Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Lincoln Mark Viii problems

Owners filed 106 complaints about the 1996 Lincoln Mark Viii with NHTSA between Nov 1996 and Feb 2016. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (77).

Complaints
106
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
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. Exterior lighting77
  2. Vehicle speed control7
  3. Electrical system5
  4. Power train5
  5. Tires2
  6. Fuel system, gasoline2
  7. Air bags2
  8. Wheels2
  9. Engine and engine cooling2
  10. Structure1
  11. Interior lighting1
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  13. Seat belts1
  14. Visibility1

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 30, 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
19961
19977
19981
19991
200012
200111
200229
200310
20045
20053
200615
20072
20083
20092
20101
20110
20120
20131
20141
20150
20161

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

Exterior lighting

77 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS POOR VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THE HEADLIGHT LENSES HAD A CONSTANT FILM, WHICH AFFECTED THE LOW BEAMS. THE CONTACT CLEANED THE LENSES SEVERAL TIMES AND CHANGED THE BULBS, BUT THE VISIBILITY REMAINED POOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 5, 2016Exterior lightingODI 10824520

Vehicle speed control

7 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE INFORMING HIM THAT THE WIRING HARNESS SWITCH COULD LEAK INTERNALLY, OVERHEAT, SMOKE, AND BURN. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITH THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND WAS REPAIRED FOR $3800. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACED OR REPAIR HIS WIRING HARNESS SWITCH; THEREFORE, HE HAD TO PERFORM THE REPAIR HIMSELF AND HE WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IF THERE WAS A A RECALL THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED OTHER THAN THAT THE CONTACT IS LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. NHTSA 07V336000, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,730”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2009Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10284198

Electrical system

5 reports1 fire
“DRIVERS SIDE HID UNIT ON MY 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII IS NOT WORKING AND I CAN NOT SEEM TO FIND ANOTHER ONE USED OR NEW TO REPLACE IT WITH, SEEMS TO BE A DEALER ONLY PART AND THE PARTS 'DEPTS. I"VE SPOKEN WITH WANT TO CHARGE ME $750.00 TO $850.00 FOR THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH THE HID UNIT, I CAN ONLY DRIVE DURING THE DAY AND CANNNOT DRIVE AT NIGHT IN FEAR OF GETTING PULLED OVER OR GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2006Electrical systemODI 10155999

Power train

5 reports
“THE HEADLIGHTS THAT CAME STANDARD ON 1993-1996 MARK VIIIS ARE NOT SAFE FOR PUBLIC ROADS. THEY ARE PROBABLY THE WEAKEST HEADLIGHTS EVER PLACED INTO A VEHICLE DURING THE 1990S. IM SURPRISED THEY EVEN PASSED THE DOT REGULATIONS. THE HEADLIGHTS PROVIDE VERY LITTLE LIGHTING FOR THE ROAD AND THEY DO NOT EVEN GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO THE STREET SIGNS SO THAT THEY CAN BE READ LEGIBLY AND EASILY. DRIVING ON A POOR LIT ROAD IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TURNING ON THE HIGH BEAMS BECAUSE OTHER WISE YOU BECOME A HAZARD BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY. IVE BEEN IN COUNTLESS NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE POOR LIGHTS AND BECAUSE THEY BARELY LIGHT UP THE MARKERS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THEY EITHER NEED TO REPLACED WITH THE HID UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, OR AT LEAST IMPROVED DRASTICALLY; OTHERWISE THE RISK OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR DURING THE NIGHT INCREASES AT LEAST 10 FOLD.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2003Power train, Exterior lighting, Unknown or otherODI 10049419

Tires

2 reports
“DRIVING ON TOLLWAY ABOUT 60 MPH AND TIRE BLEW OUT. NO KNOWLEDGE OF HITTING ANYTHING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2010TiresODI 10344170

Fuel system, gasoline

2 reports
“PRODUCT RECALL = -SPEED CONTROL. AUG. 2007. DEALER DISCONNECTED IN 2007-NOT REPLACED...CAR NOW W/NO OVERDERIVE/SPEED CONTROL = WASTES GAS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2008Fuel system, gasoline, Vehicle speed controlODI 10218516
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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