1997 Lincoln Town CAR Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 90,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ball joint” (36% of reports).
- 50suspension complaints
- 90,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ball joint: mentioned in 18 of 50 complaints (36%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 18 of 50 complaints (36%)
- Front end: mentioned in 11 of 50 complaints (22%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 19 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 50 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Lincoln Town CAR suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Town CAR | 1 | 5% | 486,713 |
| 2007 Town CAR | 2 | 2% | 52,103 |
| 2006 Town CAR | 1 | 1% | 30,000 |
| 2005 Town CAR | 1 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2004 Town CAR | 2 | 2% | 125,855 |
| 2003 Town CAR | 81 | 40% | 73,921 |
| 2002 Town CAR | 3 | 5% | 14,166 |
| 2001 Town CAR | 10 | 6% | 102,020 |
| 2000 Town CAR | 10 | 9% | 176,500 |
| 1999 Town CAR | 21 | 14% | 97,000 |
| 1998 Town CAR | 19 | 12% | 97,000 |
| 1997 Town CAR | 50 | 16% | 90,000 |
| 1996 Town CAR | 25 | 10% | 92,000 |
| 1995 Town CAR | 23 | 14% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
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).
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM CONTROL ARM CAUSING CONTROL ARM TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE SAME AS YOUR [redacted] BUT CALLING LINCOLN THEY SAID THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. EVEN THOUGH IT DID EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL SAID. *TR
Son was operating the vehicle. As he made a left turn, he heard a loud clunking sound and the right side of the vehicle crashed to the ground. Had the car towed home and subsequently towed to the repair shop the next day. Was told that the lower right ball joint had failed, subsequently snapping…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln town car. While driving approximately 20 mph, the engine began to misfire. The check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel until the engine was turned off. The failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. The vehicle was taken to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Lincoln Town CARs have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR (16% of the 314 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 90,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joint”, in 18 of 50 complaints, followed by “control arm” (18).
Other 1997 Lincoln Town CAR problems
See all 1997 Lincoln Town CAR problems or suspension problems across all Town CAR years.