1997 Lincoln Town Car suspension problems

“BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM CONTROL ARM CAUSING CONTROL ARM TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE SAME AS YOUR RECALL98V322000 BUT CALLING LINCOLN THEY SAID THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. EVEN THOUGH IT DID EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL SAID. *TR”

“SON WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. AS HE MADE A LEFT TURN, HE HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CRASHED TO THE GROUND. HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP THE NEXT DAY. WAS TOLD THAT THE LOWER RIGHT BALL JOINT HAD FAILED, SUBSEQUENTLY SNAPPING THE STABILIZER LINK. THIS HAPPENED IN AUGUST 2010. NOVEMBER 15, 2011, I WAS DRIVING HOME. STOPPED TO AIR UP MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. UPON RE-ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND BACKING OUT, THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE FELL TO THE GROUND. AGAIN, THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. THIS TIME, I HAD TO ALSO REPLACE THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM, RIGHT FRONT STABILIZER LINK, RIGHT FRONT SHOCK AND RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 LINCOLN TOWNCAR'S FRONT END. WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO INSTALL THE RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT (WHICH IS A PRESSED FIT) THE BALL JOINT WENT RIGHT IN BY HAND, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FAULTY. I NOW HAVE A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SIDE. I'M REALLY SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR. *KB”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE MANIFOLD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ALSO, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED AND COLLAPSED ONTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING AT 2 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND. SECONDS LATER, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FELL TO THE GROUND. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A CREAKING SOUND WHENEVER OPERATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT RECALL 98V322000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 175,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING 3-5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 136,278.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THE SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V322000) AND SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98I001000); HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS PART OF THE RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.”