Total Complaints
24 filings
LINCOLN TOWN CAR · model year
1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985LINCOLNTOWN CAR carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 8 fires, 3 injuries, and 3 fatalities. 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 1985 TOWN CAR is tires:tread/belt with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (2) and electrical system:ignition (2). 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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 TOWN CAR. 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.
24
Complaints
1
Crashes
8
Fires
3
Injuries
3
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060125TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE FAILURE: ABNORMAL BELT SEPARATION. PHOTO AND TIRE IS AVAILABLE. SEARS GUARDSMAN, RESPONSE XL, P215/75R15. 78615, DOT#CHHF244. ALSO, THERE WERE LARGE CRACKS WITHIN THE TREAD.*AK
20030916ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING AT 32 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. DEALERS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER HAD A SHORT IN THE WIRE. HER CONCERN WAS THAT SHE COULDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER A WHILE. *PH *JB
20020528TIRES:TREAD/BELT
SPARE TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION ON IT. 13OOO MILES, 225/75R15. *AK MICHELN DOT M 3DY D3NX 527. MONTHLY INSPECTION OF SPARE TIRE FOUND AIR WAS ESCAPING FROM TIRE. TOOK TIRE OUT OF TRUNK AND THE AREA FACING REAR FIREWALL WAS BLOWN OUT, TIRE SEPARATION. CONTACTED MICHELIN AND REPLY WAS TIRE IS OLD. PHOTO ATTACHED. 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. *TT
20020514TIRES
FIRESTONE,215/70/R15, TIRE UNRAVELED, COMPLETELY SEPERATED.
20020513UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CONSUMER IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 90 V 000 000 EQUIPMENT: CERTIFICATION LABEL. BUT, THIS VEHICLE NOT PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN.
20011126TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE UNRAVELLED AND TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED.
20011016TIRES
FIRESTONE,215/70/R15, TIRE UNRAVELED, COMPLETELY SEPERATED.
20010125FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
I HAD ALWAYS FELT A SLUGGISHNESS IN THE CAR WHEN THE GEARS WERE CHANGING. BEING IT THAT THIS WOULD ALWAYS CORRECT ITSELF STILL I HAD AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. YET IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I CONSTANLY DWELLED UPON, UNTIL NOW. SEVERAL MACHANICS MADE STATEMENTS THEA THEY HAD NEVER KNOWN OF AN INTAKE MANIFOLD TO EXPLODE. THIS IS WHEN I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE PAST. ONCE THE MECHANIC HAD REMOVED THIS UNIT HE MENTIONED THAT THIS UNIT HAD MANY DEFECTS IN IT. THERE WERE THIN SPOTS AND THICK SPOTS THAT VARIED THROUGH OUT THIS UNIT. ONE BEING WHERE THIS UNIT HAD EXPLODED, LEAVING A HOLE IN IT THE SIZE OF A BULLET, YET IT WASN'T A BULLET HOLE. AFTER DRIVING MY CAR HOME I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT THIS CAR WAS DRING BETTER THAN IT EVER HAD WITH OUT THE HESITATIONS. I THEN REALIZED THAT THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE BEEN EFFECTING THE OPERATION OF THIS CAR FROM DAY ONE. ONE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE PARTS WERE OBSOLETE, THEREFORE I WO
20010110FireSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN STEERING COLUMN EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER ,AND POURED SNOW ON IT TO TAKE FIRE OUT. *AK
20010110FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN STEERING COLUMN EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER ,AND POURED SNOW ON IT TO TAKE FIRE OUT. *AK
20000426FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
19991007STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS USED TO HOLD THE HOOD UP GAVE WAY, ALLOWING THE HOOD T0 FALL DOWN, ALMOST INJURING THE OWNER. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
19990707ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS STALLED AND CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACE THREE TIMES. *AK
19990107STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CONSUMER HAD A SICK PASSENGER IN BACK SEAT , DROVE TO HOSPITAL , WENT TO UNLOCK DOORS BY THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM NEXT TO DRIVER , BUT IT WAS INOPERATIVE. NEXT, CONSUMER WENT TO OPEN THE BACK DOOR MANUALLY, BUT IT WILL NOT OPEN ON EITHER SIDE. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL SICK PASSNEGER TO THE FRONT SEAT IN ORDER TO GET HIM OUT. DEFECT CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
19960604FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT, STEERING COLUMN FIRE, VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED AND RETURN VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK
19960502CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH
19960426STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, DROVE TO HOUSE, AFTER ARRIVING HOME, SMOKE STOPPED. *AK
19960423FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION FIRE. *AK
19960423FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION FIRE. *AK
19960418FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE CAR BURNED UP FROM THE HARNESS UNDER THE DASH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Compare 1985LINCOLNTOWN CAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR have?▼
The 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR has 24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 8 fires, 3 injuries, and 3 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1985 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.