2008 Lincoln Town Car problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Lincoln Town Car, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Lincoln Town Car vehicles were involved in 10 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 25% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 15% |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 15% |
| Steering | 3 | 15% |
| Power Train | 2 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 10% |
| Structure | 2 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% |
| Engine | 1 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 lincoln town car. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, without warning, the vehicle independently swayed to the right. The contact regained control of the steering wheel. The vehicle was not repaired nor diagnosed. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not…”
Steering · filed Mar 24, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 lincoln town car. The contact stated that the check air suspension and tire fault warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the passenger and driver side air bags and all four tire sensors needed to be replaced. The…”
Wheels · filed Sep 30, 2019
“2008 lincoln town car. Consumer writes in regards to factory's non-removal of plastic sheeting (used to prevent dust in fan compartment) shredded/blocked defroster vents, fan, blend door, and heater causing noises and system malfunction. *smd *tr”
Structure · filed Mar 30, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
16 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Lincoln Town Car. The 10 most recent:
This SKU is a Radiator Fan. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the electrical connections. An electrical connection issue may lead to the fan not working potentially throwing a…
DOR-L2Q6V-10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2019
Replacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket SYNC/Navigation kit or modifying original SYNC/Navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any…
SSM 47201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 2018
Replacing the original equipment sync/navigation system with either an aftermarket sync/navigation kit or modifying original sync/navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any…
SSM 46332 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 24, 2017
The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a…
SSM 46085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2016
Inpected or repaired under 13R01 - Requests for recall service action under 13S08
TSB160072 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2016
For 2005-2012 Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Grand Marquis and Town Car vehicles, Regional Program 13R01 applies to vehicles not registered in corrosion states and not included in Safety Recall 13S08, where operation in high…
16-0072 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2016
4R75E Transmission - Grinding/Whine/Vibration/Gear Slippage - Serrvice Kit available
TSB160032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2016
4R75E TRANSMISSION - GRINDING/WHINE/VIBRATION/GEAR SLIPPAGE - SERVICE KIT AVAILABLE ISSUE A service kit has been released to assist with proper repair of the 4R75E transmission in 2008 Mark LT, 2008-2010 F-150…
16-0032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2016
Ford: the lower intermediate steering shaft, has corrosion of swing link joints, combined with collapsed upper intermediate steering shaft, resulting in steering column separation and loss of steering control. Model…
RP-13R01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 16, 2014
Ford/lincoln/mercury: failure of planetary gear assembly is due to transmission, on certain vehicles, exhibiting grinding, gear slippage, whine type noise, vibration, while driving or loss of reverse. *pe
TSB-14-0153 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 21, 2014
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
The 2008 Lincoln Town Car has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2008 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.