1997 Lincoln Town CAR Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 9about this part
- Share
- 3%of 314 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 100,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 9 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR, 3% of the 314 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 100,000 miles. 5 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle that crashed into the contact was driving at approximately 55 MPH. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The contact had a second accident, and the air bags did not deploy during that incident. The dealer stated that the air bags could not be replaced because the vehicle was an older model, and the VIN was not under a recall. …”
NHTSA complaint #11472824, filed 2022-07, 154,000 miles“The contact stated there are NHTSA recalls, # 98i001000 and 01v318000, regarding the service brakes: hydraulic :foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings and the airbags: frontal: driver side inflator module. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for the service brakes and the brake lines were replaced. Also, the horn is inoperable. The manufacturer was alerted about both recalls who determined the VIN was not included in the recalls.”
NHTSA complaint #10158973, filed 2006-06, 100,000 miles“The contact stated while braking the vehicle accelerated without warning. This incident resulted in accidents on two separate occasions. One accident occurred in june of 2005 while in traffic. The other accident occurred in august of 2006 resulting in the vehilcle driving through the garage. A police report was taken at the scene of the first incident. The service dealer could not determine the cause of the problem. During each accident the air bags did not deploy. There was also no air bag light illuminated prior to each incident.”
NHTSA complaint #10169269, filed 2006-09, 80,000 miles“Would be driving & the steering wheel would have too much play. Feels like losing control of vehicle. Took vehicle to dealer. Steering pressure sensor has been rplaced or changed & affects the steering of the vehicle. Rocker arm was cracked & needed replacing. Had an accident due to lack of control of steering wheel. Hit a telephone pole & the air bags deployed. Suffered injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #873224, filed 2000-10“Abs system failed causing vehicle to spin out and tire blowout, loss of control resulting in accident ( no deployment of air bags during collision and seat belts did not restraint properly), injuries due to defects. Yh”
NHTSA complaint #607156, filed 1999-02Related recalls
- 01V318000Oct 3, 2001Equipment description: passenger vehicles that have had the driver's air bag module replaced after april 5, 2000. The replacement driver's air bag module…Covers: Lincoln Town CAR 1995–1997, Ford Mustang 1994–1997
- 96V231000Nov 12, 1996Two bolts that attach the driver air bag to the steering wheel were not installed during vehicle assembly.Covers: Lincoln Town CAR 1997
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 | 33% |
| 2010 | 1 | 8% |
| 2009 | 1 | 20% |
| 2008 | 1 | 5% |
| 2007 | 12 | 14% |
| 2006 | 58 | 41% |
| 2005 | 22 | 18% |
| 2004 | 2 | 2% |
| 2003 | 10 | 5% |
| 2002 | 20 | 31% |
| 2001 | 54 | 34% |
| 2000 | 17 | 16% |
| 1999 | 29 | 20% |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% |
| 1997 | 9 | 3% |
| 1996 | 9 | 3% |
| 1995 | 12 | 7% |
| 1994 | 11 | 7% |
| 1993 | 11 | 6% |
| 1992 | 10 | 4% |
| 1991 | 14 | 9% |
| 1990 | 9 | 4% |
Other parts of the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR
87 complaintsSuspension
50 complaintsBrakes
44 complaintsVehicle speed control
43 complaintsSteering
22 complaintsExterior lighting
17 complaintsFuel system
17 complaintsElectrical system
16 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsTires
9 complaintsBody and structure
8 complaintsEngine
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology