The 1990 Lincoln Town Car has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 318,116 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 267 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SUSPENSION98V3220001998-12-16175,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1996-1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, NATURAL GAS, AND 1996-1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR LIMOUSINE VEHICLES THAT WERE PRODUCED WITH A LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CONTAINING A ONE PIECE BEARING; AND 1990-1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE, FLEET, AND NGV VEHICLES AND 1990-1996 LINCOLN TOWN…
Consequence
IF THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, REDUCED STEERING CONTROL COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS (2).
CORROSION OF THE HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE CAUSES DETACHMENT OF THE PLATE FROM THE HOOD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN AN UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION CAN REDUCE THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOOD INNER PANEL REINFORCEMENT AND A NEW, GALVANIZED HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE.
EQUIPMENT90V1330001990-07-27158 affected
Defect
TIRE PLACARD MAY CONTAIN INCORRECT GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION.
Consequence
LIMOUSINES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 110 AND CONSUMERMIGHT UNKNOWINGLY OVERLOAD THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PLACARD MISINFORMATION.
Remedy
INSTALL REVISED TIRE PLACARDS.
EQUIPMENT90V1340001990-07-27158 affected
Defect
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATINGS AND TIRE INFORMATION MAY BE INCORRECT ON LABELS.
Consequence
VEHICLES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH 49 CFR PART 567.
Remedy
INSTALL REVISED CERTIFICATION LABELS.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
24
17fires2injuries
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
20
4crashes1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
18
18fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
15
8crashes
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
11
10crashes7injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
11
10fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
10
5fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
8
6fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
4fires3injuries
Total complaints267
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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…”
“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…”
“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…”
“Consumer parked the vehicle in the garage and it caught on fire, and in minutes was engulfed in flames. Consumer contacted the fire department. The vehicle burned completely. The fire department noted that the fire started under the hood. *ak......... Consume rclaimed fire appeared to be due to…”
“Consumer parked the vehicle in the garage and it caught on fire, and in minutes was engulfed in flames. Consumer contacted the fire department. The vehicle burned completely. The fire department noted that the fire started under the hood. *ak......... Consume rclaimed fire appeared to be due to…”
“Vehicle stalls without warning on hot days while driving.and when driven on hot days and is parked will not start again , unless it cools down. Replaced the ignition module , which I was told was under investigation in california. *ak”
“On may 9th my car engine burst in to flames while parked and off.”
“On may 9th my car engine burst in to flames while parked and off.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA91021 Opened 1991-03-29 · closed 1992-03-16
HOOD LATCH FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE91018 Opened 1990-11-27 · closed 1991-03-29
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1990 Lincoln Town Car as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.