1986 Lincoln Town Car problems & reliability
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1986 Lincoln Town Car. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 29 | 58% |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% |
| Structure | 3 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 4% |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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. *tr”
Power Train · filed Aug 25, 2008
“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. *ak”
Electrical System · filed Nov 5, 2004
“While driving vehicle was lurching, then consumer noticed smoke coming from the tires. Dealer determined that right front brake was locked up, caliper and brake hose were replaced. *ak”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Apr 22, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- NON COLLISION FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE88012 · opened Jan 15, 1988 · closed May 2, 1988
Technical service bulletins
20 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1986 Lincoln Town Car. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt
9864 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1986 Lincoln Town Car in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1986 Lincoln Town Car?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.