Research · complaint index
Lincoln Continental years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 11 model years of the Lincoln Continental by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2017 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7 | 1 | 0.4 | 2 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2019 | 32 | 4 | 1.7 | 3 | 1 | Typical |
| 2018 | 21 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | Typical |
| 2017 | 75 | 8 | 3.2 | 4 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2002 | 33 | 1 | 0.6 | 1 | 4 | Typical |
| 2001 | 32 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | Typical |
| 2000 | 63 | 2 | 1.0 | 4 | 6 | Typical |
| 1999 | 42 | 2 | 0.6 | 3 | 6 | Typical |
| 1998 | 72 | 2 | 1.1 | 2 | 8 | Typical |
| 1997 | 96 | 3 | 1.4 | 2 | 5 | Typical |
| 1996 | 48 | 2 | 0.7 | 3 | 3 | Typical |
- 20207 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 201932 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 201821 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 201775 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
- 200233 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 200132 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 200063 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 199942 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 199872 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 199796 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 199648 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 29, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2020.
About this comparison
What Lincoln Continental years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2017 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 11 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.