Total Complaints
54 filings
LINCOLN TOWN CAR · model year
1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
54 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986LINCOLNTOWN CAR carries 54 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 27 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 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 1986 TOWN CAR is electrical system:ignition:switch with 12 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (7) and electrical system:ignition (5). 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 1986 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.
54
Complaints
4
Crashes
27
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 12 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 5 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| WHEELS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080825CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR WAS PARKED WITH TRANSMISSION SELECTOR IN PARK POSITION WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND BEGIN TO ROLL AWAY. WHEN THE CAR HIT ANOTHER CAR AND CAME TO REST, THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR WAS IN REVERSE POSITION. *TR
Mileage: 118,000
20041105FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND INDICATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELECTRICAL THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK
Mileage: 168,000
20030703ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
PAINT PEELING, EMISSIONS BAD.
20020422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS LURCHING, THEN CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRES. DEALER DETERMINED THAT RIGHT FRONT BRAKE WAS LOCKED UP, CALIPER AND BRAKE HOSE WERE REPLACED. *AK
20020422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS LURCHING, THEN CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRES. DEALER DETERMINED THAT RIGHT FRONT BRAKE WAS LOCKED UP, CALIPER AND BRAKE HOSE WERE REPLACED. *AK
20010327FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
STRAPS THAT HOLD FUEL TANK IN PLACE HAVE BEEN RUBBING ON TANK, FUEL TANK IS LEAKING DUE TO THAT. *AK THE TANK NEEDS REPLACING. *YH
20010129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TEMPERAMENTAL AND THE VEHICLE IS STALLING. *SLC
20010123ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TEMPERAMENTAL AND THE VEHICLE IS STALLING. *SLC
20001025TIRES
MODEL POWER PRIMA ATERMARKET TIRE SIZE P21570R15 WITH 30,000 MILES WITH 80,000 MILE WARRANTY. DRIVER'SFRONT TIRE BELT BROKE INSIDE THE TIRE, CAUSING TIRE TO GO OUT OF ROUND. CONSUMER HAD TO BUY 2 BRAND NEW TIRES BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVEABLE.*AK DOT #H288YPE1513. *SLC
20000823FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK
19990906UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
19990701VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STARTED CAR AFTER IT HAD SET FOR THREE DAY, PUT IT IN REVERSE, TOUCHED GAS PEDAL TO BACK UP AND SUDDENLY THE CAR SHOT BACKWARDS LIKE A ROCKET, GOING AT AN UNCONTROLABLE RATE OF SPEED, BRAKING DID NOT EFFECT IT. FINALLY AFTER SHOVING IN PARK AND TURNING IGNITION OFF, IT CAME TO REST AT REAR OF A BUILDING ON SOME METAL PIPES SURROUNDING AN OUTSIDE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. IT HAD RUN OVER ANOTHER UNIT AND FLATTENED IT. THE REAR FENDERS AND BUMPER OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED. *AK
19981223UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY CAR BEGAN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH SURGING (FEELING LIKE SOMEONE IS REPEATEDLY MASHING ON AND THEN LETTING UP ON THE ACCELERATER) SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS INCLUDING A FORD DEALERSHIP OVER THE PAST YEARS AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT WILLN'T IDLE. I REPEATEDLY DIES AT INTERSECTIONS, IN PARKING LOTS, ETC. IT DIED 6 TIMES WHILE A MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT INTO A BAY AND STILL THE COMPUTER SAID THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM. MECHANICS HAVE DONE EVERYTHING INCLUDING SETTING THE TIMEING, AND STILL IT SURGES AND DIES. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SELL IT; PEOPLE CAN HEAR THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. I HAVE EVEN CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AT FORD, AND WAS ONLY REFERRED TO DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO HELP ME IN THE PAST. I WILLN'T BUY ANY FORD PRODUCT AGAIN AND WILL DISCOURAGE ANY OF MY FRIENDS FROM PURCHASING ONE. I LIMIT MY TRAVEL AS MUCH AS PO
19981127FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR REPLACED ON 11-23-96, NEW ALTERNATOR SHORTED OUT RESULTING IN FIRE.
19980814FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK
19980728FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE ALTERNATOR.*AK *JB
19971003WHEELS
LEFT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING.
19970527FireSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL.
19970128POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
WHEN SHIFT SELECTOR IS PUT IN DRIVE IT READS OVERDRIVE/OVERDRIVE READS NEUTRAL.
19970123STRUCTURE:BODY
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND THE ROOF CAME OFF .*AK
Compare 1986LINCOLNTOWN CAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR have?▼
The 1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR has 54 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 27 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1986 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.