Lincoln Town Car Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Lincoln Town Car model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 2009 drew the fewest (5) and the 1997 the most (314).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Among the fewest complaints |
5 | 3 | Engine | — | 19 |
| 2011 Among the fewest complaints |
6 | 3 | Steering | — | 19 |
| 2010 Among the fewest complaints |
13 | 3 | Steering | — | 19 |
| 2008 | 20 | 3 | Service brakes | — | 18 |
| 2002 | 65 | 0 | Air bags | — | 17 |
| 2004 | 83 | 0 | Vehicle speed control | — | 18 |
| 2007 | 84 | 3 | Vehicle speed control | — | 18 |
| 2000 | 108 | 8 | Electrical system | — | 18 |
| 2005 | 119 | 3 | Vehicle speed control | — | 19 |
| 2006 | 143 | 2 | Air bags | — | 18 |
| 1999 | 148 | 5 | Air bags | — | 18 |
| 1998 | 154 | 7 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 18 |
| 1994 | 155 | 5 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 18 |
| 2001 | 161 | 5 | Air bags | — | 18 |
| 1995 | 165 | 6 | Service brakes | — | 18 |
| 1993 | 176 | 4 | Electrical system | — | 19 |
| 2003 | 201 | 1 | Suspension | — | 18 |
| 1992 Among the most complaints |
249 | 4 | Electrical system | — | 18–20 |
| 1996 Among the most complaints |
259 | 8 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 18 |
| 1997 Among the most complaints |
314 | 6 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 18 |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Lincoln Town Car years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
1997 Lincoln Town Car: 314 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 87 (28%); Suspension 50 (16%); Service brakes 43 (14%).
Reports mention 10 crashes, 6 fires, 8 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 90,000 miles. 6 recall campaigns listed.
1996 Lincoln Town Car: 259 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 90 (35%); Vehicle speed control 33 (13%); Service brakes 30 (12%).
Reports mention 9 crashes, 12 fires, 8 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 92,000 miles. 8 recall campaigns listed.
1992 Lincoln Town Car: 249 complaints
Most-reported: Electrical system 73 (29%); Engine and engine cooling 48 (19%); Vehicle speed control 39 (16%).
Reports mention 11 crashes, 94 fires, 14 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 100,000 miles. 4 recall campaigns listed.
The Lincoln Town Car years with the fewest complaints
2009 Lincoln Town Car: 5 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 2 (40%); Vehicle speed control 2 (40%); Air bags 1 (20%).
3 recall campaigns listed.
2011 Lincoln Town Car: 6 complaints
Most-reported: Steering 4 (67%); Air bags 2 (33%); Seat belts 1 (17%).
Reports mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. 3 recall campaigns listed.
2010 Lincoln Town Car: 13 complaints
Most-reported: Steering 5 (38%); Electrical system 3 (23%); Seats 2 (15%).
Reports mention 1 fire. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 94,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Lincoln Town Car owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 94,000 |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46,800 |
| 2007 | 84 | 19 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 60,000 |
| 2006 | 143 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 62,780 |
| 2005 | 119 | 17 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 65,000 |
| 2004 | 83 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 65,500 |
| 2003 | 201 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 69,444 |
| 2002 | 65 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 49,000 |
| 2001 | 161 | 21 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 80,000 |
| 2000 | 108 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 70,000 |
| 1999 | 148 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 100,000 |
| 1998 | 154 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 84,000 |
| 1997 | 314 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 90,000 |
| 1996 | 259 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 92,000 |
| 1995 | 165 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 104,000 |
| 1994 | 155 | 15 | 26 | 18 | 0 | 111,000 |
| 1993 | 176 | 13 | 57 | 14 | 0 | 110,000 |
| 1992 | 249 | 11 | 94 | 14 | 1 | 100,000 |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Lincoln Town Car recalls
- FORD/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION (1988–1989 model years; 7,900,000 vehicles across all models; filed Apr 1996; 96V071000)
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (1992–1998 model years; 3,600,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2007; 07V336000)
- FUEL:FUEL LINES:METALLIC (1986–1988 model years; 3,600,000 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 1987; 87V139000)
- FORD/TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLES (2001 model year; 1,400,000 vehicles across all models; filed Jul 2001; 01V227001)
- FORD/WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR COVER (2000–2001 model years; 1,083,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2001; 01V258000)
All 47 Lincoln Town Car recall campaigns · Lincoln Town Car problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Lincoln Town Car years FAQ
Which Lincoln Town Car year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 2009 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (5). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Lincoln Town Car years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 1997, 1996 and 1992 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the vehicle speed control. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Lincoln Town Car problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the vehicle speed control (390 of 2,628 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Lincoln Town Car have?
NHTSA lists 47 recall campaigns covering the Lincoln Town Car. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Lincoln Town Car recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.