1985 Lincoln Town Car
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
Vehicles › Lincoln › Town Car › 1985
These records cover every 1985 Lincoln Town Car. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 1985 Lincoln Town Car. Newest first.
Vehicle description: limousines built by empire coach. vehicle alterers label may be missing or incomplete.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Vehicles do not comply with part 567.
Remedy
Add compliance label.
Owner complaints
21 complaints1 involved a crash6 involved a fire2 injuries3 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Tires › Tread/belt
Tire failure: abnormal belt separation. photo and tire IS available. Sears guardsman, response XL, p215/75r15. 78615, dot#chhf244. also, there were large cracks within the tread.*ak
- Electrical system › Wiring
While driving at 32 mph, the engine stalled. the steering wheel locked and the brakes failed. dealers notified.*ak consumer had a short in the wire. her concern was that she couldn't stop the vehicle after a while. *ph *jb
- Tires › Tread/belt
Spare tire had tread separation on it. 13Ooo miles, 225/75r15. *Ak micheln dot m 3DY D3NX 527. monthly inspection of spare tire found air was escaping from tire. took tire out of trunk and the area facing rear firewall was blown out, tire separation. contacted michelin and reply was tire IS old. photo attached. 1985 lincoln town car. *tt
- Tires
Firestone,215/70/r15, tire unraveled, completely seperated.
- Unknown or other
Consumer IS having the same issues as mentioned in recall 90 v 000 000 equipment: certification label. But, this vehicle not part of recall due to vin.
- Tires › Tread/belt
Tire unravelled and tread completely separated.
- Fuel system, gasoline › Carburetor system
I had always felt a sluggishness in the car when the gears were changing. being it that this would always correct itself still I had an uncomfortable feeling when this happened. yet it wasn't something that I constanly dwelled upon, until now. several machanics made statements thea they had…
I had always felt a sluggishness in the car when the gears were changing. being it that this would always correct itself still I had an uncomfortable feeling when this happened. yet it wasn't something that I constanly dwelled upon, until now. several machanics made statements thea they had never known of an intake manifold to explode. This IS when I started to think about things that had happened in the past. Once the mechanic had removed this unit he mentioned that this unit had many defects in it. there were thin spots and thick spots that varied through out this unit. One being where this unit had exploded, leaving a hole in it the size of a bullet, yet it wasn't a bullet hole. After driving my car home I immediately realized that this car was dring better than it ever had with out the hesitations. I then realized that this defect could have been effecting the operation of this car from day one. one dealer's service manager told me that the parts were obsolete, therefore I would have to scrap it. once I found many parts on the internet I knew that something was wrong. This particular part seldom wore out unless it was factory defective, I felt better. not because of the defect itself, but to know that my complaint for all these years had not been a figment of my imagination, justified my complaints to the manufacturer. I know the car IS old as I have been reminded of more times than I care to mention. must know if there are any other consumers that went through this same ordeal. I'm curious because I had always bragged about the fact that this car was the less troublesome car I had ever owned, until this little tidbit popped up. believe it or not the milage on it IS original miles. a sixteen year old car with less than one hundred thousand miles on it, and still cranks on the first turn of the key!*ak
- Electrical system › Wiring · Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
Consumer was driving at approximately 20 mph when steering column exploded and caught on fire. Consumer pulled over ,and poured snow on it to take fire out. *Ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine failure resulted in engine fire (ohio traffic crash report). *mjs
- Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
The hydraulic cylinders used to hold the hood up gave way, allowing the hood T0 fall down, almost injuring the owner. Dealer has not seen vehicle. *Ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
While driving at any speed vehicle IS stalled and cut off without prior warning. Ignition switch has been replace three times. *ak
- Structure › Body › Door
Consumer had a sick passenger in back seat , drove to hospital , went to unlock doors by the automatic system next to driver , but it was inoperative. Next, consumer went to open the back door manually, but it will not open on either side. Consumer had to pull sick passneger to the front seat in order to get him out. Defect causing a safety hazard. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Electrical short, steering column fire, vehicle was driven and parked and return vehicle was on fire. *ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components
Brakes failed, causing accident. (New jersey state police report) *dsh
- Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
While driving vehicle saw white smoke coming from steering column, drove to house, after arriving home, smoke stopped. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition
Ignition fire. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition
Ignition fire. *ak
- Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash
The car burned up from the harness under the dash. Please describe. *ak
- Vehicle speed control
Car accelerates to 70 mph for no reason before it warms up. It stays at this speed until you go about 25 miles.please describe details. tt
- Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Carbon monixide emitted from air conditioner, resulting in two deaths. *aw
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor
Carbon monoxide fumes from defective catalytic exhaust system, causing injury/death. *skd
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Non collision fires
Summary: allegedly the axle bearings on lincoln town car limousines over-heat igniting combustible components nearby.recommendation: open pe send letter to ford.===
- Sudden acceleration
Sudden acceleration
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 3020103Unknown
- 623988Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *Slc
- 623944Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *Slc
- 616522Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system.
- 612203Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *Mjs
- 608431Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda.
- 601343A new silicone gasket and sealant.
- 601312Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system.
- 601238Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart.
- 51945Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts.
- 50997Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip.
- 50940Windshield and interior glass - fog/film.
- 50908Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip.
- 50905Wiring - electrical diode identification and service replacements.
- 39900Roughness concern during brake application.
Every Lincoln Town Car model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.