Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln town car. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was applied, it traveled to the floorboard. The contact noticed that there was premature rust and corrosion on the brake lines causing them to fracture. The vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 98i001000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000. Updated 12/10/15*lj
1997 Lincoln Town Car brakes problems
44 complaints (14% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 80,000. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 44
- of this car's complaints
- 14%
- typical mileage
- 80,000
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings17
- Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip12
- Foundation components: disc: rotor4
- Foundation components4
- Foundation components: disc: pads2
- Supply: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings1
- Foundation components: disc1
- Fluid1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Lincoln Town Car brakes problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Lincoln Town Car brakes
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Rear brake line failure
In a letter dated february 25, 2005, ford motor company (ford) notified odi that it would be conducting a customer satisfaction program (ford no. 04b26) to correct a rear brake line chafing concern in approximately 44,000 model year (my) 1997 ford crown victoria and grand marquis non-fleet vehicles equipped with electronic traction control that werebuilt after march 19, 1997.these vehicles have an additional rear brake line and a mastic patch causing reduced clearance from a stiffening rib in the floor pan.odi?s analysis showed higher complaint and warranty rates related to rear brake line failures in this population than in other subject vehicles and peer mid-sized passenger cars that were evaluated during the investigation.vehicles involved in ford?s program will have the rear brake lines inspected for contact with the floor pan stiffing rib.if there is contact, but no abrasion or leakage, the brake lines will be repositioned.if there is abrasion or a leak is evident the brake line will be repaired.if necessary, both of the rear brake lines will be replaced. Though ford does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise because the insufficient clearance in the routing of those brake lines may result in leaks in those lines that may result in increased stopping distances.odi is designating the campaign a safety recall (the federal safety agency recall no. 05v‑086).because of the low rates of brake line failures in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.
EA03012
Rear brake line failure
Odi has received 40 complaints alleging rear brake line failure in the subject vehicles, including 8 that have been received this year.an additional 192 reports and 478 warranty claims have been received from ford.a leak in the rear brake line can cause extended stopping distance.a search of odi's complaint database for peer vehicle complaints, using the same brake line failure criteria as for the subject vehicles and the same model years (1995-97), identified only 1 complaint involving general motors caprice/implala/88/98/regal vehicles and only 2 complaints involving chrysler lh-cars.the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further evaluate the frequency, scope, and causal factors related to rear brake line failures in the subject vehicle population.
RQ03004
What 1997 Lincoln Town Car owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln town car. The contact stated that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle in addition to the brake pedal feeling abnormally loose. The contact later inspected the vehicle and discovered that the brake line was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Ford lincoln -- town car, year model 1997. Brake line (tubing) between point of distribution from master cylinder/booster to rear axle. Also brake line between rear wheels (fastened to outside of rear axle housing). This brake line tubing is of inferior metal composition prone to rusting in northern climates where winter salt is spread on road surfaces. Case in point: when the car was parked on the parking lot, everything was fine. When car was restarted after a short duration of being parked, upon pressing the brake pedal, all brake fluid squirted onto pavement. Root cause: the corroded brake line burst somewhere, approximately, under the driver's seat on the roadside (bottom side) of the floor board. This necessitates the replacement of the entire brake line tubing stretch (as per design) in excess of $1,200, parts and labor included. This burst of fluid could have occurred anywhere. Since the incident occurred at a time and a place from where it was possible to drive the car a short distance to its home parking position using only the emergency brake, where needed, at a speed of no higher than 10 -15 MPH. A private research indicated that this problem is somewhat 'common.' subsequent inquiries at dealerships verified the fact that there is a goodly number of brake line replacements. Labor time expended is about a full day (a full shift). To the writer of this note it is not known how many serious accidents might have been already caused by this inferior quality brake line. A short length of the subject brake line covered with a plastic coating -- when uncovered to expose the metal tubing -- showed that tubing as if brand new, unaffected by the road salt. This is a very serious problem, and it merits a thorough investigation including a recall. The writer of this note is not aware of any later models having the same type of problem. That is up to the investigators to find out.
1997 lincoln town car multiple brake line failures. 2002,2005,2006,2007,2010. Due to external rust.
Life threatening complete brake failure complete loss of brake fluid because of brake line ruptures (both systems) while applying brakes abruptly to avoid an accident. Brake line failure was due to use of cheap uncoated steel brake lines that weakened over the years due to rust. Fortunately, this brake failure occurred at 25mph, just moments after I applied normal braking from 65mph to proceed through a toll booth. If this complete brake failure occurred while braking for the toll booth most likely this brake system failure would have resulted in severe injury and/or death. These inferior uncoated brake lines should have never been allowed to be installed in this vital safety system (brakes) in the first place . And now ...they should be recalled and replaced with superior brake lines under a manufacturer recall program to prevent future severe collisions and loss of life.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 lincoln town car. While driving 50 MPH, the front passenger side of the vehicle jumped when the brake pedal was depressed. The dealer stated that the control arm and lower ball joint failed. The brake lines also failed. As of october 23, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. There are recalls for the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint (the federal safety agency campaign id number 98v322000) and service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (the federal safety agency campaign id number 98i001000); however, the dealer refused to repair the vehicle as part of the recalls. The failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 143,000.
Brake failure due to corroded and rusted brake lines. Had to replace all lines. Can't understand why this occurred as I only have 75,000 miles on my automobile. This could have caused a serious accident as I was in the mountains of tennessee last year. I have never heard of this problem, nor has anyone else whom I have spoken to has ever heard of this problem, and never had this problem with any automobile that I have ever owned. This repair was costing approximately $2,000 to replace all lines. Please advise. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 lincoln towncar. The brake lines were rubbing against the frame which caused a leak. This failure was identical to one mentioned in recall#98i001000 concerning service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. The mechanic stated this VIN was not included in the recall due to the VIN. The current and failure mileage was 150,000.
Dt*: the contact stated the brake light illuminated constantly. When the brake pedal was depressed, white smoke was observed coming from the engine compartment, accompanied by a smell of brake fluid. The vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where the mechanic determined that the stainless steel brake piping was severely rusted and cracked. This caused brake fluid to leak from between the master cylinder and the ABS system. The brake fluid was leaking on to the engine causing the smoke. The repair shop replaced part of the piping, but the problem persisted. Updated 10/04/06.
Dt*: the contact stated there are the federal safety agency recalls, # 98i001000 and 01v318000, regarding the service brakes: hydraulic :foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings and the airbags: frontal: driver side inflator module. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for the service brakes and the brake lines were replaced. Also, the horn is inoperable. The manufacturer was alerted about both recalls who determined the VIN was not included in the recalls.
Questions about the 1997 Lincoln Town Car brakes
Does the 1997 Lincoln Town Car have brakes problems?
Owners have filed 44 complaints about the brakes of the 1997 Lincoln Town Car, 14% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 1997 Lincoln Town Car brakes problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 80,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Lincoln Town Car brakes?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
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).
Other 1997 Lincoln Town Car problems
Engine 91Suspension 50Acceleration 42Steering 23Fuel system 17Lights 17Electrical 16Visibility 16Airbags 10Tires 9Body 8Seat belts 4Transmission 3Seats 2Wheels 1
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