1998 Lincoln Continental: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 72 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine and engine cooling (19% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 72 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the vehicle would lunge forward when the brake pedal was engaged. Neither the dealer nor manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 186,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2011
“1998 lincoln continental. Consumer writes regarding defective rear seat belts *tgw the consumer stated the right and left rear seat belts no longer retract. Also, water entered the front headlights and caused the lens to fogged up. *jb”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jan 2011
“The right and left seats belts in the rear of car will no longer retract. I got them unstuck a couple times but it happens again and again. I am afraid because my kids sit back there.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Nov 2010
Show 7 more owner reports
“As I was backing the car up the tie rod/steering assembly disengaged (unscrewed) from the rack&pinyon (passenger side) causing loss of steering. The tie rod I stress again unscrewed from the rack. I was fortunate this took place at a slow speed. I feel that if this occurred at highway speeds it could have resulted in a serious or fatal crash. My mechanic replaced the tie rods on both sides with new ones and I have the old part on hand. Looks like the safety pin that holds the tie rod to the rack wore and allowed the tie rod to unscrew its self from the rack. *tr”Owner report · Steering · Nov 2010
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the rear view and driver side mirrors were tinted with an anti-reflection chemical which melted the plastic inside causing the mirrors to look foggy or darker than they were. He believed it was a safety hazard because his visibility was minimal at night. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 122,000.”Owner report · Visibility · Mar 2010
“Spontaneous fire in engine compartment. Vehicle last driven about 12 hours before, and had been off since that time. During a downpour, and while parked in the driveway, the vehicle ignited shortly after 6am - 02/06/10. Events and remaining evidence closely match those described in the cruise control switch fires for other ford models (including same model-year town cars). *tr”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Feb 2010
“I was driving around 50 mph when the spark plug blow out of the head of the motor. It caused the piston to smoke and it had a rattle. *tr”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jan 2009
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the rearview mirror was defective. The mirror had a day night automatic tinting feature. The seals on the mirror failed and the fluids leaked and covered the mirror. The mirror could not longer be used and was not functional. The contact replaced the mirror himself and the original mirror was taken to dealer. The dealer was unfamiliar with the failure and was unable to diagnose. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue however no assistance was provided to the contact. The current mileage was 104,000. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Jan 2008
“Dt: the consumer states that 1998 lincoln continental had one headlight that became unaligned and was shining the beam straightened up in the air. This was the driver's side left headlight. Was having water leakage and around the light was turning black. The warning light on the dash board was saying check brake lamp, but the brake lamps were both working. The owner thought that the headlight shorted out, causing that inside light on the dashboard to come on. This started in the past couple of months. The owner has not had the car checked yet, but was going to take it to dealer. The owner could not afford to pay $400.00 for a headlight. The owner has not contacted ford. *ak”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2005
“The driver side power seat will not retract back. The seat height adjustment and seat back work fine. The motor clicks to engage, but the seat will not move back.*ak”Owner report · Seats · Mar 2005
When filing, owners marked a crash in 8 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.
Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.
Remedy: Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1998 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Continental by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Lincoln Continental reliable?
NHTSA has 72 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 1998 Lincoln Continental. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling (19% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1998 Lincoln Continental problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 100,000 miles or less.
Does the 1998 Lincoln Continental have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting:headlights. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.