's wrong. 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
Risk. In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury
Fix. 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
What's wrong. 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
Risk. In the event of a collision, these seat belts may not restrain an occupant increasing the risk of injury
Fix. 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
Steering 6 Read
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed
Risk. Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford…
What's wrong. Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Severe corrosion can seize the lower intermediate shaft which may cause the upper intermediate shaft to collapse and the steering column lower bearing to separate
Risk. If the lower bearing separates, the vehicle may experience a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have occurred as a result of lower intermediate shaft corrosion, and repaired or replaced as necessary. If the…
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during the course of safety recall 13V-385. The prior repairs may not have been correctly performed
Risk. Improper servicing of the upper intermediate shaft could cause the shaft to separate, which can then result in a loss of steering control, and increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385. Dealers will inspect and replace the upper immediate shaft if necessary free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford…
Air Bags 5 Read
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles, limousines, and mini vans were built with a newly designed restraint control module (rcm). In some cases, the rcm does not recognize certain system faults that could result in an air bag or seat belt pre-tensioner unexpectedly activating during the self-test sequence at vehicle start-up
Risk. This condition could result in personal injury
Fix. Dealers will replace the rcm in these vehicles. Owner notification began september 14, 2000. 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 1-800-392-3673
What's wrong. Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (rcm) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or more of the screws that mount the circuit board in the housing missing. If some or all of the screws are missing, the performance of the occupant restrains could be affected
Risk. In some cases, less than the intended level of protection in the event of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the rcm and crash sensors and, if necessary, replace them
What's wrong. Equipment description: passenger vehicles that have had the driver's air bag module replaced after april 5, 2000. The replacement driver's air bag module inflator may have insufficient welds that could prevent proper inflation of the air bag
Risk. In the event of a crash, the driver's air bag may not properly deploy which could potentially result in less than the intended level of occupant protection
Fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver's air bag module. Owner notification began october 5, 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 1-866-436-7332
Electrical System 4 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the battery cable includes a fusible link that may contact and subsequently chafe on a #2 cross member attaching bolt
Risk. This condition may result in heat damage and could lead to a fire
Fix. Dealers will inspect the fusible link and position it away from the cross member bolt. If the fusible link has already chafed and copper wires have been exposed, the fusible link will be replaced. The recall began on november 18, 2005. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673, or lincoln/mercury at 1-800-521-4140
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The speed control deactivation switch can develop a resistive short in the electrical circuit that could potentially result in an underhood fire. A fire is possible both when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle engine is off. Also, the short could disable the speed control system or cause the brake light fuse to open
Risk. A fire can originate in the left front underhood area
Fix. Dealers will install a new speed control deactivation switch and connector shell. Owner notification began may 20, 1999
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The speed control deactivation switch can develop a resistive short in the electrical circuit that could potentially result in an underhood fire. A fire is possible both when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle engine is off. Also, the short could disable the speed control system or cause the brake light fuse to open
Risk. A fire can originate in the left front underhood area
Fix. Dealers will install a new speed control deactivation switch and connector shell. Owner notification began may 20, 1999
Equipment 4 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. If this occurs and any portion of the operator's body is under the vehicle, the potential for personal injury exists
Fix. 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
What's wrong. 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
Risk. If this occurs and any portion of the operator's body is under the vehicle, the potential for personal injury exists
Fix. 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
What's wrong. 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
Risk. If this occurs and any portion of the operator's body is under the vehicle, the potential for personal injury exists
Fix. 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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 4 Read
What's wrong. This is not a safety recall in accordance with federal regulation 573. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Ford is initiating an owner notification program for owners of certain 1995-1997 crown victoria model vehicles with police, taxi, and commercial fleet packages and town car vehicles with the livery package. These vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the brake line and the underbody front floor pan assembly which could cause wear of the brake lines
Risk. This could lead to brake fluid loss for the rear brakes and, potentially, increased stopping distances
Fix. Dealers will inspect the brake lines for wear, install two new tube bundle clips, and check the brake lines for proper clearances. If the brake lines are worn, the damaged section of the brake line will be replaced
What's wrong. This is not a safety recall in accordance with federal regulation 573. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Ford is initiating an owner notification program for owners of certain 1995-1997 crown victoria model vehicles with police, taxi, and commercial fleet packages and town car vehicles with the livery package. These vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the brake line and the underbody front floor pan assembly which could cause wear of the brake lines
Risk. This could lead to brake fluid loss for the rear brakes and, potentially, increased stopping distances
Fix. Dealers will inspect the brake lines for wear, install two new tube bundle clips, and check the brake lines for proper clearances. If the brake lines are worn, the damaged section of the brake line will be replaced
What's wrong. Improper installation of the rear brake line at the point at which the extended brake line first bends and extends over the left rear wheel area of the frame. If not installed with sufficient clearance, chafing of the brake line can occur in an area adjacent to the rear floor pan
Risk. The rear brake line can leak or rupture resulting in reduced braking capability, loss of rear brakes, and/or loss of brake fluid reserves in the master brake cylinder
Fix. Dealers will inspect the brake line for proper installation and/or damage and replace as necessary. Also a protective boot or sleeve over the brake line will be installed
Latches/locks/linkages 4 Read
What's wrong. When in the secondary latched position, the driver door latches may open when subjected to transverse loads less than that specified in fmvss no. 206, "door locks and door retention components."
Risk. The driver's door, when closed only to the secondary latched position, may not sustain a 1,000 pound transverse load
Fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver door latch
What's wrong. The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed
Risk. 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
Fix. Dealers will replace the hood latch assembly
What's wrong. 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
Risk. This condition can reduce the driver's view of the road increasing the potential of a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will install a new hood inner panel reinforcement and a new, galvanized hood latch striker plate
Fuel System, Gasoline 4 Read
What's wrong. The seal material between the fuel filler pipe and fuel tank may not have been fully cured during the molding process which could allow for fuel leakage
Risk. Fuel leakage could result in a vehicle fire if an ignition source were present
Fix. Dealers will replace the fuel filler pipe-to-fuel tank seal with a new seal of different material
What's wrong. Distorted fuel lines in engine compartment may contact the steering column universal joint and cause damage to the fuel line
Risk. Fuel leakage could occur from the damaged fluid line and,in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire
Fix. Reposition fuel line to prevent contact with universal joint; if fuel lines are already damaged, repair or replace fuel lines
What's wrong. Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged
Risk. 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
Fix. Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage
Suspension 3 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, a front wheel bearing and hub assembly may fracture due to improper heat treatment
Risk. If a hub fractures, it may potentially detach from the wheel knuckle, resulting in the wheel being retained only by the brake caliper assembly. As a result, the wheel may separate from the vehicle potentially resulting in a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect both front wheel bearing and hub assemblies and replace them free of charge. The recall began on june 22, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673
What's wrong. Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles
Risk. This could lead to early bearing failure and ultimately to axle shaft fracture. In the event of axle shaft fracture, the vehicle would lose drive function and would coast to a stop. Loss of drive function could lead to a crash
Fix. Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings, seals,and axle shafts. The recall began on july 15, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673
What's wrong. 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…
Risk. If this occurs while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will replace the lower control arm ball joints (2)
Power Train 3 Read
What's wrong. Incorrect bolts were used in the transmission linkage adjustment mechanism. Consequence of defect: the transmission gear shift selector lever on the steering column would be on the wrong transmission function. Should this occur, the driver would find their car in a gear other than the one indicated by shift lever indicator. This could cause an accident if the car is left unattended
Fix. Replace the shift linkage trunnion, grommet and adjustment bolt
What's wrong. The parking gear may not engage, even though the gear shift lever is placed in the "park" position. This occurs if the linkage inside the transmission that actuates the park gear was improperly manufactured. A pin that retains components on a linkage (actuating) rod could break and the linkage may not engage the parking gear
Fix. Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the parking pawl actuating rod assembly
What's wrong. The shift indicator may not accurately reflect the shift selector position. Some vehicles were produced with transmission control selector tube retaining clips that may not be hard enough. The clip may loosen or fall off, and the selector tube may become displaced
Fix. The dealer will replace the transmission control selector tube retaining clip at no charge to owner
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 4.14 years |
| Slowest campaign | 20 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 33.9% |
| Campaigns on record | 50 |
Which Town Car years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| 2010 | Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| 2009 | Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| 2008 | Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| 2007 | Suspension | |
| 2006 | Steering | |
| 2005 | Electrical System | |
| 2003 | Suspension | |
| 2002 | Steering | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | |
| 2000 | Seat Belts | |
| 1999 | Seat Belts | |
| 1998 | Seat Belts | |
| 1997 | Seat Belts | |
| 1996 | Seat Belts | |
| 1995 | Air Bags | |
| 1994 | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 1993 | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 1992 | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 1991 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 1990 | Equipment | |
| 1989 | Seat Belts | |
| 1988 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 1987 | Electrical System | |
| 1986 | Power Train | |
| 1985 | Equipment | |
| 1984 | Equipment | |
| 1983 | Power Train |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Lincoln Town Car have?
50 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1983–2011. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Town Car still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 4.14 years, and the slowest campaign came 20 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.