Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Lincoln Town Car problems

Owners filed 20 complaints about the 2008 Lincoln Town Car with NHTSA between May 2009 and Mar 2021. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (5).

Complaints
20
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control5
  2. Steering3
  3. Service brakes3
  4. Electrical system3
  5. Structure2
  6. Power train2
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  8. Suspension1
  9. Air bags1
  10. Wheels1
  11. Visibility1
  12. Latches/locks/linkages1
  13. Engine1
  14. Fuel/propulsion system1

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
20091
20105
20111
20120
20131
20142
20153
20162
20172
20181
20191
20200
20211

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

Vehicle speed control

5 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES AND REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. UPDATED 10/26/17*LJ *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2017Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11020170

Steering

3 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SWAYED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED NOR DIAGNOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V385000 (STEERING) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2021SteeringODI 11404636

Service brakes

3 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE APPROACHING TRAFFIC IN A LANE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND WAS SLOW TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR WHIPLASH THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE16003 (SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED PER THE CONTACT'S REQUEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO SPECIFIC REMEDY FOR THE CONDITION. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 7, 2016Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10840237

Electrical system

3 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR INDEPENDENTLY LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,800.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2016Electrical system, Structure, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10894409

Structure

2 reports
“2008 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FACTORY'S NON-REMOVAL OF PLASTIC SHEETING (USED TO PREVENT DUST IN FAN COMPARTMENT) SHREDDED/BLOCKED DEFROSTER VENTS, FAN, BLEND DOOR, AND HEATER CAUSING NOISES AND SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *SMD *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2018Visibility, StructureODI 10869964

Power train

2 reports2 crashes
“I WAS SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF MY SHORT DRIVEWAY MY FOOT ONLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN SUDDENLY CAR ACCELERATES AND HIT PARKED CAR ACROSS AT RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. TWO WEEKS BEFORE THIS I WAS DRIVING ON ROAD ABOUT 15 MPH AND SAW CAR AHEAD OF ME HAD STOPPED I PUT FOOT ON BRAKE STARTED SLOWING WHEN CAR ACCELERATED HARD TAPPED BRAKE AND CAR STOPPED. I DIDN'T PRESS THROTTLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2017Power trainCrash reportedODI 10949532
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.