Most common 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII problems
Share of the 83 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln Mark VIII complaints by model year
1998 Lincoln Mark VIII recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
What 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII owners say
A/C & heater
Heater/ac blender door-doors,fail to operate and or have "no" tempeture control,resulting in poor visiblity.fogging etc,lack of defrosting and or a cold driver..see previous 768368,768427,768529,768796,768173.7689173,769183,769959,10003517,10005626,10023956,10075009,and now mine ! The only thing that changed is the cost of repairs by the dealer has gone up. I have a written estimate for( the dash has to be removed) $680.00 labor.. Parts as found/ to be $38.00,,$68.00,,$5.00,,$35.00 and than maybe $350.00 more for a plemum.. ($1,176.00) I understand that Ford has replaced the parts with better versions as to materials that with stand the different temperatures it is subject too.this apparent lack of action by NHTSA is cause for concern as to your uninterest in the public safety not knowing how many other vehicles are out their with this hazardous defect. Help us,protect us ,,thank you.
The blend door that controls the heat and air conditioning has stopped working and has rendered my heating / cooling system dysfunctional. This seems to be a widely known issue for this car (1998 Lincoln Mark VIII lsc) - it poses a dangerous and tangible threat to safety considering heat will not work to defrost the windows and front windshield.
Lights
Update to last complaint: the passenger side HID headlight has failed, no replacement except $1000 conversion kit. Have to drive with only "brights" on from now on. Danger to myself and those I'm passing, plus if the "brights" aren't on, then I have no headlights and could get pulled over. Passenger side ball joint/control arm broke while driving and tire fell off while driving in parking lot at work. After repair, hearing a bad creaking noise. Air suspension has to fill up all the way when I start the vehicle even after 5 minutes of it being shut off. Have paid $1,200 for repairs of suspension and steering in 6 months. (that's with my dealership employee discount). Seriously, I've heard too much about defective ball joints, headlights, no heat, door handles snapping off, and the air suspension going bad. Why is Ford not doing anything about these obviously defective parts??? …
I own a 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII. I have owned this car since 1999. Recently, one of the headlight lamps burned out. I attempted to buy a replacement bulb at several auto parts stores without success. I contacted the local Lincoln dealers and found that the bulb (sylvania 9500) is no longer manufactured. I also found that there is no stock of available bulbs in the united states except for used bulbs on e-bay. (for $199). I researched this issue on the internet and determined that Lincoln's remedy for this problem was to sell a conversion kit (from HID lights to halogen) for over $1,000.00. I do not know if they are charging $1,000.00 for a pair of lights or for only one side. At this point I cannot safely drive my vehicle after dark. I cannot find a reasonably priced replacement part. I am left with Lincoln's "remedy" of spending at least $1,000 to replace a headlight bulb. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
I've had this gem since 2010, bought with 30,000 miles...now has 104,000 miles. It was great until 2014. Where do I start? (1) no heat- broken blender door actuator...manually set it to the warm setting for the winter behind glove box. (2) driver's door handle snapped last year(replaced for $100)...and now this year the passenger side snapped. (3) doors are constantly "ajar", alternating from one side to the other. (4) ball joint is starting to wear badly, (5) driver's seat won't recline, (6) steering wheel won't move forward/backward anymore, (7) suspension is starting to go...front end lowers to ground after shutting down engine. I'm sure there's more that I can't think of.
Weather change. Heater blend door will not open. No defroster or heater in winter weather causing problems with seeing out windshield and hypothermia. I've had fixed twice at a cost of $900 each time. On any forum dealing with the Mark VIII it is a continuing problem caused by a defective part. It should be a manufacturer's responsibility to replace defective parts which cause traffic hazards, I.e., failure to defrost due to blend door not opening. Part is less than $10, repair is labor intensive.
1998 Lincoln Mark VIII engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII a good car?
Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Mark VIII rates average: 15% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Mark VIII at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII?
The a/c & heater — 17 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about defroster/defogger/hvac system. Next are the lights (12) and windows, wipers & sunroof (11).
How many recalls does the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII have?
There is 1 recall for the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, the most recent from August 3, 2007 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lincoln Mark VIII?
Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995. See the full Lincoln Mark VIII years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 66,000 miles; 19% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.