Skip to content
Lincoln Town CARModel year report

2008 Lincoln Town CAR Problems

Complaints
20filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
43,200miles, 15 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.6L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR. The part named most often is brakes, with 5 complaints (25% of the total), followed by vehicle speed control (5) and electrical system (3). 15 of the complaints include a mileage, and 60% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 43,200 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 16 technical service bulletins for this model year.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Latches, locks and linkages (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “2008 Lincoln Town Car, purchased on 5/18/10 at cortese Lincoln, rochester ny. 6/1/10: began experiencing trouble stopping - intermittent 7/2/10: trip from rochester, ny to vermilion, oh; traveling i90 west, could not stop the car when approaching the toll booth in buffalo, ny. Stopped at the last second inches away from the car ahead. Pushed the pedal to the floor and put the car in neutral. I pulled over and checked the brake fluid; it was fine. On route 2 west, stopped at mcdonalds. The same thing happened as just described. …”

NHTSA complaint #10342918, filed 2010-07, 21,507 miles

Vehicle speed control: “I have a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. I was coming up to an intersection at about 10 MPH to make a right turn and when I stepped on the brake the engine really revved up and I had to really stomp on the brake (all the way to the floorboard) to stop the car. The engine then slowed down. If I had been doing 75 MPH on the interstate I would not have been able to stop.”

NHTSA complaint #10330094, filed 2010-05, 25,500 miles

Electrical system: “We had a sudden unintended acceleration of our car. We were traveling west on the new york state thruway (I-90) towards niagara falls. As we exited into a rest area, suddenly the engine raced as if the gas pedal were floored. The driver pressed on the brake very very hard, and the car almost stopped, moving forward slowly. The driver then shifted into neutral, and the engine slowedand we stopped--about 50 feet beyond where the sudden unintended acceleration started. We turned the engine off, and examined the floormat--it was not in a position to press the gas pedal. …”

NHTSA complaint #10329225, filed 2010-05, 4,200 miles

Steering: “The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. While driving at 40 MPH and making a right turn, the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering shaft fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,478.”

NHTSA complaint #10790163, filed 2015-11, 63,478 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

60% of the 15 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 23,000 and 63,478 miles.

13%0–1020%10–2527%25–5020%50–7513%75–1000%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (15 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 43,200 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

2009520112014201620182021
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Town CAR · sedan RWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Lincoln Town CAR version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Town Car RWD4.6L 8-cyl4-speed automatic152218$3,700
Town Car RWD4.6L 8-cyl · flex-fuel4-speed automatic152318$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 16 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 16 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lincoln Town CAR

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2011653,5003—19—Not enough data
20101394,0003—19—Not enough data
2009527,4103—19—Not enough data
20082043,2003—18—Falling
20078460,0003—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200614362,7682—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200511965,0003—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20048365,5000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200320169,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20026548,9400—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200116180,0005—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200010868,1508—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
1999148100,0005—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199815484,0007—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199731490,0006—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199625992,0008—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995165103,7346—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994155105,5005—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993176108,5004—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1992249100,0004—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199115583,1005—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1990209100,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19898996,9515—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198899113,5005—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19873234,1026—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198650143,0004—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198521—1—17—Stable
198415152,0001—16—Rising

All Lincoln Town CAR model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR have?

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 5 complaints (25% of the total), followed by vehicle speed control with 5.

Has the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR (Town Car, 4.6L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Lincoln Town CAR reported?

Among the 15 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 43,200 miles and the middle half falls between 23,000 and 63,478 miles; 60% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.