LINCOLN MARK VII · model year

1986 LINCOLN MARK VII

10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986LINCOLNMARK VII carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 MARK VII is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:switch (2) and seats:front assembly:recliner (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1986 MARK VII, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

10
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

10 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
TIRES1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recent Complaints

20031212EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *AK

20031212ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *AK

20031212SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF/ DASH BUTTONS STOPPED WORKING, AND BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *AK

20020412FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE ORIGINAL RCALL LETTER 87V139000 FROM DEALER CONCERNING FUEL LINE LEAK. *AK

20010829ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AT ANY SPEED. REPAIR SHOP CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK

20000426FireTIRES

IN TRYING TO PULL OUT OF SNOW, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE CAUGHT FIRE DAMAGING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. YH

19970627FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED FIRE.

19960426ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK CAUSED THE WIRES IN THE IGNITION TO BURN OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

19960422FireFatalENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE WHILE OWNER WAS ASLEEP. HUSBAND DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION.

19960404SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVES FORWARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Compare 1986LINCOLNMARK VII to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 LINCOLN MARK VII have?
The 1986 LINCOLN MARK VII has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 LINCOLN MARK VII?
The most-complained component for the 1986 LINCOLN MARK VII is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1986 LINCOLN MARK VII safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.