1986 Lincoln Town Car Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 1986 Lincoln Town Car, and owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
- 1977
- 1978
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
4 safety recalls for the 1986 Lincoln Town Car
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Labels (equipment)
Vehicle description: limousines built by empire coach. Vehicle alterers label may be missing or incomplete.
Remedy: Add compliance label.
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Anchorage (seat belts)
Safety belts (type 1 lap belts) for rear facing seats were not installed.
Remedy: Install safety belts for rear facing seats.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.
Remedy: Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage.
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Column shift (power train)
Incorrect bolts were used in the transmission linkage adjustment mechanism. Consequence of defect: the transmission gear shift selector lever on the steering column would be on the wrong transmission function. Should this occur, the driver would find their car in a gear other than the one indicated by shift lever indicator. This could…
Remedy: Replace the shift linkage trunnion, grommet and adjustment bolt.
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1986 Lincoln Town Car have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 26 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 143,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 1996 with 26 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Car was parked with transmission selector in park position with no key in the ignition. The car jumped out of park and begin to roll away. When the car hit another car and came to rest, the transmissi”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 25, 2008 · Power train
“When the key was turned in the ignition there was a cracking noise followed by smoke coming from under the hood. When the hood was popped there was a fire in the center of the engine compartment. The”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 5, 2004 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1986 Lincoln Town Car. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16 / 24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Large Cars |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Lincoln Town Car model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Lincoln Town Car model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 1 |
| 1980 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 2 |
| 1983 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 4 |
| 1984 Lincoln Town Car | 1 | 15 |
| 1985 Lincoln Town Car | 1 | 21 |
| 1986 Lincoln Town Car | 4 | 50 |
| 1987 Lincoln Town Car | 6 | 32 |
| 1988 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 99 |
| 1989 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 89 |
| 1990 Lincoln Town Car | 4 | 209 |
| 1991 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 155 |
| 1992 Lincoln Town Car | 4 | 249 |
| 1993 Lincoln Town Car | 4 | 176 |
| 1994 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 155 |
| 1995 Lincoln Town Car | 6 | 165 |
| 1996 Lincoln Town Car | 8 | 259 |
| 1997 Lincoln Town Car | 6 | 314 |
| 1998 Lincoln Town Car | 7 | 154 |
| 1999 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 148 |
| 2000 Lincoln Town Car | 8 | 108 |
| 2001 Lincoln Town Car | 5 | 161 |
| 2002 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 65 |
| 2003 Lincoln Town Car | 1 | 201 |
| 2004 Lincoln Town Car | 0 | 83 |
| 2005 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 119 |
| 2006 Lincoln Town Car | 2 | 143 |
| 2007 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 84 |
| 2008 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 20 |
| 2009 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 5 |
| 2010 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 13 |
| 2011 Lincoln Town Car | 3 | 6 |
Checking a specific 1986 Lincoln Town Car
How do I know if my 1986 Lincoln Town Car 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 1986 Lincoln Town Car; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
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 85V123000).
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
- Continental1,678 complaints
- Mkz1,665 complaints
- Mkx1,417 complaints
- Navigator1,353 complaints
- LS982 complaints
- Mark VIII826 complaints
- Mkc599 complaints
- Aviator488 complaints
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.