1990 Lincoln Town Car problems & reliability
209 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 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.
10 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 63 | 30% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 31 | 15% |
| Latches/locks/linkages → | 21 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 17 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 16 | 8% |
| Visibility → | 13 | 6% |
| Structure → | 12 | 6% |
| Steering → | 11 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 11 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 9 | 4% |
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
“Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a red light, smoke was seen coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and the hood was raised. Smoke and flames were spotted coming from the plug on the alternator. The battery was disconnected and the plug removed. The fire smothered…”
Electrical System · filed Feb 22, 2006
“Dt: the consumer stated:on 5-19-04 his 1990 lincoln town car burned while it was parked. Within a half of an hour the car was engulfed in flames. There were 3 different investigations done;. An electrical and and engineering investigation, and one done by the tampa fire department and found no exact fault. . He said…”
Electrical System · filed Jun 30, 2005
“Dt: consumer had a 1990 lincoln town car which caught on fire. When consumer came home he parked the vehicle in the garage, went inside and ate, then a neighbor pounded at door to let him know his house was on fire. The police, fire department, fire marshal and insurance adjusters came out and couldn't find the reason…”
Electrical System · filed Jun 20, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- HOOD LATCH FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA91021 · opened Mar 29, 1991 · closed Mar 16, 1992 · led to recall 91V147000
- HOOD LATCH FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91018 · opened Nov 27, 1990 · closed Mar 29, 1991
Technical service bulletins
33 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Lincoln Town Car. The 10 most recent:
Transfer service tips for the front wiper motor mount bracket and depressed park output arm. *tt
02107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2002
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
This information is a supplement to the wiper system service information provided in the workshop manuals. This service information is intended as an aid to assist in diagnosis and repair of erratic wiper system…
011201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 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
Subject regarding climate control - eatc - blower motor control service tips. *jb
00213 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 16, 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
Some cars equipped with factory installed moonroof may exhibit a booming or buffeting noise while traveling at speeds greater than 40 mph when the moonroof is open. *tt
13400 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
Some vehicles equipped with factory installed moonroof may exhibit a booming or buffeting noise while traveling at speeds greater than 40 mph when the moonroof is open. *tt
7312 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
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 1990 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 1990 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.