RecallMyCar

1998 Lincoln Continental Recalls, Complaints & Specs

1 safety recall lists the 1998 Lincoln Continental, and owners have filed 72 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

1
safety recall
72
owner complaints to NHTSA
8 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
18
MPG combined (EPA)

1 safety recall for the 1998 Lincoln Continental

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Headlights (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 98V028000 Reported 571,800 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

72 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Lincoln Continental have filed 72 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 95,928 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 13 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“I am one person among many that have been having many problems with the ford front wheel drive transmission. Bought my 98 lincoln continental with 97000 miles on it, at 109000 miles had to pay 2400 to”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 9, 2014 · Unknown or other

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 10, 2012 · Visibility/wiper

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1998 Lincoln Continental. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18 mpg
City / Highway15 / 22
FuelPremium
EPA classLarge Cars
Engine8 cyl, 4.6 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Lincoln Continental model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Lincoln Continental model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1969 Lincoln Continental10
1974 Lincoln Continental10
1975 Lincoln Continental21
1977 Lincoln Continental11
1978 Lincoln Continental01
1979 Lincoln Continental22
1981 Lincoln Continental01
1982 Lincoln Continental11
1983 Lincoln Continental22
1984 Lincoln Continental26
1985 Lincoln Continental215
1986 Lincoln Continental58
1987 Lincoln Continental19
1988 Lincoln Continental984
1989 Lincoln Continental4158
1990 Lincoln Continental3158
1991 Lincoln Continental3203
1992 Lincoln Continental3126
1993 Lincoln Continental4121
1994 Lincoln Continental5190
1995 Lincoln Continental170
1996 Lincoln Continental248
1997 Lincoln Continental196
1998 Lincoln Continental172
1999 Lincoln Continental242
2000 Lincoln Continental363
2001 Lincoln Continental132
2002 Lincoln Continental033
2017 Lincoln Continental475
2018 Lincoln Continental221
2019 Lincoln Continental332
2020 Lincoln Continental27

Checking a specific 1998 Lincoln Continental

How do I know if my 1998 Lincoln Continental has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1998 Lincoln Continental; your car may already have been repaired under it.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lincoln dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 98V028000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Lincoln models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.