Check a VIN

1991 Lincoln Town Car problems

The most common problem on the 1991 Lincoln Town Car is brakes. It has 1.9 times the complaints of a typical Town Car model year.

Typical year1.9x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
155
Recalls
5
Service bulletins
38
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
18mpg

The worst 1991 Lincoln Town Car problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Fire or smoke 12ABS 8Brake failure 7Sudden acceleration 7Airbag light 6

Recalls 5

Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball jointReported December 16, 1998 · 175,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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 car limousine vehicles that have been serviced with either a ball joint containing the one-piece bearing or a front lower control arm containing a ball joint with a one-piece bearing. The one-piece bearing within the lower control arm ball joint can weaken slowly during use and eventually crack. This could result in separation of the ball and cap of the joint, allowing the control arm to drop to the ground.
Risk
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).

Recall number 98V322000 · Recall details

Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latchReported August 7, 1995 · 73,837 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed.
Risk
In the event the primary hood latch releases or is not properly latched when the vehicle is in motion, the hood could fly up obstructing the operator's vision, and increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the hood latch assembly.

Recall number 95V151000 · Recall details

Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latchReported May 16, 1995 · 142,800 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
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.

Recall number 95V091000 · Recall details

Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latchReported September 10, 1991 · 72,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The secondary hood latch may not engage when the hood is closed.
Risk
In the event the primary hood latch releases when thevehicle is in motion, the hood could fly up, obstructing the operator's vision,and increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Install a new hood latching assembly.

Recall number 91V147000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: deliveryReported January 8, 1991 · 26,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Distorted fuel lines in engine compartment may contact the steering column universal joint and cause damage to the fuel line.
Risk
Fuel leakage could occur from the damaged fluid line and,in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Reposition fuel line to prevent contact with universal joint; if fuel lines are already damaged, repair or replace fuel lines.

Recall number 91V008000 · Recall details

See all 5 recalls for the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Defect investigations

Hood latch failureOpened March 29, 1991, closed March 16, 1992

There is no summary currently available

EA91021

Technical service bulletins for the 1991 Lincoln Town Car 38

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 38 bulletins for the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

1991 Lincoln Town Car fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
4.6L 8‑cylRWD152218

What 1991 Lincoln Town Car owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Dec 26, 2016 · Seat belts · 83,100 miles · CA

Drivers seat belt buckle inop....will not hold the belt in th e locked position, therefore, seat belt enabled in case of accident.

Filed Jan 29, 2015 · Locks · 174,600 miles · OH

Tl*the contact owns a 1991 lincoln town car. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise and discovered that the hood latch fractured. As a result, the windshield cracked from the force of the hood and a bungee cord was used in order to keep the hood secured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the federal safety agency campaign number: 95v151000 (latches/locks/linkages) was previously performed. The failure mileage was 174,600.

Filed Nov 12, 2014 · Brakes · 66,682 miles · CA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 1991 lincoln town car. The contact stated that due to a brake failure, the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 66,682.

Filed Apr 22, 2014 · Engine · 27,000 miles · DC · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 1991 lincoln town car. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the contact crashed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000. The VIN was unknown.

Filed Jan 10, 2010 · Engine · OK · fire

While driving eastbound us interstate 40 in oklahoma city,ok my 1991 lincoln towncar caught on fire and stopped running, after I pulled off the highway and put the fire out, the car would not start back up. The fire was coming from the engine area, looking as if it was underneath the car somewhere.

Filed Oct 2, 2007 · Tires · SC

While traveling at approx. 35 miles per hour on a local bridge, my right rear tire blew out. I drove a distance of several yards to the end of the bridge where I was able to pull to the shoulder and stop. When a very kind police officer tried to remove the damaged tire, he had to stop because the tire had separated like a recapped tire and wound the torn part around the brake lines and axle. The damages and service charges are estimated to be more than six hundred dollars. Initially, the service repairman at the tire store (where all of the tires were purchased and mounted) indicated that all four tires needed to be replaced because they showed signs of "dry-rot." a short time later, another worker said only the damaged tire needed to be replaced. There seems to be some problems with michelin tires sold within the last few years.

Filed Mar 22, 2006 · Locks · 150,000 miles · IL

Driving on expressway @ 55 MPH ( windy with 30 MPH gusts ) hood opened and folded up over the roof both hood latches were still locked to the strike plate from hood luckily was able to pull over to the emergency lane replaced hood and struts with used ones ( from a 1993 / safer? ) still have old hood and plate available.

Filed Sep 30, 2005 · Brakes · 17,478 miles · PA

Dt: the contact stated 1991 lincoln town car had only 17,000 miles on it. On 8-25-05 he felt like his brakes were low. He went to have them inspected and the car passed the inspection, but he had the brakes changed anyway. He smelled the brakes burning that day as he was driving home from the garage. He parked the car in the garage ,and did not drive the car until about a month later when he smelled what he thought was the brakes burning again. When he got in to driveway, he saw fire under the wheels. He put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. Had he not had the fire extinguisher the car would have blown up. The garage that fixed the brakes said the caliper hung up and that was why the fire happened. Also, the consumer thought this may be a defect in the design of the brakes that would cause the car to catch on fire or did not fix the brakes properly. He called ford, and they told him that without a warranty they did not know what they could do, and then they told him they would submit his complaint to the engineering department. The contact was not sure if the car had ABS brakes because the car was a 1991 model. He thought it did but was not sure. He was the original owner of the car.

Filed Aug 23, 2005 · Electrical · CA · fire

Dt: 1991 ford lincoln town car. While driving the car turned on the air conditioning and about 15 to 20 minutes later saw fire coming out from underneath the hood, surrounding the right front wheel. Pulled off the road, by that time the car had a large fire. The consumer put the fire out by throwing water on it. After looking at the car saw that all the wires were melted around where the wheel was, and also there was a melted rubber. A friend inspected the car. He cut a wire that let the consumer drive the car home. Where it was parked. There was a short circuit in the wiring system. The car has not been repaired.

Filed Jun 9, 2005 · Engine · 119,000 miles · TN

I have had problems with getting this car (1991 lincoln town car) through inspection over the last 3 years, due to smoking because of emissions problems. The car had less than 100,000 miles on it when this problem started, and now has approximately 119,000 miles on it. This year, I have made 4 attempts to get the car to pass the inspection, however it has failed due to the same problem each time. I have taken the car to mechanics, and have been told that this is a manufacturers' defect with these particular cars. They state that the valve seals get hard because of a factory defect and need to be replaced. Hardened valve seals allow oil to by-pass the valve seals and cause the cars to smoke. I feel that the manufacturer should replace the valve seals in my car, and correct this problem. I would like to keep this car, if you can please stop the smoking, it is a good car! Thank you very much.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 1991 Lincoln Town Car before you buy

Compare the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Other model years

1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011

Questions about the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Is the 1991 Lincoln Town Car reliable?

Owners have filed 155 complaints about the 1991 Lincoln Town Car, 1.9 times a typical Town Car model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1991 Lincoln Town Car?

Brakes, with 44 complaints. Next is engine (20).

How many recalls does the 1991 Lincoln Town Car have?

5 recalls, covering suspension, latches/locks/linkages and fuel system, gasoline.

What year does the Lincoln Town Car have bad brakes?

The Lincoln Town Car model years with the most brakes complaints are 1995 (52 complaints), 1991 (44 complaints) and 1997 (44 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1991 Lincoln Town Car get?

Official estimates for the 1991 Lincoln Town Car range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.6L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 15 city and 22 highway.

Share your experience with the 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 1991 Lincoln Town Car?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN