Complaints
395
Crashes
14
Fires
6
Injuries
14
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0
Worst 1997 Lincoln Town Car Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#139 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Avg mileage:83,433 mi
#233 complaints
Unintended Acceleration
Avg mileage:87,405 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:1
#323 complaints
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
Avg mileage:101,482 mi
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1997 Lincoln Town Car.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 39 | — | — | 83,433 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 33 | 3 | 1 | 87,405 mi | |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 23 | — | — | 101,482 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 20 | — | 1 | 99,747 mi | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 17 | — | — | 85,974 mi | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System | 15 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension:Front | 14 | 1 | — | 105,000 mi | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 12 | 1 | — | 33,500 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 11 | — | — | 112,212 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 11 | — | — | 83,294 mi | |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 11 | — | 2 | 88,784 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 10 | — | — | 67,052 mi | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 10 | — | — | 111,000 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 7 | 1 | — | 113,750 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 7 | 1 | — | 101,500 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 6 | — | 1 | 122,500 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 6 | — | — | 33,000 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 5 | — | — | 93,600 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 5 | — | — | 132,600 mi | |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm | 5 | — | — | 73,938 mi | |
| Visibility:Windshield | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Airbags | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 | 3 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Steering:Column | 3 | 1 | — | — |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
39
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
83,433
Unintended Acceleration
33
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
87,405
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
23
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
101,482
Engine & Cooling
20
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
99,747
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
17
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
85,974
Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System
15
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension:Front
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
105,000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
33,500
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
112,212
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
83,294
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
11
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
88,784
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
10
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
67,052
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
10
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
111,000
Steering Defects
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
113,750
Suspension Failures
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
101,500
Electrical Faults
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
122,500
Tire Defects
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
33,000
Engine Problems
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
93,600
Headlight/Taillight Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
132,600
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
73,938
Visibility:Windshield
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Body Structure
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Air Bags:Frontal
3
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Steering:Column
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1997 Lincoln Town Car. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Lincoln Town Car Years
1997 Lincoln Town Car — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1997 Lincoln Town Car reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 1997 Lincoln Town Car has 395 NHTSA complaints, 14 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe with 39 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1997 Lincoln Town Car?
Top reported problems: Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe (39 complaints, avg 83,433 mi); Unintended Acceleration (33 complaints, avg 87,405 mi); Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint (23 complaints, avg 101,482 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1997 Lincoln Town Car?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 89,877 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1997 Lincoln Town Car?
NHTSA complaints for the 1997 Lincoln Town Car include 14 crash-related reports, 6 fire reports, 14 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1997 Lincoln Town Car have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1997 Lincoln Town Car as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1997 Lincoln Town Car?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe) and verify open recalls have been addressed.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Lincoln Town Car reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1997 Lincoln Town Car
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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