Lincoln Continental Reliability
2,551 NHTSA complaints (1981–2020). Complaint rate: 661.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1988–1994 Lincoln Continental (52 crash-related complaints). The 2018–2020 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Lincoln Continental Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 235 | 0.9% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 103 | 0.0% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 98 | 2.0% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 84 | 14.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 73 | 2.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 73 | 12.3% |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 68 | 0.0% |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 56 | 0.0% |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 53 | 1.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 50 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1984GOOD | — | 9 | 0 | 2 | View → |
| 1985GOOD | — | 18 | 0 | 10 | View → |
| 1986GOOD | — | 8 | 2 | 2 | View → |
| 1987GOOD | — | 14 | 0 | 3 | View → |
| 1988AVOID | — | 147 | 9 | 10 | View → |
| 1989AVOID | — | 255 | 7 | 22 | View → |
| 1990AVOID | — | 244 | 5 | 16 | View → |
| 1991AVOID | — | 399 | 7 | 21 | View → |
| 1992AVOID | — | 199 | 3 | 6 | View → |
| 1993AVOID | — | 200 | 5 | 3 | View → |
| 1994AVOID | — | 303 | 16 | 3 | View → |
| 1995 | — | 94 | 9 | 5 | View → |
| 1996 | — | 69 | 4 | — | View → |
| 1997 | — | 109 | 5 | 3 | View → |
| 1998 | — | 88 | 11 | 2 | View → |
| 1999GOOD | — | 46 | 6 | 2 | View → |
| 2000 | — | 108 | 17 | 3 | View → |
| 2001GOOD | — | 38 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2002GOOD | — | 43 | 4 | — | View → |
| 2017 | — | 94 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2018GOOD | — | 19 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2019GOOD | — | 36 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2020GOOD | — | 7 | 0 | — | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Lincoln Continentalaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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