1986 Lincoln Town CAR Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical fires near the steering column, ignition switch or engine compartment, and most of those reports were filed in the mid-1990s. Most sampled complaints do not list mileage, and the ones that do come from higher-mileage cars. A smaller group describes the car moving on its own from Park or reverse, plus some surging.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Fires near the steering column or under the hood

   • 24 complaints (48%)
   • median 168,000 mi at 19.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2004

   Owners describe smoke or a burning smell from the steering column, dash or engine compartment, often followed by flames. Some say it started as the key was turned, others while driving or while the car was parked. Some reports mention a fire department that thought the fire may have been electrical, and the complaints do not describe what the dealer did. Most of these reports give no mileage; they were mostly filed in the mid-1990s and describe events while driving, parked, or right after starting the car.

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch or any wiring near the steering column has been repaired, and look under the hood and around the column for melted insulation, burn marks or added aftermarket wiring.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When the key was turned in the ignition there was a cracking noise followed by smoke coming from under the hood. When the hood was popped there was a fire in the center of the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire, and indicated it may have been something electrical that caused the fire.”

   NHTSA complaint #10099514, filed 2004-11, 168,000 miles

   “Drove out of parking lot, about 1 to 3 minutes later, smoke poured out of steering column, around gear shift lever; minutes later, car engulfed with flames.”

   NHTSA complaint #983269, filed 1996-04
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Car moves unexpectedly or surges

   • 7 complaints (14%)
   • median 118,000 mi at 22.3 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2008

   Owners describe the car rolling or jumping out of Park with no key in the ignition, and a car that rolled forward after a child touched the gear selector. Another report describes sharp acceleration in reverse after the pedal was touched, where braking did not slow it and it stopped only after the car was put in Park and shut off. A separate report describes repeated surging and stalling, which the complaint says the dealer and other mechanics did not fix. Only the Park-related report gives mileage, from a higher-mileage car, and most of these were filed in the mid to late 1990s.

   Recall 85V123000

   What to check: Ask whether the transmission shift linkage recall work was completed, and check that the shifter position matches the gear indicator in every position. For surging, ask for records of idle, throttle or engine repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car began having a problem with surging (feeling like someone is repeatedly mashing on and then letting up on the accelerater) several years ago. I have taken it to numerous mechanics including a ford dealership over the past years and no one seems to be able to fix the problem. It willn't idle. I repeatedly dies at intersections, in parking lots, etc. It died 6 times while a mechanic attempted to drive it into a bay and still the computer said that there were no problems with the system. …”

   NHTSA complaint #701554, filed 1998-12

   “Car was parked with transmission selector in park position with no key in the ignition. The car jumped out of park and begin to roll away. When the car hit another car and came to rest, the transmission indicator was in reverse position.”

   NHTSA complaint #10239672, filed 2008-08, 118,000 miles

Buying note. Buyers considering this model year may want a full check of the wiring, ignition switch and steering column area, plus a test of the shifter and park lock against the gear indicator. Ask the seller for repair records, including whether the transmission linkage recall was completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 17 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.