Most common 2008 Lincoln Town Car problems
Share of the 20 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year
Best Town Car years: 2009, 2011, 2010. Years to avoid: 1997, 1996, 2003, 1998, 2001. Compare all years →
2008 Lincoln Town Car recalls (3)
Steering › Rack and pinion › Pinion shaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles manufactured March 23, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car vehicles manufactured March 8, 2004, to August 30, 2011, and on which the upper intermediate shaft was serviced during…
Remedy: Ford will notify the owners of vehicles whose repair records reflect that the upper intermediate steering shaft was repaired during the course of the prior recall 13V-385.
Steering
Ford is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria (including Crown Victoria Police Interceptors), Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. The affected vehicles are currently registered or were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the lower intermediate shaft, free of charge. The upper intermediate shaft and steering column lower bearing will be inspected to identify any damage that may have…
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Executive coach is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lincoln town car limousines. The fuel rail shield was left off during manufacturing. In a frontal impact the engine could potentially bend or rupture fuel lines if the replacement shield is not in place, causing those lines to leak fuel.
Remedy: Executive coach will supply kits and installation instructions to have vehicles repaired at a facility of the owner's choice. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on December 1, 2010.
What 2008 Lincoln Town Car owners say
Speed control & acceleration
Tl contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that when he depressed the brake pedal at a slow speed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact experienced the failure and rear ended another vehicle. There were no injuries and no police report was filed. The contact believed that the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal were too close which May have caused the failure. The contact also noticed the same failure with the 2004 Lincoln towncar he previously owned. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the dealer stated that they could not find any problems. The contact called the manufacturer who assigned him a case number and stated that someone would contact him. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current mileage was approximately 8,300. The failure mileage was approximately 6,500. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. While driving at any speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated. The contact depressed the brake pedal a couple of times and regained control of the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The failure recurred four times. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. Updated 10/26/17
Brakes
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. While approaching traffic in a lane, the brake pedal was applied and was slow to respond. The contact applied force and the brake pedal traveled to the floor. As a result, the contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The driver sustained minor whiplash that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was able to be driven to the contact's residence and parked. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA action number: pe16003 (service brakes, service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the brake master cylinder was replaced per the contact's request. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no specific remedy for the condition. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. While driving at any speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated. The contact depressed the brake pedal a couple of times and regained control of the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The failure recurred four times. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. Updated 10/26/17
Electrical system
This vehicle has suddenly violently accelerated on four different occasions during the last eleven months. The first incident occurred after tapping the brake pedal at a very slow speed and resulted in the Car crashing into a barrier at a filling station in upstate new york. Subsequent episodes were halted by turning the ignition switch off while attempting to stop the Car with the service brakes. There seems to be few common threads among the incidents. There are no warning indicators before or after the sudden unintended acceleration events. No history codes were ever recorded in the powertrain control module. The incidents always occurred while the vehicle was moving at a slow speed sometimes when tapping the brake pedal and other times while pressing the accelerator pedal. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lincoln Town Car. While driving various speeds, the front driver side door independently locked and unlocked. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 46,800.
2008 Lincoln Town Car engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Lincoln Town Car a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Town Car rates better than average: 81% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Town Car 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 2008 Lincoln Town Car?
The speed control & acceleration — 5 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (5) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2008 Lincoln Town Car have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 Lincoln Town Car, the most recent from November 5, 2014 (pinion shaft). 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 Town Car?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2011 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1996, 2003, 1998 and 2001. See the full Lincoln Town Car years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Lincoln Town Car problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 47,000 miles; 56% 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.