1997 Lincoln Continental Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Continental years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Lincoln Continental. That is the most of any Continental model year in the database (12 years). The most reported problem area is visibility (15 complaints, 16%), typically at around 47,900 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 96owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Lincoln Continental problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 15 | 16% | 47,900 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 13% | 56,538 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 10% | 89,429 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 10% | 55,100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 10% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 9 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 7% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 6% | 58,635 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Lincoln Continental recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park.
Risk: Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement can result in personal injury and property damage.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Shortly after start, 200m, engine still cold , i smell smoke,,stopted immediatly passing bridge, smoke still, more intensive. I talk to drivers around to call fire departement. Took only blouse close to me and leave the car. Moke and first fire started right from feed space. No fire in engine area…
Takata recall. I was driving 35mph going down main road in an office park. Other vehicle failed to yield right of way and came thru stop sign. I had almost zero time to react. I slammed on brakes trying to prepare for impact. We hit. My driver's side front bumper hit his passenger side front. His…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the transmission failed at 40,000 miles and had to be replace. Also, the contact mentioned that while driving 35 mph the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnose that the engine needed to be replaced…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln continental. The contact started the vehicle and the vehicle lunged forward abnormally, while still in park. The check engine lamp was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the pressure regulator solenoid and the neutral safety…
My car caught on fire under the hood and had to be junked. *tr
Other Lincoln Continental years
← 1996 Continental · 1998 Continental →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Continental | 7 | 2 |
| 2019 Continental | 32 | 3 |
| 2018 Continental | 21 | 2 |
| 2017 Continental | 75 | 4 |
| 2002 Continental | 33 | 0 |
| 2001 Continental | 32 | 1 |
| 2000 Continental | 63 | 3 |
| 1999 Continental | 42 | 2 |
| 1998 Continental | 72 | 1 |
| 1997 | 96 | 1 |
| 1996 Continental | 48 | 2 |
| 1995 Continental | 70 | 1 |
See all Lincoln Continental problems by year, every Lincoln model, or the Lincoln VIN decoder.
Similar Lincoln models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lincoln Continental?
Owners most often report visibility, steering, power train problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Lincoln Continental?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Lincoln Continental a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Continental model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.