Total Complaints
226 filings
LINCOLN TOWN CAR · model year
226 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993LINCOLNTOWN CAR carries 226 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 17 crashes, 67 fires, 19 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 1993 TOWN CAR is vehicle speed control with 30 filings, followed by electrical system (16) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (13). 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 1993 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.
Total Complaints
226 filings
Crashes Reported
17 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 30 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 16 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 13 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 13 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 12 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 10 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 9 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 4 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM | 4 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 3 |
I WAS WORKING ON DOING MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR. NEXT THING I KNOW, THERE'S A FIRE. I GOT IT OUT QUICKLY ENOUGH WITH THE ORIGINAL EXTINGUISHER. THE SPEED CONTROL HARNESS, WHICH HAD A RECALL AT ONE POINT, IS BURNED AND A BRAKE LINE BUSTED. 9F924 IS THE NUMBER FOR THE PART. I DO NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THIS WAS EVER REPLACED. BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN HOT ENOUGH TO CATCH BRAKE FLUID ON FIRE
Mileage: 83,000
I WAS WORKING ON DOING MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR. NEXT THING I KNOW, THERE'S A FIRE. I GOT IT OUT QUICKLY ENOUGH WITH THE ORIGINAL EXTINGUISHER. THE SPEED CONTROL HARNESS, WHICH HAD A RECALL AT ONE POINT, IS BURNED AND A BRAKE LINE BUSTED. 9F924 IS THE NUMBER FOR THE PART. I DO NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THIS WAS EVER REPLACED. BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN HOT ENOUGH TO CATCH BRAKE FLUID ON FIRE
Mileage: 83,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT BEGAN TO MAKE A JERKING MOTION AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURES RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT BEGAN TO MAKE A JERKING MOTION AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURES RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD AND THE FUSE BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY.THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY FOR ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS.I WAS INSIDE MY HOUSE WHEN I HEARD SOMEONE HONKING OUTSIDE.WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW THE CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD.I GOT MY PHONE AND CALLED 911.BY TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN FLAMES. *KB
Mileage: 139,000
THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY.THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY FOR ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS.I WAS INSIDE MY HOUSE WHEN I HEARD SOMEONE HONKING OUTSIDE.WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW THE CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD.I GOT MY PHONE AND CALLED 911.BY TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN FLAMES. *KB
Mileage: 139,000
I PURCHASED A USED 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR ON DEC 17. ON DECEMBER 19 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE GARAGE. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE PURCHASE OR STARED. FIRE CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO GARAGE. COMPLETELY BURNED THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THE INVESTIGATOR STATED IT WAS SPEED CONTROL , SINCE I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WAS UNAWARE OF THE RECALL. *TR
Mileage: 160,000
BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT SO WE REPLACED THE BULBS TO NO AVAIL. REPLACED THE FUSE AND FIXED THE BRAKE LIGHTS. DROVE CAR TO WORK AND BACK THURSDAY 1/28/10. PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY AT 7PM. AWOKEN AT 3AM TO CAR ENGINE COMPLETELY IN FLAMES. RESEARCHED AND FOUND A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #: 99V124000. DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING HOUSES AND NEARBY CAR. *TR
DASH CONTROL MODULE THAT CONTROLS VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER CAUSES ALL THE DIGITAL DASH THE FLASH LIKE STROBE LIGHTS. DRIVER CAN DETERMINE SPEED OF VEHICLE AND ODOMETER RECORDS INTERMITTENTLY. D CAR ALSO HAS A SMELL OG BURNING WIRES OR PLASTIC. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
MY 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED UP. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE HE FIRE STARTED. THE FORD COMPANY CLAIMED (BASED ONLY ON PICTURES THAT I SENT THEM) THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH FIRE DAMAGE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE FIRE WAS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE PART WHICH HAD A RECALL.. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT, WHICH I ALSO PROVIDED TO FORD, STATES THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE AN UNDER THE HOOD ELECTRICAL FIRE. I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS BEING RECALLED. THE RECALL NOTICE STATES THAT FORD CANNOT BE CONFIDENT THAT OVER MANY YEARS IN SERVICE, THE TYPE OF SCDS INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE WILL NOT LEAK, POSING THE RISK OF AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. THIS CONDITION MAY OCCUR EITHER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OR WHEN IT IS BEING OPERATED, EVEN IF THE SPEED CONTROL IS NOT USED. YET, WHEN I SUBMITTED MY CLAIM, I WAS TOLD THAT THE FIRE HAD CAUSED TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND WAS ASKED TO CONTACT MY INSUR
Mileage: 115,000
1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER APPLYING BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 55 MPH I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT AND APPLIED THE BREAK AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT TURN OFF. TO AVOID A COLLISION THE BREAKS WERE APPLIED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND I PUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, WHEREAS THE ENGINE RPM RACED BUT THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUT THE VEHICLE BACK IN DRIVE AND PRECEDED TO THE CURB WHERE I AGAIN PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I INSPECTED THE THROTTLE AND CRUISE CONTROL LINKAGE AND FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL LINKAGE AND WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE IDLED NORMALLY. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND UPON HIS INSPECTION HIS ONLY FINDING WAS A BLOWN FUSE FOR THE BRAK
Mileage: 140,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELLS. SECONDS LATER, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE FORD/LINCOLN MANUFACTURER AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/10/09 *BF THE CONSUMER MAILED IN RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND THE PART WAS INSTALLED MARCH 12, 2008. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF A FUEL LEAK. UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB
Mileage: 75,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELLS. SECONDS LATER, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE FORD/LINCOLN MANUFACTURER AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/10/09 *BF THE CONSUMER MAILED IN RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND THE PART WAS INSTALLED MARCH 12, 2008. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF A FUEL LEAK. UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB
Mileage: 75,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELLS. SECONDS LATER, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE FORD/LINCOLN MANUFACTURER AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/10/09 *BF THE CONSUMER MAILED IN RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND THE PART WAS INSTALLED MARCH 12, 2008. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF A FUEL LEAK. UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB
Mileage: 75,000
VEHICLE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES AFTER BEING PARKED AND SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. FIRE INVESTIGATOR BELIEVES A POSSIBLE CAUSE COULD BE A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH (FORD ISSUED A RECALL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH DEACTIVATED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOTIFY THE CONTACT WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF HAVING THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH DISCONNECTED, HE WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE A FEATURE THAT WAS EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT WHILE TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES. FORD NEVER CALLED HIM BACK. THE CONTACT CALLED CONSECUTIVELY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY REPAIRED. OUT OF FRUSTRATION, HE SOLD THE VEHICLE. EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE SALE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 203,000.
Mileage: 203,000
1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR RECALL FOR SPEED CONTROL. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE REPAIRED. CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD FOR FIVE MONTHS THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT IN YET. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A FORD RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN AUGUST OF 2007. HE HAS BEEN INFORMED EVERY MONTH THEREAFTER THAT THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE THE FOLLOWING MONTH. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILES 56,000. UPDATED 3/11/08 *CN UPDATED 03/11/08 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A FORD RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS DEACTIVATED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE FIRE. THE CONTACT HAS SINCE BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT DATES AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WILL ARRIVE. HE IS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH FORD'S RESPONSE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
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.