1996 Lincoln Town Car Suspension Problems

Which parts fail

• Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
  14
• Front
  6
• Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
  3
• Front › Control arm
  2
• Front › Control arm › Lower arm
  1
• Rear › Springs › Air suspension system
  1

Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  00%
• 25k–50k
  111%
• 50k–75k
  333%
• 75k–100k
  222%
• 100k–150k
  222%
• 150k+
  111%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Lincoln Town Car owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle began to vibrate and an unknown clicking sound was heard from the passenger side wheel when making a turn. The failure occurred constantly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front ball joints failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 98V322000 (suspension). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

While driving my 1996 signature series Town Car about 25 mis/hr in residential area the right front ball joint suspension collapsed & "rolled" under the Car frame. The slow speed enabled the Car to be stopped within feet. Driver & a passenger unhurt. Car towed to aaa certified garage that had been used for over 25 years. Suspension replaced as was the left one that mechanic deemed ready to also collapse. Resident municipality literally surrounded by expressways whose speed limit is 65 mis/hr. Deaths and or severe injuries would most certainly have resulted had collapse occurred while driving at allowed speed limit as this driver does. The Car had 92551 carefully driven miles on it. Car always garaged and meticulously maintained by owner, dealer and the mechanic used . Worse that did happen was the almost $500 bill & being late for an annual conference being held at nearby university.

1996 Lincoln Town Car steering went out causing consumer to run into a fence. The steering wheel would turn left and right but the wheel did not respond. Rear air spring were replaced due to excessive cracking. The vehicle steering a suspension performed poorly. The dealer replaced the upper and lower ball joints and the inner and outer tie rods. The right front window regulator broke. The interior light on the left side of the vehicle did not work.

Dt*: the contact stated the right lower ball joint fell out while driving 10 MPH causing the steering to fail. The vehicle was towed to a dealership. The contact reports having no problems with the steering prior to the incident. There is an NHTSA recall, # 98V322000, regarding the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.

Tl contact owns a 1996 Lincoln Town Car with 92000 miles. The contact stated that when turning the steering wheel he heard a clanking noise. The contact stated that recall 98V322000, suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint was the cause of failure. The manufacturer was called but they could not find any record of the vehicle being repaired or included in the recall.

Ball joints corroded, resulting in abnormal wear. Because of the defect described in the steering linkage:arm:pitman recall 96V135000, but this vehicle was not covered due to VIN. The ballm joints were replaced by the dealership.

The consumer brought the vehicle to a mechanic to have an oil change, and it was discovered that the lower ball joints were defective. The manufacturer stated that his vehicle is not included in the recall, number 98V322000.

Lower ball joint on the rt. Side & lt. Side fail while driving down the road, dropping Car to the ground . Towed to fords repair shop and had both replaced. Last fall the rt. One broke and was replaced. Know the lt. One.

I own a 1996 Lincoln Town Car with approximately 73,000 miles on the odometer. Recently, I have been experiencing problems with the front end wobbling. I took the Car to sears automotive and discovered that the lower ball joint are defective and control arms. The problem matches exactly your recall below: NHTSA campaign id number: 98V322000 summary: 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. …

Vehicle was manufactured with no grease fittings on ball joints , it was sealed and could not be maintained. Therefore, when there was a lack of lubrication on ball joints, it would freeze up, causing steering wheel to lock up, resulting in consumer running off road. Replace pitman arm and lower ball joints.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Suspension complaints in other Town Car years