LINCOLN · vehicle model

LINCOLN TOWN CAR

4,328 NHTSA complaints and 18 safety recalls across model years 1977–2011.

Complaints
4,328
Recalls
18
Model years
34

The LINCOLNTOWN CAR appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 4,328 consumer safety complaints and 18 recall campaigns across 34 model years (1977–2011). That averages roughly 127 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 1 investigation file tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
201111
201017
20096
200831
2007114
2006207
2005161
200499
2003242
200270
2001207
2000147
1999203
1998194
1997395
1996316
1995241
1994212
1993226
1992312
1991278
1990267
198997
1988123
198740
198654
198524
198419
19836
19824
19811
19801
19781
19772

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 178 in 2017-2021 to 74 in 2022-2026, a fall of 58.4%. That is the 37th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

196
’95
429
’96
209
’97
231
’98
417
’99
237
’00
273
’01
235
’02
226
’03
235
’04
177
’05
146
’06
129
’07
186
’08
84
’09
99
’10
73
’11
66
’12
77
’13
172
’14
102
’15
77
’16
54
’17
44
’18
50
’19
16
’20
14
’21
31
’22
23
’23
16
’24
4
’25

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare LINCOLNTOWN CAR to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the LINCOLN TOWN CAR?
The LINCOLN TOWN CAR has received 4,328 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1977 to 2011, with 18 recalls. That averages about 127 complaints per model year.
What years of LINCOLN TOWN CAR are available?
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the LINCOLN TOWN CAR from 1977 to 2011 (34 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the LINCOLN TOWN CAR have safety ratings?
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many LINCOLN TOWN CAR model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common LINCOLN TOWN CAR complaints?
NHTSA complaints for the LINCOLN TOWN CAR are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my LINCOLN TOWN CAR has been recalled?
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. LINCOLN TOWN CAR totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.