1995 Lincoln Town CAR Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe braking problems — brake lines rusted through or leaking, and ABS/brake pedal faults that increase stopping distance. A second recurring theme is front suspension ball joints separating, plus speed-control and cruise-control complaints after a 2007 recall. Most complaints in the sample arrive well past 60,000 miles, so these read as age- and corrosion-related failures rather than early-life defects.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Rusted or leaking brake lines and loss of braking

   • 27 complaints (16%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 9.7 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2019

   Owners describe brake lines running to the rear of the car rusting through and leaking fluid, in some cases leaving the pedal going to the floor or the vehicle unable to stop. Several say only the brake lines were badly rusted while other underbody parts looked fine, and that the lines had to be replaced more than once. Others report ABS-related symptoms — a pulsing pedal, extended stopping distance, or an ABS light — with dealers replacing modules and sensors without resolving it. Some owners were told their vehicle was not covered by the related campaign. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 160,000 miles, with several cases in cold-weather states.

   Recall 95V133000

   What to check: Have the steel brake lines along the frame, especially over the left rear wheel, inspected for rust and leakage, and ask for service records on the ABS module. Confirm whether the rear brake line campaign was performed on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Faulty brake lines, rusted sections, leaking loss of braking while driving. I checked the brake lines, I found the 2 brake lines going to the rear of the car severely rusted, leaking sections. (photo enclosed) a line adjacent to the brake lines looks new, no rust at all! Everything else under the car, including parts that normally rust like the muffler, tail pipe, etc. Are in great shape. It is obvious to me that the brake lines used in this particular year of the Lincoln are faulty,( a material defect)! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10029140, filed 2003-07, 95,000 miles

   “The rear brake lines have rusted all the way through. There is a recall for this particular vehicle. The manufacturer is aware of the problem, but informed the consumer that his VIN was not on the list. The brake lines on both side failed at the same time due to the routing of the lines along the frame. The consumer believes this system is poorly designed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10044431, filed 2003-12, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Front lower ball joint separates, front end drops

   • 13 complaints (8%)
   • median 135,814 mi at 11.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2010

   Complaints describe the front lower ball joint separating from the control arm, dropping that corner of the car to the ground and causing loss of steering, usually at low speed while turning or parking. Owners report a popping or snapping noise beforehand, and in some cases an inspection shortly before found nothing. Several say their car was not covered by the ball-joint campaign because it was not a limousine or commercial vehicle, or that the recall had expired. Described from about 75,000 to 180,000 miles, often during low-speed turns or parking maneuvers.

   Recall 98V322000

   What to check: Ask a mechanic to check the front lower ball joints and control arms for play or rust, and to confirm whether the ball-joint campaign applies to this VIN and whether it was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While I was driving through a parking lot the front right lower ball joint on my 1995 Lincoln Town Car broke and caused the lower control arm to fall to the ground. No one was injured only because of the fact that I was traveling under 15 MPH. When the ball joint failed the car came to an immediate stop. If I had been on the highway instead of a parking lot, I can only imagine the damage/injuries that would have occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #10163784, filed 2006-07, 177,000 miles

   “I have a 1995 Lincoln Town Car. I was driving in downtown portland, in stop and go traffic. I was making a right hand turn when the right front of the car just fell to the ground. The lower ball joint had separated from the lower control arm. There are recalls for this, but it only covers limo, or commercially used vehicles. I had the car towed back to my home while I find out what can be done. Nothing has been repaired yet.”

   NHTSA complaint #10334702, filed 2010-06, 120,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Cruise control switch overheating and fires

   • 18 complaints (11%)
   • median 103,467 mi at 12.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2019

   Owners describe vehicles catching fire while parked, with the fire traced to the area of the speed-control deactivation switch in at least some cases. Many complaints concern the 2007 speed-control recall itself: dealers disconnected the cruise control as a temporary fix but replacement harness parts were repeatedly delayed. A few owners report unexpected acceleration or a cruise control that would not disengage when the brake was pressed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 57,000 to over 150,000 miles, including fires on parked, unoccupied cars.

   Recall 07V336000

   What to check: Confirm whether the speed-control deactivation switch recall was completed with the fused harness installed, not just disconnected, and check under the hood near the cruise-control servo for scorching or a spliced harness.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle caught on fire while parked in the garage, local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. The fires caused damage to the garage and another vehicle, which was parked in the garage. The fire marshall conducted the investigation and determined the vehicle was the cause of the fire, but was unable to determine how the fire got started.”

   NHTSA complaint #10115295, filed 2005-03, 60,000 miles

   “Manufacture recall on Lincoln Town Car and models of mercury and ford models in august 2007 pertaining to fire hazard in wiring harness if cruise control was used. Quick fix was to disable cruise control, which was done. New harness was to be available mid october according to dealer. New date was set for mid december. Called dealer dec. 31, 2007. Dealer now stated parts would not be available till feb. 2008. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10213305, filed 2007-12, 134,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Horn and steering-wheel electrical faults

   • 10 complaints (6%)
   • median 103,467 mi at 9.4 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2019

   Owners describe the horn failing, sometimes only in cold weather, with the air bag material said to interfere with the horn contacts; repairing it can mean replacing parts in the steering-wheel air bag assembly. Other complaints mention smoke from under the dash, intermittent stalling at speed, and a key that can be removed without the ignition being turned off. From very low mileage up to about 120,000 miles, with horn failures noted in cold weather.

   What to check: Test the horn, all steering-wheel buttons and the ignition key with the engine off; look for a burning smell or melted wiring under the dash and ask about any past electrical repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Well I was driving home one day and smoke was starting to poor out from underneath my dashboard luckily I was close enough to the house to be able make it home and then after I had gotten home I cut the car off and was not able to start it up since”

   NHTSA complaint #11291730, filed 2019-12, 103,467 miles

   “While driving at any speed consumer felt that the plastic for the horn assembly was too hard, and he was suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome because of the horn structure. Plastic for horn assembly was too hard to press. It's on the consumer's left thumb where he suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome.”

   NHTSA complaint #10067276, filed 2004-05, 108,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light on, bags not deploying

   • 9 complaints (5%)
   • median 107,500 mi at 12.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2019

   Complaints describe the air bag warning light staying on regardless of whether a passenger is seated, with dealers tracing it to a seat belt assembly or an electrical part. Others report air bags failing to deploy in a collision, or inflating only partially. Some owners note the entire air bag system was inoperative on a car of this age. Reported from about 30,000 to 140,000 miles, under varied conditions.

   Recall 01V318000

   What to check: Check that the air bag warning light comes on with the key and then goes out, and ask whether the driver air bag module was ever replaced after April 2000 — that replacement is the subject of a separate campaign.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving 58mph another vehicle broadsided consumer's vehicle on driver's side. Upon impact, side door air bags failed to deploy. Frontal air bags deployed. Driver was knocked sideways towards door in vehicle and sustained injuries. Vehicle was totaled.”

   NHTSA complaint #887952, filed 2001-05

   “Consumer was involved in a head-on collision traveling 50 MPH. Upon impact, driver's side/ passenger's side air bags did not fully inflate. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Please provide any further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #860923, filed 2000-04

Buying note. Have any example inspected on a lift for rusted brake lines and worn front ball joints before purchase, since those are the two most frequently described failures. Ask for documentation that the speed-control and ball-joint campaigns were actually completed, and budget for age-related repairs given how many complaints cluster past 75,000 miles.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.