1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Electrical System Problems

HEADLIGHTS AND DASH PANEL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT FOR PAST 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE THIS BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS CAR SPEED AT 100 OR MORE MPH WHEN STARTING CAR BUT GOES TO NORMAL WHEN MOVING. I JUST REPLACED THE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR WITH A REBUILD VERSION AND THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM IS GONE. CAN'T BE SURE THAT THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE IS GONE TOO, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC FIX. I'M WONDERING IF A BATCH OF INTERMITTENTLY DEFECTIVE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATORS WERE OEM SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS CUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. MONTHS GO BY AND NOTHING HAPPENS; THEN THERE IT IS AGAIN. I WAS THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS HAUNTED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR BUT I WILL RETURN IT TO AUTOZONE TO GET MY CORE BACK UNLESS IT CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE IT IS DEFECTIVE. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SPENT A LOT AT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THIS. AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, I REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR TWICE OVER THE YEARS TO "FIX" THE ERRATIC SPEED AT STARTUP BUT WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. *KB

Mileage: 120,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY DRAINS SO FREQUENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN FOR LONG DISTANCES OR AT NIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 214,778 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,733. UPDATED 8/7/09 *CN UPDATED 080/11/09.*JB

Mileage: 212,733

DEALERSHIP FAILED TO PROVIDE PROMPT REPAIR OF A FIRE HAZARD RECALL. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AS THE RECALL REQUESTED FOR THE SPEED CONTROL FIRE HAZARD, THE DEALERSHIP PUT AT LEAST FOUR OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF MINE AND THIS IS A SMALL DEALERSHIP. THIS WAS A WORK DAY FOR ME, HENCE THE APPOINTMENT, AND A REPAIR THAT WOULD TAKE LESS THAN 15 MINUTES WAS LOOKING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS. OBVIOUSLY THE DEALERSHIP MAKES MORE INCOME FROM REGULAR REPAIR JOBS, BUT THIS IS A LINCOLN PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED ON A PRIORITY BASIS SINCE IS PRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE DONE MY PART, I CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE OFF 2 OR 3 HOURS BECAUSE THE RECALL REPAIR IS NOT A MONEY MAKER FOR THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

Mileage: 205,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHEN DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT ON AND OFF AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DIMMED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE PRESENT. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE NEAR THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 201,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB UPDATED 12/31/07

Mileage: 160,000

DT: 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHEN THE HORN WAS PUSHED IT WOULD STICK AND NOT TURN OFF QUICKLY. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE FUSE OUT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE HORN AND THE AIR BAG BECAUSE IT WAS ATTACHED TO IT. THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB

Mileage: 35,000

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER'S HOME CATCHING ON FIRE.*MR *NM

1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A FENCE.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN LEFT AND RIGHT BUT THE WHEEL DID NOT RESPOND. REAR AIR SPRING WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CRACKING. THE VEHICLE STEERING A SUSPENSION PERFORMED POORLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS. THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE. THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT WORK. *NM

CAR STALLS WHEN RUNNING AND IN GEAR. *AK

I WAS DRIVING THE LINCOLN ON A MOONLESS NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE WITH THE HIGH-BEAMS ON AND THE CD PLAYER OPERATING. SUDDENLY, THE LINCOLN'S HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO RAPIDLY OSCILLATE ON AND OFF. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. TO AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CD PLAYER AND THE HIGH HEADLIGHT BEAMS. FORTUNATELY, THE LOW HEADLIGHT BEAMS CONTINUED TO BURN, ALBEIT DIMLY. I TOOK THE LINCOLN TO THE DEALER LISTED ABOVE, BUT AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC CHECK DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BUT THEY HAVE REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT, IN MY OPINION, WARRANTS A RECALL OF THIS MODEL. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AND CLOCK SPRING WENT BAD BECAUSE AIRBAG SHORTED OUT. SAFETY FEATURE SHORTED OUT HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL. *AK

IN COLD TEMPERATURE HORN PAD WILL BECOME VERY STIFF AND HARD, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR DRIVER TO SOUND HORN. PROBLEM REPORTED TO DEALER, BUT NOT ABLE TO BE FIXED. *AK *ML

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE HORN PAD SWITCH AND WIPER SWITCH, WHILE IN FOR REPAIR VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. THE VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP BUT IT ALL WAYS STALLS WHEN IT IS ON THE ROAD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF/STALLS. *AK VEHICLE HAS STALLED AFTER ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED, DEALER INSTALLED OCTANE BOOSTER AND VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN STALLED AGAIN, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS RAN FINE SINCE, HOWEVER SHE HAS NOT DONE ANY MOUNTAIN DRIVING AND THIS IS WHEN IT STALLED. *SLC

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED FUEL PUMP TO STOP. ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

FAILURE OF THE HORN, HORN DOES NOT WORK IN COLD WEATHER. TT

MATERIAL COVERING HORN BUTTONS TOO FIRM, CAUSING DIFFICULTY DEPRESSING HORN IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. *SD

HORN/AIRBAG PACKING GETS HARD IN COLD WEATHER, LEAVING HORN INOPERATIVE. *SD