Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Lincoln Continental problems

Owners filed 96 complaints about the 1997 Lincoln Continental with NHTSA between Apr 1997 and Jan 2019. The most-cited component is visibility (15).

Complaints
96
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility15
  2. Steering12
  3. Power train10
  4. Suspension10
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic9
  6. Tires9
  7. Vehicle speed control8
  8. Electrical system7
  9. Engine and engine cooling6
  10. Air bags4
  11. Equipment3
  12. Fuel system, gasoline2
  13. Engine1
  14. Electronic stability control1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19974
19988
199917
200015
200114
20026
200312
20047
20053
20063
20072
20081
20090
20100
20110
20122
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20181
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

15 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILED TO DIM AUTOMATICALLY. THE MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT GLARE FROM THE OTHER VEHICLES' LIGHTS. THE MIRROR FAILED DUE TO UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES THE FIRST TIME. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE SECOND MIRROR FAILED BECAUSE THE LIQUID IN THE MIRROR LEAKED OUT. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED A THIRD TIME AND THE MIRROR WAS REPLACED. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED A FOURTH TIME THE MIRROR HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. UPDATED 2/21/2006 - *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2006VisibilityODI 10149027

Steering

12 reports
“WHILE DRIVING A NOISE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD TO BE STARTED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE POWER ASSIST PUMP WOULD OPERATE. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS UNDER TSB 6092661. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AGAIN BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK *MR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2004SteeringODI 10056056

Power train

10 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 40,000 MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2012Power train, EngineODI 10475076

Suspension

10 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND STRUTS HAVING FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,388. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS THE REPAIR INVOICES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2007SuspensionODI 10188353

Service brakes, hydraulic

9 reports1 related recall
“TL*- THEE CONTACT HAS A 1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BOTH TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. HE HAS HAD 3 FAILURES OF THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER MAKES THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND ONE CAN ONLY GET USED REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2007Electronic stability control, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10185734

Tires

9 reports1 crash
“1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL, RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE, THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE ALMOST SEPARATING AT THE TREAD WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF NEW TIRES. *KB AT TIME OF PURCHASE THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BOUNCE AND WOBBLE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 30-58 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO CHECKED THE TIRES. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE TIRES HAD A LOT OF TREAD LEFT AND IF HE COULD LIVE WITH A LITTLE BOUNCE THAT THE TIRES WERE FINE. THE TECH INDICATED REPLACING THE TIRES IF THE BOUNCE BECAME MUCH WORSE. EVENTUALLY THE BOUNCE BECAME WORSE AND THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE THE TIRE. THE DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD STARTED SEPARATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED ALL THE TRIES AND FOUND THAT TWO OTHER TIRES HAD CORDS SHOWING ON THE INSIDE GROOVE. THE CONSUMER HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED THE NEXT DAY (MULTI-MILE GRAND AM LXE TIRES, TIRES MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL TIRE IN 2002 FOR TBC UNDER THE NAME MULTI MILE). *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2006TiresODI 10165859
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.