Lincoln Town CAR Steering Problems
Owners have filed 186 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Lincoln Town CAR across 17 model years. The 1997 model year has the most (22). The words owners use most often: “steering shaft” (14% of reports).
- 186steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 16mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 23%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.
- Steering shaft: mentioned in 26 of 186 complaints (14%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 16 of 186 complaints (9%)
- Ball joints: mentioned in 12 of 186 complaints (6%)
- Lost control: mentioned in 10 of 186 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 102 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 186 complaints, 16 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 5 an injury.
Lincoln Town CAR steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Town CAR | 4 | 67% | 67,500 |
| 2010 Town CAR | 5 | 38% | 94,000 |
| 2009 Town CAR | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2008 Town CAR | 3 | 15% | 110,239 |
| 2007 Town CAR | 18 | 21% | 147,224 |
| 2006 Town CAR | 13 | 9% | 110,000 |
| 2005 Town CAR | 8 | 7% | 126,500 |
| 2004 Town CAR | 14 | 17% | 79,150 |
| 2003 Town CAR | 16 | 8% | 107,453 |
| 2002 Town CAR | 3 | 5% | 86,500 |
| 2001 Town CAR | 10 | 6% | 83,000 |
| 2000 Town CAR | 7 | 6% | 128,700 |
| 1999 Town CAR | 15 | 10% | 85,000 |
| 1998 Town CAR | 13 | 8% | 77,500 |
| 1997 Town CAR | 22 | 7% | 79,750 |
| 1996 Town CAR | 19 | 7% | 94,000 |
| 1995 Town CAR | 15 | 9% | 151,628 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Steering:rack and pinion:pinion shaft
Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Problem: 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 customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S25.
Steering
Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Problem: 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 steering column lower bearing has separated, a retainer clip will be installed. The recall began on October 23, 2013. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13S08.
Steering:linkages
Model years: 1995, 1996
Problem: The pitman arms were not fully lubricated at the assembly plant. The "ball joint" at the outer end of the pitman arm can become contaminated and corrode.
Risk: Such corrosion can result in abnormal wear of the joint, resulting in separation of the joint. Loss of steering control can occur increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and if the joint is found to have significant wear, the arm will be replaced. Those pitman arms not replaced will have the "ball joint" fully greased.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Bought a 2004 Linc Tow as a gift to my grandson. Drove it a couple of times and had no issues. After it had sat for about 2-3 weeks, I drove it to town to let it run after sitting. On my way home I was turning on to the road for home and the steering suddenly caught, I was in the middle of a turn…
The contact owns a 2010 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to control. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or…
Inner and outer tie rod ends, tie rod end adjusting sleeve, and sway bar link replaced after inner tie rod end pulled out of the adjusting sleeve thatâs on the sway bar link thereâs still constant pulling in the steering and is either to touchy when trying to correct vehicle back into lane or…
The contact owns a 2007 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure…
all body frame has rust.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Lincoln Town CARs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 186 owner complaints about steering for the Lincoln Town CAR. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Lincoln Town CAR steering?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Lincoln Town CAR?
The most frequent phrase is “steering shaft”, in 26 of 186 complaints, followed by “tie rod” (16).
Other Lincoln Town CAR problems
See all Lincoln Town CAR problems.