Lincoln Town CAR Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 249 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the Lincoln Town CAR across 14 model years. The 2003 model year has the most (81). The words owners use most often: “ball joint” (22% of reports).
- 249suspension complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 26%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 56 of 249 complaints (22%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 43 of 249 complaints (17%)
- Suspension rear: mentioned in 27 of 249 complaints (11%)
- Wheel bearings: mentioned in 16 of 249 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 149 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 249 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
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 (3)
Suspension:front:hub
Model years: 2007
Problem: 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.
Suspension:rear
Model years: 2003
Problem: 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.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
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.
See attached document for complaint.
[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
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 1999 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel started pulling to the left with extreme force. The contact attempted to correct the over steering and the vehicle started pulling to the right and the left. The contact stated that…
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while his son was driving on the highway, the accelerator pedal was slightly released; however, the vehicle stopped instantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his destination safely. The vehicle was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Lincoln Town CARs have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 249 owner complaints about suspension 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 suspension?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the Lincoln Town CAR?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joint”, in 56 of 249 complaints, followed by “control arm” (43).
Other Lincoln Town CAR problems
See all Lincoln Town CAR problems.