Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Lincoln Continental problems

Owners filed 72 complaints about the 1998 Lincoln Continental with NHTSA between Apr 1998 and Apr 2014. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (14).

Complaints
72
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling14
  2. Vehicle speed control13
  3. Power train7
  4. Electrical system7
  5. Visibility6
  6. Seat belts5
  7. Structure5
  8. Air bags4
  9. Steering3
  10. Exterior lighting3
  11. Tires3
  12. Equipment3
  13. Suspension3
  14. Seats2

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 Oct 28, 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
199813
199911
200010
20015
20025
20038
20042
20055
20061
20070
20082
20092
20102
20114
20121
20130
20141

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

Engine and engine cooling

14 reports1 fire
“VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN IDLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED, BUT THEN IT STARTED TO REV UP UNTIL IT REACHED 1200 RPMS, AND THEN IT GOT STUCK ON 3000 RPMS CONTACTED DEALER.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2002Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 8004409

Vehicle speed control

13 reports4 crashes1 fire
“SPONTANEOUS FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE LAST DRIVEN ABOUT 12 HOURS BEFORE, AND HAD BEEN OFF SINCE THAT TIME. DURING A DOWNPOUR, AND WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE IGNITED SHORTLY AFTER 6AM - 02/06/10. EVENTS AND REMAINING EVIDENCE CLOSELY MATCH THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH FIRES FOR OTHER FORD MODELS (INCLUDING SAME MODEL-YEAR TOWN CARS). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2010Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10317112

Power train

7 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 186,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2011Power trainODI 10410532

Electrical system

7 reports
“I KEEP GETTING THIS MESSAGE. FROM: [email protected] DATE: 3/18/2009 4:02:15 PM TO: SUBJECT: UNKNOWN FOOTPRINTS INCOMING MAIL ERROR FOOTPRINTS ENCOUNTERED AN ERROR PROCESSING AN INCOMING MAIL MESSAGE. THE ERROR CODE IS BELOW. IF THE ERROR IS UNCLEAR OR IF YOU NEED HELP, PLEASE CONTACT SUPPORT. FOOTPRINTS ERROR: 201 [MICROSOFT][ODBC SQL SERVER DRIVER][TCP/IP SOCKETS]SQL SERVER DOES NOT EXIST OR ACCESS DENIED. (SQL-08001) [MICROSOFT][ODBC SQL SERVER DRIVER][TCP/IP SOCKETS]CONNECTIONOPEN (CONNECT()). (SQL-01000)(DBD: DB_LOGIN/SQLCONNECT ERR=-1) CONNECTION STRING: DBI:ODBC:FOOTPRINTS\ THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEND TO:[email protected] FROM: SUBJECT:AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT MODUALE COMMENTS: I GOT A NOTICE OF AN ERROR ON SENDING YOU MY MESSAGE. HOPE YOU DO NOT GET TWO. MY 98 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL HAS NO TURNSIGNAL LIGHTS,NO EMERGENCY LIGHTS ETC. IT CAN NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY. WE HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD WE NEED AN AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT MODULE. HOWEVER IT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THERE IS NONE AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY(CASE ID#1556870779) AND WAS TOLD TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2009Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10262379

Visibility

6 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW AND DRIVER SIDE MIRRORS WERE TINTED WITH AN ANTI-REFLECTION CHEMICAL WHICH MELTED THE PLASTIC INSIDE CAUSING THE MIRRORS TO LOOK FOGGY OR DARKER THAN THEY WERE. HE BELIEVED IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE HIS VISIBILITY WAS MINIMAL AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2011VisibilityODI 10382742

Seat belts

5 reports1 crash
“THE RIGHT AND LEFT SEATS BELTS IN THE REAR OF CAR WILL NO LONGER RETRACT. I GOT THEM UNSTUCK A COUPLE TIMES BUT IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. I AM AFRAID BECAUSE MY KIDS SIT BACK THERE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2011Seat beltsODI 10377302
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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